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Rising Rate of Overweight Kids

Sabeeka Zafar
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Rising Rate of Overweight Kids

Childhood obesity is not something that has plagued only a particular part of the world rather; it is branching to every nook and corner of the world. Unfortunately, we humans do not take anything seriously until it smacks us right into our faces and rattles our bones.  The pandemic is just like a fine wine; the longer it is left alone, the more it ferments and the costlier it becomes; yet terrible in taste. 

You might not be alarmed by the situation yet but the facts will startle you.  The rise in the obesity rate is not one or twofold rather a tenfold increase in the last 40 years since 1975. To conduct the study, a team from the Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RISC), led by researchers from Imperial College London and the World Health Organisation (WHO), analyzed 2,416 different existing studies that measured the height and weight of a total of 31·5 million 5- to 19-year-olds from 200 countries.

They found that from 1975 to 2016, the number of girls with obesity went from 5 million to 50 million, and the number of boys with obesity went from 6 million to 74 million. That doesn’t even include the 213 million children and adolescents that fell in the overweight range in 2016.

Few extra pounds have enough potential to make childhood miserable and a lifelong course that will eventually lead to low quality of life. Obese children might look bulky and healthy, but they are often malnourished lacking essential vitamins in their bodies, diagnosed with serious medical conditions. 

Obesity is a life-threatening disease — diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, musculoskeletal disorders, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease all stem from obesity and completely deteriorating a child’s health. They face physical health problems and major setbacks mentally, including poor self-esteem due to depression, anxiety, and complexes related to their body image.

It is not merely the result of parent’s ignorance or the laziness and bad choices of our kids when it comes to food. The whole shift of system from processed food, beverages to the way our communities, workplaces operate to the activities we indulge ourselves into. The new transit system has just digitalized everything minimizing the mobility and physical activity restricting the new generation to their cellphones and computers. 

Childhood Obesity Facts- What is it? How does it affect children socially, physi...- JFA UNIj... | Childhood obesity facts, Obesity facts, Obesity awareness

The rise in obesity is like a ski slope; to stop this snowball effect, we have to closely monitor the symptoms, causes, and risk factors of the problem so that we can address it in a more professional way; involving all the stakeholders and relevant departments to bring changes on a systematic level.

How do you know if your child is obese?

You might not be able to know by the physical appearance of your child whether the child is obese or not. Child weight depends on the body frame and the fat percentage in the body, which vary at various growth stages.

Obesity is defined by Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a standard scale used worldwide to calculate overweight or obesity. BMI is calculated by taking weight concerning height; at or above the 95th percentile for obese children and teens of the same age and sex.

 If you are worried about your child’s weight, it is better to consult a doctor rather than doing self-medications. The doctor will find BMI with other tests and consider your family’s weight-for-height history to see where your child land on the growth chart and will decide accordingly whether your child is obese or not.

What are the causes of obesity in children?

Not one factor alone but a combination of factors make a child overweight or obese. 

  • Diet: One of the leading factors of obesity in kids is regular intake of junk food consisting of more salt, more sugar, artificial sweeteners, and other hazardous ingredients. And brownie points to the desserts, candies, chocolates, and all the sodas and sugary drinks, posing life-threatening risks other than obesity.
  • Lack of physical Exercise: Kids having a more sedentary lifestyle, spending more time on their tablets playing video games, or watching cartoons are more prone to gain weight than the kids who actively participate in physical activities, including bicycling and other outdoor sports.
  • Genetic Factor: Your family history and genes also play a significant role in your kids’ weight. Suppose your child comes from a family of overweight people. He/she has significant chances of becoming obese.
  • Psychological factors: Kids who don’t know how to express their emotions or when their parents do not address their emotions or problems or loved ones overreact to the situations. Few children tend to overeat when they feel under stress, anxiety, or fighting their boredom.
  • Socioeconomic factors: Children being raised in neighborhoods lacking access to supermarkets often eat convenience foods, such as frozen meals, crackers, and cookies that result in obesity. Also, the lower-income communities lacking safe exercise spaces where physical activities are not encouraged, kids are likely to gain weight.
  • Medications: Certain prescription drugs including prednisone, lithium, amitriptyline, paroxetine (Paxil), gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise, Horizant), and propranolol (Inderal, Hemangeol) can cause obesity.
Children being raised in neighborhoods lacking access to supermarkets often eat convenience foods, such as frozen meals, crackers, and cookies that result in obesity.
Children being raised in neighborhoods lacking access to supermarkets often eat convenience foods, such as frozen meals, crackers, and cookies that result in obesity.

