ISSUE NO: 174, 1-15 March, 2016

g
gtt

P L A N E T

P E O P L E

P O L I T I C S

GOBAR TIMES
A

D O W N

T O

E A R T H

S U P P L E M E N T

Food
Special

CHEW ON THIS

60 I Down To Earth Supplement I gobar times I March 1-15, 2016

GSP Audit 2015

results are out.

Please log on to
www.greenschoolsprogramme.org
to find out if your school
is green or not.

Down To Earth Supplement I gobar times I March 1-15, 2016 I 61

Chitter-Chatter

MY FAVOURITE CARTOON
I like GOBAR TIMES because of its cartoons
and its meaningful name.. The content of this
magazine is informative and interesting.
I would like to have more brain games
in GT. The characters Piu and Pom are very
loving and cartoons on them are very witty.
Honestly speaking I eagerly wait for GT.
Trishna Sarkar, via e-mail
Editor,
In the latest issue of Down To Earth along
with Issue No. 173 of Gobar Times. I had a
brief look at Gobar Times early this morning,
and my attention was drawn by the item on
page 77, Ethical Jeans. Where it is written,
..uses around 45 litres of water in the
finishing process-enough to supply drinking
water to hundreds of people in a year.
If the latter part of the statement is
true, then surely the volume of water used is
a lot, lot more than 45 litres!
Maybe you could clarify the actual
quantity of water used. I would be pleased to
have your feedback.
David Hopkins

Editorial

THE GOOD I THE BAD I THE UGLY

INTERACTIVE BUZZ
I Akansh Chowdhary. I am in studying in 7th
standard in GD Goenka Public School.
Recently I had the pleasure of reading an issue
of Gobar Times and I found it enjoyable and
very informative. I wish there were more interactive activities. This magazine is not easily
available which is a drawback.
Akansh Chowdhary, via e-mail

Hello friends,
The other day, I read somewhere that supermarkets in
some parts of the world resort to really shady practices
to sell their waresfor instance, they change the best
before dates on the labels of some food items to give
them a longer shelf life! But why look at the malpractices
of only supermarkets, when almost every food product
company indulges in misinforming us? Labels on food
productsfrom biscuits and breads to instant noodles
and juicesregularly claim various kinds of benefits such
as no added sugar etc, which means these products are
healthier. But are they really so?
In this special issue on Food, we are serving you a special
platter of oddities and the commonplace from the world
of food, including a cover story that focuses on what I
was talking about just now. I do hope the taste of what
you read in these pages will linger on for a long time. For
those of you who are going to face their exams, a best of
luck, once again. For all of you, eat well and stay healthy
Souparno Banerjee

Fun Dung

The Editor replies:

Dear Mr Hopkins,
Thank you so much for pointing this out.
The writer of this particular piece says the
statistics related to 45 litres of water being
used in making the product is correct.
However, we should have clarified what
we mean by "enough to supply drinking
water...". I really appreciate your e-mail to
us on this issue. We will take care in future to
appropriately substantiate any data that we
quote. Please do keep reading Gobar Times
and writing back to us.
Supplement Editor: Souparno Banerjee, Copy: Diksha Chopra Design: Ajit Bajaj, Ritika Bohra and Surender Singh, Illustration: Sorit Gupto, Tarique Aziz and Ritika Bohra,
Production: Rakesh Shrivastava and Gundhar Das, Email: souparno@cseindia.org, Snail Mail: 41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi -110062

62 I Down To Earth Supplement I gobar times I March 1-15, 2016

GREEN SCHOOLS

Healthy Food Shop

CSE's first organic farmers' market was a huge success

entre for Science and

Environment (CSE) has been
a strong advocate of what we
call 'natural and good food'food
that is good for nature (rich in
biodiversity), nutrition (not junk food
and without poison) and livelihoods
(where local people derive benefits).
A few years ago, CSE published a
book, First Food: A Taste of India's
Biodiversity, in which the diversity
of food and recipes from across the
country was celebrated. To take this
work forward, CSE organised an
Organic Farmers Market.
Whether it was to learn how
to find safe and healthy food in a
market, or to learn how compost is
made or millets are cooked, or to
learn how to grow vegetables on a

small rooftop, CSEs Organic Farmers

Market had it all! The market saw
visitors in large numbers as the
emphasis was on gaining knowledge,
besides, of course, buying organic
produce. While a large number of
people spent time at stalls learning
new skills, talks were delivered and
demonstrations made amid full
house.
The Organic Farmers Market
was held at two levelsone for talks
and demonstrations and the second
for stalls selling a wide range of
articlesfrom food to dairy products
to plants. Visitors, that included
many school children, too, not
only kept pouring in till the market
wound up, but also spent much
time around, learning about
what interested them.
Such was the success of the
Organic Farmers Market, CSE
is now being deluged with mails
and asking when the next one will
be held! Stay tuned for the dates!

