National Nutrition Week 2018: Following Diet Trends? You Must Stop Now! Rujuta Diwekar Tells Why

National Nutrition Week 2018 is on till September 7. The week is meant to raise awareness about the importance of right kind of nutrition for human health. In the present times, the weight loss industry has changed the meaning of nutrition completely. Fad diets and diet trends have attempted to change how people look at nutrition and food choices. Addressing this concern is Rujuta Diwekar in her latest Facebook live video. According to Rujuta, the big food companies are trying to tell us that we need to give up on diversity in food and opt for uniformity.

Weight loss industry is colonizing the way people eat

She draws a stark comparison between the colonialism and how the weight loss industry has been treating us. East India Company came in, we were promised trade for health. And similarly, the weight loss industry is trying to promise us health through nutritionism. Nutritionism is referred to the paradigm which assumes that scientifically identified nutrients in food determine value of individual food in your diet.

Also read: Here's How You Can Eradicate Extreme Hunger And Malnutrition

These are the reasons that same diets with new names keep coming your way, thanks to the weight loss industry. This is with reference to some famous diets such as keto diet, paleo diet and intermittent fasting to name a few.

Traditional way of eating

Rujuta highlights the fact that people all across the world are now taking interest in India's traditional way of eating. Yogic way of eating has a lot of diversity with different kinds of foods and spices.

This kind of eating stood on the wisdom of Hita, Mita and Ritu Bhukh. Hita stands for well-being and bhukh stands for hunger. Mita stands for eating in a balanced way in the right amount, Ritu stands for your own way of eating. Any ancient civilization is based on Hita, Mita and Ritu basis of eating not on the basis of carbs, proteins and fats.

Also read: If You Want To Lose Weight And Gain Health, Avoid These 5 So-Called Healthy Foods

On national nutrition week 2018, it is important that people acknowledge our diverse way of eating.

What should you eat for optimum nutrition?

When you go ahead with following a fad diet or a diet trend, ask yourself if the diet is sustainable, if it makes you feel free and resonates with you culturally, and what the diet is promising you. When you consider all these questions, you will start thinking differently about these diets.

Also read: Is A Vegetarian Diet Rich In Protein? Rujuta Diwekar Has The Answer

Follow grandmother's lifestyle

If there is one thing that we should all learn is to value our food. Be grateful for the food on your plate. Inculcate the habit of eating local and seasonal food. Practice sharing your food for the best utilization and diversity of food.

There is no diet trend which has stood the test of time or is better than the other. So this National Nutrition Week 2018, forget the diet trends and get back to traditional way of eating!