Sustainable food life, for a better lifestyle

Sustainable Eating is gaining steam worldwide but we Indians have it all figured out. Sustainable living means reducing one's use of the earth's natural resources.

I make it a point to eat fresh Indian, local produce and you ladies should too. Follow sustainable eating not only to benefit the environment but to improve your mental and physical health in the long run. Here are ways you can adopt a more sustainable food life:

Vocal for local (and seasonal): I believe this is the most basic step in your quest. Don't follow fads by choosing exotic varieties, but choose the nutritionally better counterpart growing right in your backyard. Our very own millets are a great swap for the foreign quinoa. This helps local farms flourish, preserve wildlife and minimal conserve energy used in food production.

Plant power: I cannot stress on how important plant power is. The more we eat from a plant and less food made in a plant, eat less from the animal kingdom, we would be saving our Mother Earth. Food industries have high environmental costs, known to degrade land and severely deplete land resources; especially water. Choosing a vegetarian lifestyle reduces demand for meat, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions thus reducing any harmful environmental impact.

Organic always: I cannot stress on the fact that you must include as much organic food in your diet as you can. From spices to the actual produce, organic is the way to go. Organic farming does not have any pesticides or chemicals in it, focuses solely on restoring the soil and ecosystem and is known to improve the nutritional content of foods. While it is important to eat local foods, chose the ones grown organically.

Pause on processed: The word 'processed' immediately means unsustainable. Processed foods tend to be more resource intensive. There is a very high usage of packing and packaging to produce and store these goods. They also contain high levels of white flour, white sugar, fat, salt and other questionable ingredients.

Aerated drinks also use more water to be made so it is wiser just switch to having simple delicious water. We have all heard the saying 'you are what you eat' so a plant-based diet from local and seasonal sources can be good for your health and for the planet's well-being.

Understand the efforts that go into growing, harvesting, packing and cooking food. Promise to treat it well. Eat well, don't waste well. Eat thoughtfully and watch your life transform into a healthier one.­