Down To Earth Supplement I gobar times I March 1-15, 2016 I 63

ers'
Speakers at the Farm
Market
nist
l

Ishi Khosla, nutritio

ef, India
Rajiv Mehrotra, ch
re
nt
Habitat Ce
Himanshu Kapoor,
n
nutritionist, C. Gree
Virasat
eti
Kh
tt,
Du
a
dr
Umen
Mission
rnalist
Jayashree Nandi, jou
w
llo
Fe
and CSE Media
la, Edible
Kapil Mandawewa
Routes

Stalls: A learning platform

4S Milk offered milk for tasting, while
representatives answered questions
on what merited the labelling of
their milk as organic. At the end of
queries and questioning, many signed
up for getting organic milk at their
doorsteps.
The representatives of Jaivik
Haat, selling fruits and vegetables,
answered questions on how
they ensured that oranges and
pomegranates, which they procured
from Maharashtra, were organically
produced.
The visitors feasted on winter
food and herbal teas at Tejaswani
foundation stall.

C.Green stall offered the option

of choosing between different farm
fresh salads and a variety of items
cooked by millets along with artisanal
cheese.
Sunita Narain, Director General,
CSE assured the visitors that CSE
would continue to hold events
which provide an interface between
food-growers and people.
Please send us your contact
details at ranjita@cseindia.org or
ajanta@cseindia.org to receive
updates/invites on the next Organic
Farmers Market.

64 I Down To Earth Supplement I gobar times I March 1-15, 2016

COVER STORY

False food
This is the age of hard sell: everything that is or can be on sale, is being sold
aggressively through promotions, advertisements, media campaigns, claims of
how good the product is, what health benefits it supposedly has etc... and that
also goes for the food that we eat. Have you noticed food products which proclaim
how healthy they area no fat yoghurt, an oil that is healthy for the heart, or
a high fibre cereal? Walk into the food section of a supermarket and you will see
them. Check out food advertisements and you will find them. How much truth is
there in these claims? Are food companies misleading us?

he other day, while strolling

between the rows of
packaged food items in my
neighbourhood supermarket, I came
upon this packet of a well-known
and well-likedbiscuit brand. The
label on the packet claimed these
biscuits were sugar-free. I have
been often intrigued by such claims
on labels of things that we eat, and
so, decided to find out what sugarfree really meant. And I was taken
aback by what my family doctor told
me!
She said that sugar-free does not
mean the biscuit has less caloriesin
fact, it may have more! Sugar-free
products, I was told, have very little
sugar per serving, but they may still
contain calories and carbohydrates

from other sources. Essentially, the

biscuit company was misleading me
into believing that these biscuits
would be low-calorie because they
had very little sugar in them.
Food labels should be helping us
make healthy and safe food choices.
With heart diseases, cancers and
obesity affecting more and more
people and children every year, it
becomes all the more important
to know which foods are truly
healthy. But do we get to know
that? At most times, it is becoming
more and more difficult to figure
out because manufacturers make
misleading and empty claims about
their products (see Box on next
page for some examples of
misleading claims).

Down To Earth Supplement I gobar times I March 1-15, 2016 I 65

MISLEADING LABELS

The CSE studies

C

entre for Science and Environment (CSE), the New

Delhi-based non-government organisation, has been
campaigning to ensure that the food weespecially
childreneat is clean and free of toxins, pesticides and
other elements which harm our health. In 2003 and 2006,
the CSE laboratory had tested bottled water and soft
drink brands, and found high levels of pesticide residues
in them!
Similarly, tests conducted on commonly available
brands of honey (claimed to be pure) found residues of

antibiotics in them, while claims made on packages of aloo

bhujia and instant noodlesfound another CSE study
were way off the mark. The aloo bhujia of a popular brand
said it had no trans fats, but CSE found trans fats in every
100 grams of the product. In the case of instant noodles,
every packet contained a huge quantity of salt3 grams;
human beings need only 6 grams a day, which means that
if we eat a packet of noodles, we use up 50 per cent of
our quota of salt for that day (visit the CSE website, www.
cseindia.org to know more about these studies).

