Superfoods fly off the shelf as fitness fever strikes

By Kumaran P | NT

Bengaluru: As fitness influencers and their superfood diets take over Instagram, the eating habits of Bengalureans are changing with them. There has been a marked shift to high-protein foods, plantbased diets and ‘superfoods’ post the pandemic. Companies that sell natural, plant-based food products sourced from across the globe say that around sixty percent of their orders for plantbased lean proteins come from Bengaluru. The most enthusiastic consumers range between the ages of 24 and 40.

Speaking about this, Nilesh Jindal, co-founder, The Forest Superfood, which curates and sells natural plant-based food products on their platform said, “Around 60 per cent of orders for plant-based lean protein and our mushroom coffee comes from Bengaluru. The majority of the order is from the age group of 24-40 years. Nature has everything we should consume to stay healthy. Whole foods and plantbased products have been proven to reduce the risk of lifestyle diseases and promote overall wellbeing and longevity.”

A plant-based diet, explains Jindal, supports a good immune system as they are packed with essential micronutrients: vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants. Phytochemicals are nutrient-like chemical compounds produced by plants that determine the colour of fruits and vegetables.

Ritvik Vipin, Chairman at Havenspire, a city-based Ed-tech start-up, said, “Running a startup requires us to stay energetic at any given point of time. In present times when almost everyone is at the risk of falling sick, we have to consume healthy food.”

Dr Jagadish Hiremath, Chairman at Aasra Hospital said “Food habits of majority are ruled by ultra-processed foods and fast foods. These foods contain carbohydrates, sugars and fats at high levels which leads to a multitude of health issues such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, obesity, diabetes etc. In addition to all this, these foods also alter the brain’s functioning. Studies have indicated that ultra-processed foods are addictive and lead to overeating. High levels of carbohydrates and fat in these foods, just like tobacco, activate reward systems in the brain which lead to addiction to ultra-processed foods.”

Bad dietary habits are an easy trap to fall into these days. “Preservatives added to foods to increase their shelf life are found to be causing inflammation in the brain which leads to memory loss. Excess fats could also put pressure on the heart and lungs,” Dr. Hiremath added.

While proteins are important, it is important to keep a check on fat content in protein-rich foods. Low-fat proteins are ideal.