Risk factors for childhood Overweight

  • Type 2 diabetes: Obese child faces four times the risk of developing type 2 diabetes that affects how the child uses glucose.
  • High Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol: Around 70% of obese children have at least one CVD risk factor; they have higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP).  Plaque buildup in their arteries, causing them to narrow and harden, resulting in a stroke or heart attack later in life.
  • Joint Pain: Obese children are often victimized to pain and sometimes injuries in the hips, knees, and back because of extra stress on hips and knees.
  • Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): This disorder causes the deposition of fatty acids in the liver leading to scarring and liver damage.
  • Breathing problems: Asthma is prevalent in obese children. Also, sleep apnea, the disorder in which a child’s breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep.
  • Emotional Complications: Overweight kids may experience bullying from their peers resulting in a loss of self-esteem and an increased risk of depression and anxiety

How can you prevent your child from being obese?

A child nutrition researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Sara Benjamin-Neelon, says

“The most important opportunity to prevent childhood obesity is within the first thousand days after birth, during that time, mothers should breastfeed as much as possible and especially avoid unhealthy food during an infant’s transition to solid foods, a formative time for a child’s metabolism.“

Other important factors that can help prevent weight gain in your child are :

  • Be an example for your child

Make sure to adopt a healthy lifestyle as a parent performing all the physical exercises and confirming healthy eating, including greens and fruits, in your daily routine so that you might inspire your child towards a healthy lifestyle.

  • Offer healthy food alternatives to your child 

Try to replace all the junk food with alternative healthy choices, including air-popped popcorn without butter, fruits with low-fat yogurt, baby carrots with hummus, or whole-grain cereal low-fat milk. Try new recipes and put some effort into making food appealing for kids – the senses are of the utmost importance for kids.

  • Incorporate new foods 

It might be difficult for you to make your child get used to any new food. But don’t be discouraged; kids take time in acceptance. Expose new food to your child in different ways, let them know about the food’s nutritious value.

  • Be conscious of your child’s sleep schedule

Make sure that your child completes the whole 8 hr. sleep cycle at every cost. Lack of sleep can cause hormonal imbalance resulting in increased appetite.

  • Use Non-Reward Technique

Offering candy or anything junk as a reward is a bad idea. Stop it now!

With every passing day, the situation is getting worse- a study led by the World Obesity Federation projected the number of obese/ overweight children worldwide to grow by 100 million by 2030. Organizations like WHO, Mayor Bloomberg, former First Lady Michelle Obama, the Obesity Action Coalition, the Obesity Society, the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) are trying their best to make people aware and bring changes on a systematic level still stats are a clear indication that we have to deal this matter with more responsibility.

Parents should make sure to take their kids to a child specialist once a year for medical examination. And the government should also take sufficient actions, apply taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), and improve food labeling, manufacturers reducing the amount of sugar, and school lunch programs. 

Also, read:
Mind over Food; the Psychology of Eating

Looking at the ‘Anti’ in Antinutrients

Maham Maqsood
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Looking at the ‘Anti’ in Antinutrients

It can be said without a doubt that every person is aware of the term ‘nutrient.’ We hear it almost every day from TV commercials to our parents lecturing on healthy food habits, to studying the tables of nutritional values of foods in the science class. But nature always tends to balance things out and create paradoxes. In comes the ‘antinutrients’ that, as you might have guessed, work almost in the opposite way of nutrients. 

These are synthetic compounds that are mostly found in crop plants and work by obstructing the absorption of nutrients in your body. They usually help the species they originate in but tend to negatively affect those who consume them further down the food chain. For instance, cyanogenic glycosides, that are present in cassava. Working to dissuade herbivores and combat pests, these compounds help plants and are relatively nontoxic. But if one consumes the plants by chewing them, enzymes release hydrogen cyanide which is a very dangerous chemical compound, leading to disastrous consequences. Getting in the way of digestive enzymes is one of their working mechanisms that disrupt the normal absorption in the living system. 