Take all these claims with a pinch of salt

Noodle nonsense: An 80-grams

packet of atta noodles claims it

provides dietary fibres equivalent to
three rotis. Nutritionists say three
rotis contain about nine grams of
fibre. Studies say that every 100
grams of atta noodles contains only
5.3 grams of fibre. The atta noodles
packet also claims high vegetable
content in the product. What they
have actually is just two pods of green
peas, two French beans and a small
portion of carrotshigh vegetable
content, really?

Junk juices: Packaged juices often

claim that they are 100 per cent pure

and natural. But the juice actually
contains sugar, artificial flavours and
preservatives.

Multigrain muddle: Multigrain

breads are all the rage now, but have
we stopped to ask ourselves what
they really hold? Multigrain products
can be made from refined, polished
grains, in a process that takes away
the healthiest nutrients that a grain
has to offer. What we should opt for
instead is whole grain or whole
wheat products. Whole grains like
popcorn or oatmeal have more fibres
and nutrients.

Other examples...

Cholesterol-free: Doesnt mean,

literally, no cholesterol. Cholesterol

is made by the liver, so all animal
products (meat, dairy, etc) are its
main source. Even those products
claiming to be cholesterol-freehave
some cholesterol in them.

No added sugar: But that food

product may contain sugar naturally!

In fact, fruits, vegetables, milk and
cereals do contain sugar.

Zero trans fats: This too, does not

mean the food has no trans fats. It

may contain a small amount in every
servingand if you take more than
one serving, you could be eating a
heavy dose of trans fats!

Gluten-free: Only relevant for

people who have celiac diseases
(in which the small intestine is
intolerant to gluten and the person
cannot digest food) or any other
form of gluten intolerance.
Advertisers now use this claim
rampantly, without caring to inform
buyers further about it.

66 I Down To Earth Supplement I gobar times I March 1-15, 2016

COVER STORY

Agonising over alternates

he question that arises,

then, is that are the so-called
alternatives any better? In
India, one phenomenon that has
recently arisen is of foods produced
and marketed by companies
promoted by godmen. These foods
are claimed as pure and healthy. Take
the case of Ramdev and his Patanjali
range of products. The yoga guru has
introduced his brand of vegetable
atta noodles.
Another godman, Gurmeet
Ram Rahim Singh, has followed in
Ramdevs footsteps by launching food
products ranging from pickles to rice.
But is there any truth in the claims
of these products being a cut above
the rest? We cant be sure, as doubts
about their veracity remain. Patanjali,
for instance, has been served a show
cause notice by the Food Safety and
Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
for selling its brand of noodles
without the necessary approvals.
A somewhat similar uncertainty
dogs what is labelled as an organic
food. We believe organic food is

better, but we do not know whether a

food that claims to be organic is really
so. One way of finding out is to figure
out whether it is certified as one. In
India, organic products are inspected
and accredited under a programme
called National Programme for
Organic Production (NPOP),
implemented by the Agricultural and
Processed Foods Export Development
Authority (APEDA). The APEDA
issues a certification mark called
India Organic to all organic foods it
approves.
How should we, therefore,
judge what is best for us? A careful
and close inspection of labels and
their claims, as well as ingredients
(as listed), can certainly help. As
consumers, our responsibility lies in
being awareof what to look out for
when we buy food, and of which food
is really good for us.
At the other end, the government
also must put in place stringent
regulations to check misleading
claims, and be prepared to
implement these regulations.

Dr Manjari Chandra, nutritionist

Claims should only be made if some value has been added to the
product. A plant-based oil making claim that it is a no cholesterol
oil, is completely false. A plant-based oil is a seed oil, and hence has
no cholesterol. If bran or bajra is added to wheat oil, then it has all
the rights to make such a claim. Products claim that they have no
cholesterol or no trans fatsby doing this, their manufacturers are
leading customers on to buy products on the basis of wrong claims.

