Visakhapatnam: Health-conscious shun food delivery apps

Visakhapatnam: Home cooking appears to have made a comeback in several households as many consider it a safer option amid the looming coronavirus threat. With rising concerns about food safety and maintenance of hand hygiene, even those who were dependent on home delivered food at least for once a day now think otherwise. This has virtually driven the health-conscious to stay away from food delivery Apps in the recent past.

In a move to avoid possible infection associated with food and as a preventive mechanism to combat novel coronavirus, health experts suggest eating cooked food and most importantly food prepared at home.

Eventually, this has made many to give up dining in restaurants or opting for parcel service or placing an order online for quite a while. People are conscious about consuming balanced diet prepared under hygienic condition. "When you order food online, there is no guarantee that the delivery person handling the parcel will not sneeze or cough over the parcel.

We just cannot risk it, especially when there is a virus threat," explains C Nirmala, an employee working in a private firm.

For those working from home, mealtime turned out to be a family activity. Some couples spending time indoors prefer to bond over cooking. Consultant radiation oncologist Aditya Narayan and his wife Tanya Narayan enjoy their meal preparation time. "Home-cooked meal is always a safer option for our health.

This way, the risk of infection through food is not only avoided but also cleanliness while cooking nutritious food is also ensured, following food safety and hand hygiene measures," the couple shares.

Sharing tips on healthy foods, Tanya suggests including turmeric, garlic and ginger in the daily diet and avoiding refrigerated water. As precautionary measure to cope with rising corona scare, experts recommend to stay calm, practice social distancing, seek professional help and stay positive.

Speaking to The Hans India, Pulmonary and Critical Care Consultant of ABC Hospitals K Kavita recommends, "Eat fully cooked food. Always, stick to eating as much fresh produce as possible and stay away from junk."

At present, where every message and topic is centred on Covid-19, anxiety continues to grip people. "Mental health is another important factor that should be given prime attention apart from maintaining physical health and following isolation measures. Staying in touch with friends over phone, practising meditation techniques via Apps or on indulging in art and craft depending on one's interest will help prevent anxiety-related issues, particularly when a person is asked to be quarantined," explains Dr Kavita.