According to A. Venket Rao, Ph.D., professor emeritus from the department of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto, who has worked on and studied compounds in plant foods, “… fruits contain seeds for the purpose of propagation of their species. However, if birds and animals were to eat the fruits containing the seeds and digest them to obtain additional nutrients and calories, then there will be no seeds left for the continuation of the plant species. So, they make compounds that are so bitter that birds and animals discard them while consuming the fruits. Some of these compounds may also prevent the activity of the digestive enzymes so that even if the seeds are consumed, they are excreted without altering their physiology.” 

Antinutrients are synthetic compounds that are mostly found in crop plants and work by obstructing the absorption of nutrients in your body.
Antinutrients are synthetic compounds that are mostly found in crop plants and work by obstructing the absorption of nutrients in your body

Antinutrients are present in several foods, including legumes, beans, grains, nuts, etc. There are many seed food that also contains antinutrients such as phytic acid, leptins, and saponins where they are mainly used as a defense mechanism, as mentioned above. The tight binding with vitamins and minerals renders them unabsorbable. These are also present in the roots of plants, leaves, and fruits but in a very low concentration that is likely to have more benefits than detriments. 

Although a few of them have certain benefits, most have unfavorable effects. Here are a few antinutrients that should preferably be avoided in one’s diet.

Gluten

Gluten is infamous as a plant protein difficult to digest that causes gastrointestinal complications. It is an enzyme inhibitor that also induces allergic reactions and autoimmune diseases, etc. The sensitivity associated with this protein is classified as classic symptoms/adverse reactions to foods like wheat, rye, and barley. The severe form is called celiac disease, but gluten can also cause mild issues such as headaches, fatigue, joint pain, etc. 

Phytate or Phytic Acid 

This compound is present in grains and legumes and hinders the integration of minerals in the human body, including copper, iron, zinc, calcium, etc. Research has suggested that around 80 percent of phosphorus in high-phosphorus foods like sunflower seeds or pumpkin can be interfered with and blocked by phytate. The same goes for foods that are rich in magnesium or zinc. Not only that, but it also meddles with the absorption of iron and calcium, which can cause anemic issues and loss in bone density, and with essential digestive enzymes. Consumption of foods that have high amounts of Vitamin C or Vitamin A can compensate for iron deficiency. But, even with sinister effects, phytates have been associated with enhancing immune functions and antioxidant properties. 

Lectins

Lectins are present in high amounts in beans and wheat, causing bloating and indigestion. Importantly, they can survive digestion by the gastrointestinal tract and have the ability to harm the membranes of the epithelium lining and provoke autoimmune reactions by interfering with the bacterial flora. Raw grains that have been prepared improperly contain high levels of lectin. But, instead of cutting them out of your diet, you can reduce their content in the foods by preparing them properly, such as “soaking and sprouting grains and seeds” or through “fermentation.” Research has suggested that lectins may help in reducing the risk of several diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disorders, etc. Scientists are figuring out ways to understand more about the health-promoting effects of these antinutrients.

Antinutrients: Lectins are present in high amounts in beans and wheat, causing bloating and indigestion
Lectins are present in high amounts in beans and wheat, causing bloating and indigestion

Isoflavones

This polyphenolic is present in increased amounts in soybeans that can contribute towards disturbance in hormone levels and digestive issues. If beans are prepared in a proper manner, isoflavones can be advantageous in smaller doses, but it’s still not recommended. Because of their estrogen-like effects, these compounds are classified as phytoestrogens and endocrine disruptors.

Tannins

Tannins are inhibitors of enzymes and cause improper digestion, GIT issues, and protein deficiency. Enzymes play a crucial role in metabolizing the food we consume and help provide nourishment to reach our cells. If they aren’t working correctly, metabolism is severely affected, leading to diarrhea, constipation, bloating, etc. Positively, in low concentrations, tannins work as antioxidants that can inhibit the growth of several microorganisms and may also help to reduce blood pressure. 

Even though they have some evil properties, they can be useful if consumed in safe small amounts. It is also thought that they might get an image makeover like dietary fibers, but extensive research is required to accept this claim. Nevertheless, we should always be cautious of what we are putting in our bodies and adjust our diet to our needs. 

Also Read: FOOD TRENDS IN SOUTH ASIA

NASA’s Perseverance rover, living up to its name, lands on Mars

Scientia
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NASA’s Perseverance rover, living up to its name, lands on Mars

The NASA Perseverance rover, launched in 2020, successfully landed on Mars after completing a journey of 292.5 million-mile from Earth. The touchdown was ‘flawless’ and the rover immediately sent back first images of the landing site, in which the shadow of the rover over the surface of its landing site of Jezero Crater was apparent.

The acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk said, “This landing is one of those pivotal moments for NASA, the United States, and space exploration globally — when we know we are on the cusp of discovery and sharpening our pencils, so to speak, to rewrite the textbooks.”

“The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission embodies our nation’s spirit of persevering even in the most challenging of situations, inspiring, and advancing science and exploration. The mission itself personifies the human ideal of persevering toward the future and will help us prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet in the 2030s.”

Colorized versions of the screen capture of NASA Perseverance's first images after its successful landing on Mars Credit: NASA
Colorized versions of the screen capture of NASA Perseverance’s first images after its successful landing on Mars
Credit: NASA
A composite CTX image of the NASA Perseverance landing ellipse, with the Terrain Relative Navigation data overlain on top. Yellow indicates bad and red worse. The spacecraft did an impeccable job of navigating the surface and finding the safe spot in the blue field amongst yellow and red. Credit: NASA
A composite CTX image of the NASA Perseverance landing ellipse, with the Terrain Relative Navigation data overlain on top. Yellow indicates bad and red worse. The spacecraft did an impeccable job of navigating the surface and finding the safe spot in the blue field amongst yellow and red. Credit: NASA
The landing site of NASA Persevere in Jezero Crater, Mars.
Credit: NASA
The landing site in color
The interactive map shows the landing site of the Mars rover. Credit: NASA

Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, also said, “Because of today’s exciting events, the first pristine samples from carefully documented locations on another planet are another step closer to being returned to Earth.”

Also read: HUMANITY’S MOST SIGNIFICANT SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATION FOR APOLLO 11

A Granola a Day keeps the Hunger Pangs at Bay

Aniqa Mazhar
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A Granola a Day keeps the Hunger Pangs at Bay

“Go ahead, try it! I’m telling you’re gonna love it.” my brother prodded us for the umpteenth time as the family sat at the table, looking suspiciously at the mushy cereal in the bowls in front of us. The mysterious contents of the cereal floating in the milk didn’t at all look as appealing as my brother made it sound with his lather of praise.

My bro who just returned to Pakistan a couple of days ago from the UK after finishing his studies, said that he has had it for breakfast almost every day in university life and never felt a single hunger pang till dinner.

“It’s highly nutritious and fulfilling. All my friends and all the girls in England ate it. It’ll keep you full the whole day, and you won’t need to eat anything at all!”

I gave a look to my sister, her face reflecting my expressions of uncertainty and confusion. Our eyes met, and we mutually agreed we definitely wanted to ‘eat nothing’ till night. Being used to three meals a day with a teatime in between, we had been subjected to constant criticism and bullying by our brother ever since he had returned to Pakistan. The blame of eating all day long was quite pressurizing and nerve-wracking for us.

“And it’ll help you flatten your bellies and correct your figures just like other girls.” My sister rolled her eyes. Boy had we been hearing that phrase. ‘Like other girls’ had become our brother’s favourite line to shoot at us. “Girls are so conscious of their diets and waists and bodies, and just LOOK at you two! Stuffing your faces with sugar and sitting around all day with no physical exercise ever since the lockdown began! Do you want to get diabetes or obesity or heart problems? You’re literally killing yourself! You’ll be bedridden at an early age!”

It was true. All of us at home had gained a little more weight ever since the lockdown routine began, and our brother had gone berserk at our lifestyles.

My sister finally conquered her doubts and tasted the first bite of Granola.it was, after all, her who had found a recipe and baked it after tenacious carping from our brother. He had given one look of deceit and horror to the parathas on our breakfast table and banned them from the premises of the Mazhar household.

I immediately followed my sister and loaded a spoonful of the ‘healthy breakfast’ into my mouth. We chewed for a few seconds, taking in the flavors of the different seeds and grains soaked by the milk. Our brother looked from one face to the other, waiting anxiously for the praise he expected to start pouring in.

“It’s just a LOT of nuts and seeds rolling around my mouth. They’re very hard and chewy and difficult to munch on.” My sister remarked.

“I’d prefer my paratha or sandwich to this. It’s not a satisfying flavour for the tastebuds, you know” I piped in.

My brother started laughing.” You guys are so silly and desi! I give up! Go ahead with your fats-loaded breakfasts.”