Ujjwala Chowdhary,
homemaker

The other day, a chocolate I bought for

my son tuned into a nightmare for him. He
broke into red rashes when he ate it. This
is when I realised that the chocolate did
not mention its peanut ingredient, and my
child is allergic to peanuts. The facts about
food allergies and allergen are rarely
labelled clearly; this is something that
should be addressed urgently, as it may
prove fatal for some people.

Dharmendra Singh,

advertising and communication

professional
Wellness is a rapidly growing industry
today. Food items, especially, will not want
to be perceived as junk by consumers.
An explicit label of health ingredient
or a healthy manufacturing process is
likely to catch the eyes and attention of
health conscious consumers. Many
manufacturers therefore find an easy
way to sell by marking products
as organic or containing specific
minerals and vitamins.

Down To Earth Supplement I gobar times I March 1-15, 2016 I 67

MISLEADING LABELS

SUP ER

FO OD

These days, many of us are finding an interesting range of new foods in

our kitchens and on our dining tables. These are called superfoods
foods that are supposed to have high amounts of much needed
vitamins and minerals. Salmon, kale, blueberries, quinoa, broccoli,
wheat grass, chia seeds.... many exotic-sounding and expensive superfoods have become all the rage and are being imported today.
But did you know, we have many low-cost Indian superfoods, which
give the same health benefits, found right in our backyards?

Let's go desi

hich seed
should it be

Quinoa or amaranth?

Quinoa is said to be a complete protein food,

and also has fibres, calcium, phosphorous
and iron. But its Indian substitute
amaranth (chowlai)is equally good and is
available at a fraction of the cost.

Chia or sesame (til)?

Both are said to
have omega-3 fatty
acids, which help
reduce cholesterol
and high blood
pressure.

The better berry

Blueberries are in, but the Indian

gooseberry (amla) might be a
better choice. For one, it has more
antioxidant capacity and is available
at less than a quarter of the price.
Amla increases immunity and is an
anti-aging agent.

Tell Us More
Dear readers, do you know
of any other Indian superfoods?
Ask your grandparents, parents and
other elders around you and send
us the names and properties of any
such foods that you may discover.
We will give them a place in
forthcoming issues of GT.

Kale vs cabbage

Kale has cancer-preventive properties

and is high in vitamins. But so has the
common cabbage, which belongs to
the same cruciferous family!

And lastly, the great guava

We see it being sold everywhere, and usually

ignore it. But the humble guava has the
highest antioxidant content among all fruits
so the next time you go buying fruits, opt for it
instead of other, more expensive, fruits.

68 I Down To Earth Supplement I gobar times I March 1-15, 2016

Feast you

ON THE WALL

In this special issue centre spread, we bring you a food t

reading corner for our bookworm friends. Check out wh

Fed Up (2014)

Filmmaker Stephanie Soechtig

and journalist Katie Couric investigate how the food industry is
responsible for the obesity
epidemic, particularly among
children. Fed Up also exposes the
complicity between governments
and big businesses for big gains.

Hungry for Change (2012)

If you diet regularly, you should

definitely watch this one. The
documentary exposes myths
surrounding diets and weight
loss, and reveals how careless
eating poses a grave danger to
our health.

The Hundred-Foot Journey

(2014)

Based on a best-selling novel by

Richard C Morais, it is an interesting, comical and enjoyable food
film about an Indian restaurant
competing with a classic French
restaurant, both hundred feet
away from each other.

Food Inc. (2009)

The Academy award-nominated

film throws light on how the
way we eat has changed over
the last few decades. With a
plethora of food available in
local supermarkets, do we
really know what goes on behind
the scene?

Just Eat It: A Food Waste

Story (2014)

This documentary film dives into

the issue of food waste from the
farm to the refrigerator. The film
follows a couple who decide to
give up grocery shopping and dig
into waste containers. What they
find is absolutely shocking!

Food Matters (2008)

It delves into the realm of

nutrition and diethow a
proper diet can play a key role
in treating a range of health
problems such as cancer,
diabetes, heart disease and
even depression.

Down To Earth Supplement I gobar times I March 1-15, 2016 I 69

Food facts

your eyes

ou a food theatre for the moviegoers amongst us, and a

heck out whats hot and piping on the subject of food...

Junk Food Busted

Centre for Science and Environment

Are you addicted to junk food?

Read this brightly illustrated book
to understand what junk food
does to our health.

rouse hunger.
Red colours
And this is the reason
Yellow most fast-food restaurants
Orange highlight these colours.
Those who skip
the most important meal of the day, miss
out on important vitamins and minerals.

Blue

curbs your appetite, other

than blueberries, there's hardly any
.
naturally occurring blue colour food

Diffusing the lighting and

choosing a quiet environment
slows down our eating.

Apples

float
in water because
they're 25 per cent air.

The Runaway Peppercorn

By Suchitra Ramadurai, Tulika Books
This story was selected for an
award in the 2003-04 Commonwealth Short Story Competition
from among 3,700 entries. It is
the tale of the last peppercorn,
which has no intention of being
grounded, and jumps and races
his way away.

doesn't
come
with an expiry date. It
can last 3,000 years.

75,000 flowers

It takes about
to yield 1 pound (454 grams) of saffron.
It is world's most expensive spice.

in

Chew on This: Everything You

Don't Want to Know about
Fast Food
By Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson,
Penguin Books
The book is about the history of
fast food, the man who invented
the hamburger and how fast food
companies were created.

is the staple food of

many countries
and most cultivated
vegetable across the glo
be.

skimos use
E
refrigerators to stop

their food from freezing

Junk f

Eating
has the
same impact on liver
as hepatitis.

Aeroplane food

isn't
very tasty because our sense of
smell and taste decrease in the air.

70 I Down To Earth Supplement I gobar times I March 1-15, 2016

SHORT STORY

In-house garden
Rakesh Kamal is
passionate about
environment and
climate change and
is currently working
at Centre for Science
and Environment as a
Programme Officer.

neaking in slowly into the

kitchen from the door in the
verandah, jumping over the
small plants Bowwww!!! shouted
Pari to scare Grandma. It was
8 am and Pari had woken up to the
delicious smell from the kitchen. On
school days, mom would have woken
her up early. But with holidays at
grandmother's place, 8-year-old Pari
felt it was her right to be pampered.
Grandmother's house was always
a special place to go, especially
because of the good food and the big
house in the outskirts to run around.
She hugged grandma and wished
her good morning. Why are there
new tomatoes and chilli plants in
the verandah? Pari asked curiously.
Pari wondered why Grandma wasnt
buying vegetables from the market
and instead growing her own.
Ah, I am having difficulty in
getting fresh food. The vegetables
I buy in shops nowadays have
either the smell of chemicals or are
packaged and stale," said Grandma
disappointedly. She explained
how she decided to start her own
roof garden where she could grow
vegetables she wants without any
chemical fertilizers or insecticides.
Grandma took Pari to the terrace
and showed the other vegetables
she was growing. Excited, Pari began
plucking ladys fingers, bitter gourds,
carrots and leafy vegetables. They

also plucked chillies and tomatoes

in the verandah on their way down.
Pari had never seen carrot plants
and was fascinated to see that
carrots are root vegetables and grow
under the ground. Bitter gourds
were creepers which made the wall
look so green and beautiful.
On getting back to the house, Pari
hurriedly ran to wash a vegetable
and put it in her mouth. Eww!
Pari screamed chewing a raw
bitter gourd and made a sour face.

You know carrots and leafy

veggies you like are good
for your eyes and the bitter
bitter gourd improves
your immune system and
digestion. So it is very
important to learn about
and eat fresh and healthy
food regularly.
Grandma had a good laugh and
cautioned Pari that some food tasted
yum only after cooking.
Yum! the food is so good and
tasty, exclaimed Pari during lunch.
Of course it is, and it's
not only fresh and tasty but
also nutritious and healthy
because it is natural, contains
traditional spices which help in
digestion, improve immunity,
which will make you stronger,
explained Grandma. She loved
teaching about the traditional
knowledge she had at every
opportunity to Pari.
What does nutritious mean?
asked Pari looking intently but also
confused. You know carrots and
leafy veggies you like are good for
your eyes and the bitter bitter gourd
improves your immune system and
digestion. So it is very important