We were quite sceptical about it at the beginning since we felt so full after just a few spoons but we were psychologically not ready to accept that our hunger had been ceased by just a few spoons full of a cereal.

One 45g serving of typical oatmeal granola contains 200 calories while a whole wheat paratha contains 126 calories.
One 45g serving of typical oatmeal granola contains 200 calories while a whole wheat paratha contains 126 calories.

A typical Pakistani breakfast includes an excellent paratha with lassi, a nob of butter with an omelet, Achaar(pickle), or Salan (gravy), followed by a Karak cup Doodh Patti. That was the usual breakfast we had at our house. There was the option of pancakes or toast or talking about winter, especially makai ki roti with Saag. The idea of such a short and simple breakfast, which didn’t even take five minutes to finish but otherwise filled you up, wasn’t very delightful.

The recipe includes

Wheat porridge, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, melon seeds, coconut, almonds, cinnamon, and honey. These ingredients are being baked for 15 minutes at 250 degrees Celsius.

Ratios of the ingredients can vary according to the taste of different people. This breakfast is considered healthy because it contains no added oils other than the oils in the seeds. Its high in fibre and antioxidants and therefore a small amount will keep you energized throughout the day (literally). Also, it has no added sugar, It’s just the honey, which is a natural sweetener. The flaxseeds are amazing for your heart, for diabetics as well as for problems related to hormone imbalances. Granola is low in cholesterol as well, which makes it better than oily heavy breakfast options.

One 45g serving of typical oatmeal granola contains 200 calories while a whole wheat paratha contains 126 calories. I know this sounds more supportive for team paratha, but I must point out here that all the calories of the paratha are carbs, while granola includes complex carbohydrates and antioxidants. So, even if it is calorie-dense, it’s more nutrient-dense than a paratha too.

If you’re talking about granola bars from the market, Let me tell you that they have extra sugar and oils added to them, which makes them as fattening and unhealthy as your regular breakfast cereal. Companies and markets nowadays only tend to care about flavor and pumping up enthusiasm in buyers. They make a portion of completely nutritious food, unhealthy by adding extra sugar, sweetener, or preservatives which are basically chemicals. It leads to weight gain instead of weight loss. Also, many people may be allergic to one of the ingredients used in making granola, for example, many people are allergic to nuts and seeds.

It was Dr. Caleb Jackson of Dansville, New York, who invented this breakfast alternative in 1863. He was a farmer and social worker in his early life and later worked in hydropathy and diet and became a New York physician.

Nowadays, many companies make granola bars commercially with the addition of nuts and fruits.

Jayne Hurley, a senior nutritionist at the Centre of Science in the Public Interest, states that granola bars are ‘basically not health food but cookies masquerading as health food.’

 A comparison shows that a Nature Valley peanut butter granola bar contains as many calories but half as much fats as an average-sized Kitkat bar.

Image result for nature Valley peanut butter granola
This contains as many calories but half as much fats as an average-sized Kitkat bar.

Conclusion

So, is granola healthy or not? The punch-line is that it is very nutritious, most packaged varieties contain added sugar or calories and are therefore more damaging to our health.

Granola baked at home with only honey and no added sugar or oil is an excellent option, especially if you have to get up early and don’t have time to prepare breakfast. This is much better than your regular cereals, which are just overloaded with sugar and carbs and rarely any useful nutrients, despite their nutritional labels claiming them to be ‘power-packed’ breakfasts.

Also Read: AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY. MYTH OR REALITY?

Movie Review: Everest – an epic battle for survival

Syeda Laiba Tayyab
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Movie Review: Everest – an epic battle for survival

Everest movie is based on a true story. It revolves around a group of mountaineers trying to reach the top of the famous peak in 1996. Baltasar Kormákur directed this disaster-based movie. In its initial stages, the film did not gather much hype because there was no addition or extra polishing of the story, and it was presented to the viewers as it is. This shows the originality and reality of life how things do not always end up as we expect them to.

Everest is a strangely submissive series of events with a lot of ice, bearded men shouting over the high winds, and do-not-look-down, or you might fall moments. The base camp women communicate over the radio and telephone while mountaineers encountered the hurdles at the peak when they returned after the summit. The movie is paradoxically fast-paced and slow at the same time. Consequently, keeping the audience glued to the screens, nonetheless.

Everest
Everest is directed by Baltasar Kormákur and stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, Emily Watson, among others.