to learn about and eat fresh and

healthy food regularly, explained
Grandma gently.
"I love good food not just because
of the taste but also because it is
nutritious!" Pari said, like she was an
expert now. The good food was so
good that she was tempted to lick
the plate after licking her fingers but
did not as she wanted Grandma to
know that she was a good girl.
After lunch, Grandma asked Pari
to bring leftovers and vegetable
peels to put in the compost pit.
Grandma explained how there is
so much of waste that is generated
which is becoming a problem and
how most of the waste can be
recycled or reused. Ya, we have to
close the windows of the car when
passing by the area near the dump
yard because of the stink, said Pari.
Grandma explained how leftover
cooked food, uncooked raw
vegetable waste and dry leaves can

TARIQUE AZIZ

Down To Earth Supplement I gobar times I March 1-15, 2016 I 71

HOME TRUTHS

be easily composted. And with a roof

garden at her disposal, she gets all
the compost she needs in-house.
It also helps in cutting down on
waste like plastic bags from markets,
transportation costs, etc.

It is very easy, I will help

you have a small kitchen
garden and a compost pit
when I am at your house
for your birthday.
But wont it smell
bad to have compost in the
backyard? asked Pari. Grandma
explained that turning the compost
pile regularly will keep the bad
smell off. You can also add some
fluffy materials like dry leaves or
dry grass to help keep the pile from
over-compacting again, explained
Grandma further.

I want to grow my food now! But

how will I in the small apartment we
live, said Pari who was now more
confused. It is very easy, I will help
you have a small kitchen garden
and a compost pit when I am at
your house for your birthday, said
Grandma.
Which plants do I want in my
kitchen garden? thought Pari as she
got a pen and paper to make the list.
And Grandma had managed to plant
another seed successfullybut this
time in Paris curious mind!

72 I Down To Earth Supplement I gobar times I March 1-15, 2016

TOON STRIP

Piu & Pom

It's enough.
I can't eat
any more.
Don't
waste
food!

Thought
for
food

You should
have taken
less!

OK I am sorry. Now stop

making issue out of
the little food I have
thrown into the dustbin?

by

By wasting
food you have
contributed
your part...

Of
what?

In other words, it's the waste

of resources that needlessly
produce greenhouse gas
emissions, contributing to
global warming and climate
change.

No Piu, it's the other way

round. In nature only you
humans can purchase
and own your food.

Global
warming and
climate change.

I am sorry.
I didn't know
that!

What!!! Now you

are dragging it too
much Pom!

Actually you are

helpless and
victim of a strange
and stupid
arrangement.

Every other creature

has to gather his food.
Either by producing
itself like plants

Every year some

one-third of the food is
wasted in one way or
the other.

Which
arrangement
are you talking
about Pom?

Or simply through hunting, as

all the animals do. We animals
hunt as much as it needs to
keep us alive.

Owning of food!
You purchased the
food you have just
thrown away.
Isn't it?

What's
strange in
that? It's
natural!

Down To Earth Supplement I gobar times I March 1-15, 2016 I 73

Are you
kidding Pom!
How can an animal
purchase food?

Yes, because
animals are not
stupid like
humans.

What's wrong
in purchasing
food?

Purchasing allows you to

own as much food as you
can, regardless of your
need, provided you have the
purchasing capacity.

Which eventually
leads to overconsumption
by a handful of people
making them obese

We animals
don't purchase
and own our
food.

and on the other hand it

creates food scarcity,
making a huge number
of people malnourished.

No but what
about animals.
Don't they waste
food either?
Of course not. That is
the beauty of a unique
system developed by
nature called...

Thank heavens!
The food I have
thrown away will be
consumed by someone.

You mean to say

in nature except
humans no one
wastes food?

As a matter of
fact nothing
goes waste
in nature.

Plants are the

basic food
producers.
The excess is stored
in fruits, stems,
roots, leaves, etc.

the food chain.

Every molecule of
nutrients is consumed
by one living being or
another, including the
food you have
thrown away.

But it is still a waste because another

human being could have used that, had
it been not been thrown away by you...
...Nature has
enough to
fulfil the needs of
each one of us...

...But not
enough
to satisfy
one's greed.

74 I Down To Earth Supplement I gobar times I March 1-15, 2016

ECO-WARRIOR

Defenders of food waste

This army is redistributing food from restaurants and hotels to the less fortunate sections of society
Chiteisri Devi

It is an unfortunate paradox that in

India, where the hunger status is still
classified as serious according to
the most recent Global Hunger Index
(2015), food wasted especially in
urban centres is of epic proportions.
A conclusive and official statistic
that declares food wastage levels
across India is yet to be determined,
mainly because food gets wasted at
various stages in the supply chain.
Yet numbers and percentages are no
longer required to recognise that
food wastage is a visibly alarming
and disturbing trend in many cities
across India.
Perhaps we have all faced this
dilemma or quiet moments of regret
when we witness for ourselves
large quantities of untouched food
being thrown away at weddings,
social gatherings or even from a
party at your own home.
The next time you find yourself in
that situationthere is one step that
you can take before you dispose of
that food.
Look up the nearest chapter of the
Robin Hood Army (RHA) using any of
your social media networks to
inform them where it can be
collected. Or better yetjoin this
group, which comprises everyday
residents, in the effort to redistribute
the excess food in your area to the
poor and homeless.
Similar to the Lisbon-based Refood
International, the RHA in India was
founded by Neel Ghose and Anand
Sinha. Coincidentally, the RHA also
has a thriving chapter in Pakistan
set-up by Sarah Afridi. Both Neel
and Sarah were students in London

where they became aware of

the redistribution model that is
hyper-local.
There is an inherent advantage to
this (model) because volunteers are
able to interact with restaurant
owners and distributors personally;
and have a good chat face-to-face
keeping the lines of communication
open is key, as they appreciate being
part of the process from end-toend, says Neel.
Our biggest constraint is time,
for nearly 80 per cent of our
volunteers are young professionals
aged between 2432, he adds, so
we are now taking steps to get more
colleges and schools involved.
The RHA has now created a Do-ItYourself Kit so that more localised
chapters can join the networkand
plan activities for the following three
months so that they have an
achievable goal together.
Keeping the activity simplefind
places where food is in excess and
then identify where food is required
every day, gather volunteers to
collect it and try to redistribute it as
quickly as possible, has been
rewarding.
A fine example of the multiplier
effectwhat was a bunch of
youngsters in six cities in 2006 has
now spiralled across 21 different
cities in India where a team of
2,000+ Robins redistribute food or
necessities to over 3.5 lakh people
(Source: RHA Feb 2016 Newsletter).

To know more, visit:

http://robinhoodarmy.com
or contact them at:
info@robinhoodarmy.com
They may also be reached via
their Facebook page:
facebook.com/RobinHoodArmy

Down To Earth Supplement I gobar times I March 1-15, 2016 I 75

GOOD GRUB

Food Wisdom

The key lies in education, we should expose children more to

food systems, says nutrition consultant Rujuta Diwekar
Do children really need specific kinds
of food, or are the foods that adults
consume good enough for them?
If adults are eating sensible foods
themselves, then children can safely eat
the food that adults eat. But if adults at
home are on salads, soups and copious
amounts of greens then kids are better
off with dal chawal, poha, parathathe
more wholesome stuff. Kids, in general,
should stay with the basics, eating
wholesome, home-cooked meals at
regulated intervals.

play any role in ensuring better choice?

No, homemade fresh wholesome food
looks beautiful, you dont need to dress
it up. Its like your grandmom looks
beautiful, but not quite like the girl on
the magazine cover, but that doesnt
mean anything. However, if you dress
your grandmom and get her to pout for
the camera, she would look ridiculous
same goes with food. We have to allow
children to understand that good healthy
food looks beautiful and not dressed
up (like a pastry with a mint leaf on top
and chocolate sauce streaks over it).
Parents have the responsibility of buying
and patronising local, seasonal food and
cook it using regional recipes. Nothing
makes food more gorgeous than family
involvement.

How can we make what we call 'good

food' interesting for children and young
adults?
Good food is the other side of the coin
of good habitsthose of
sleeping early, not watching
TV while eating and playing
Is it possible to give a
a sport every day. Children
makeover to junk foods,
imibibe these from us
turn them into healthier
as parents, so theres an
versions of a food which
additional responsibility to
looks and tastes the same,
adopt good habits once you
but does not leave behind
have kids. Taking children
unhealthy footprints?
to farms instead of malls,
Like eating French fries that
Rujuta Diwekar
taking trekking trips instead
are baked or honey instead
of shopping trips, allows children to
of sugar? No. Junk foods have a place
understand more about food, history,
too in the order of things. The healthiest
culture, politics and its influence on
thing that you can do with junk food is eat
food. The best part is that it happens
it without the guilt. We can't shame our
organically, so kids dont feel that they
kids into not eating; we need to educate
are being taught or lectured, instead they
them about it. Once children learn that
are allowed to watch and learn and thats
it takes 57 litres of groundwater to
the most liebrating experience a young
make a litre of cola, they may have a
adult can have.
change of heart about the fizzy drink.
The key here is education: as we expose
In today's age of over-promotion,
children more to food systemsfarmer,
children and young adults are
trader, consumerthey are able to take
continuously exposed to a wide variety
more intelligent food decisions. Children
of food products, most of which may
are perfectly capable of understanding
not be particularly healthy for them. But
economics and are very sensitive to
the packaging wins them over. How can
ecological issues. What is missing is a
parents break through this stranglehold
voice which speaks to them regarding
and ensure children choose better foods?
these issues in the same breath as health
Does the presentation of foods/meals
and food.

76 I Down To Earth Supplement I gobar times I March 1-15, 2016

ECOGAMER

Scribble & Nibble

POTPOURRI OF FOOD

ACROSS

2. A popular food item of

Bihar, made up of baked
salted wheat flour cake
filled with sattu and some
special spices
4. Any substance consumed to
provide nutritional support
to the body
5. A fermented crepe made
from rice batter and black
lentils. It is a staple dish.
7. A popular dessert made
from ball-shaped dumplings
of chhena. The present-day
states of Odisha and West
Bengal are claimed to be
the birthplace of the dish.

DOWN

1. The staple diet of most of

the human population,
originated in Peru. Also
caused Irish famine, the
Great Hunger mass
starvation disease
3. Is a kind of noodle soup
common among the Monpa
tribe of Arunachal Pradesh
6. Narrow strip of dried dough
7. A set of instructions for
preparing a particular
dish, including a list of
ingredients required

Answers
Budget Basics Crossword
1. Tax (ACROSS)
Trade (Down)
2. Budget
3. Return

4.
5.
6.
7.

Growth
Service
Employment
Credit

Did you know

The Agariya community grows salt and works untiringly in the fields
of The Great Rann of Kutch (because the ground water here is ten times
saltier than sea water) to meet more than half of the countrys salt demand. But it comes at a price: with the passage of time the salt workers
develop abnormally thin legs, which become so rigid and solid that even
after death they do not burn in the funeral pyre. The relatives collect
their legs and bury it separately in a small grave with salt so that they
decay naturally. The Agariyas earn a meagre Rs 60 per ton. The same salt
we purchase costs roughly Rs 19 per kg. Height of exploitation, isn't it?

Down To Earth Supplement I gobar times I March 1-15, 2016 I 77

Whoever thought...

COVER FEATURE
Cowpats

Packaged disaster
for our rainforests

ainforests are considered the lungs of the planet.

These lungs are now in grave danger and may not
survive for long... thanks to our obsession with packaged
food. About 50 per cent of all packaged food products
use palm oil. According to the Rainforest Action Network,
the consumption of palm oil is destroying and ruining
rainforests. And the biggest offenders are the packaged
food big businesses.

Get fried!

rench fries lovers, pin it up on the walls! Crispy fries that

you love snacking on have high level of chemical called
acrylamide, which is associated with high risk for cancer.
Potatoes contain an amino acid called asparagine. When raw
potatoes are heated and fried at high temperature, sugar reacts
with the amino acid and produces a Maillard reaction. This
reaction produces acrylamide.

One goalZero
waste

o fight food waste, supermarkets

in France have been barred
from throwing away or spoiling or
destroying edible unsold food by law.
Supermarkets have been asked to sign
donation deals with charities and food
banks and those found violating the
law will incur fines up to 3,750 Euros.

Spoof Space
78 I Down To Earth Supplement I gobar times I March 1-15, 2016

LOVE TO
LEAVE IT

Because all it gives you is

Obesity Constipation Lethargy

JUNK THE JUNK FOOD