The events are set in 1996 when a group of people (Adventure Consultants), led by Rob Hall (Jason Clarke) and his rival group (Mountain Madness), directed by Scott Fischer (Jake Gyllenhaal), attempt to summit Mount Everest. Helen (Emily Watson) is the base camp manager of Rob. Rob’s team includes people from different professions: a doctor, a mailman who is an amateur climber, and an experienced mountain climber. An unfortunate journalist also joins them to write about the ill-fated expedition. Rob guides his team to know the reality and dangers they will face while hiking up Everest. He says, and I quote, “Human beings aren’t built to function at the cruising altitude of a 747.”, the very essence of this quote depicts an exciting aspect of this movie, where it is incorporating scientific facts and figures very diligently. 

During the climb, there comes a time when there is a traffic jam of mountaineers. The two groups have to decide on who will proceed or retreat. Due to this overcrowding, Rob tries to convince his rival Scott to lessen the delays so both the groups can ascend without any loss. The climbers suffer from altitude sickness, high altitude pulmonary edema, hypoxia, and oxygen tank loss. Few climbers survive to tell the story. The unforgiving Everest consumes the rest.

everest
The film incorporates scientific facts and figures very diligently. 

There are some sentimental moments in the movie when Rob and his teammates make a deadly mistake. This causes the teammates to die due to a terrible storm. And later, Rob fails to reach the base camp, and his body remains in the beastly mountain. Another moment comes when Helen, the base camp manager, has to break the news of Rob’s death to his pregnant wife. Later his wife is gifted with a daughter who is named Sarah, as wished by Rob. 

Peaks like Everest, K-2, and many more gobble up numerous precious lives who try to ascend it. The memory of people remains. Just like Rob and his team tried to summit Everest, Pakistan’s very own local Hero Ali Sadparra, a famous mountaineer, tried to summit K-2, the deadliest of the peaks in the bone-chilling winter. There is no track of him as to where he is, and all the efforts to find have been in vain. The search parties have lost hope. We are with a heavy heart trying to accept the fact that he will not return. 

Everest portrays a story that is practical, chaotic and with an unsatisfying ending, that is to say not our everyday cliché happy-ever afters. In the end, one might feel as if he or she has laboriously reached the summit and came back at the end with a near-reality visual experience. 

Also Read: MOVIE REVIEW: AD ASTRA TAKES ALONG AN INTIMATE JOURNEY

Food trends in South Asia

Saadeqa Khan
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Food trends in South Asia

Food production in South Asian countries has shown a general upward trend during the last couple of decades. Despite the considerable increase in these countries’ population, including Pakistan, the food production per capita is higher. The available daily calorie supply is also adequate to meet the healthy lifestyle requirements.

Throughout our lives, we are exposed to a plethora of food items; everyone needs food to survive and maintain their daily chores. The purpose of food is to repair, develop, and nurture the new tissues, produce energy, and through activating chemical reactions in the human body, it protects against infections. Altogether healthy food plays a significant role in our mental and physical well-being, and to stay fit, we need all five food groups for a balanced diet.

That part is exact, but we are now fixed to other cravings that basically harm our health. We don’t need Bar BQ’s, burger, pizza, ice cream, and candy corn to survive. They are not essentials of food requirements still an indispensable part of modern lifestyle.

New research conducted by a Singapore-based start-up Ai Palette has pinpointed a few eating trends in South Asia for 2021. This report is based on the data collected through the direct tracking of consumer’s food preferences. The impact of COVID19 is global; the year nearly exhausted us both physically and mentally and has altered our lives completely. It restricted our freedom of traveling, spending time with peers and families and significantly hit our food hang-ups.

A majority of our food consumers now prefer food that boosts thinking and working capacity, lessens stress, and positively modifies their mental well-being. The Ai Palette team had collected data from multiple food resources such as search engine queries, social media conversations, hotel, restaurant menus and recipes, and picked around one thousand food trends.

These trends are then sorted out and classified into dormant, emerging, growing, mature, declining, and fading categories. They figured out that the food beverages that maintain a peaceful sleep are a growing conversational trend, mostly in South Asia, Europe, and the US. Thus, the report concluded that most surprisingly, consumers are continually showing interest in plant-based food components to maintain good physical and mental well-being.

Interestingly, it appears that after the spread of Coronavirus from the Chinese city Wuhan, the use of plant-based-protein has grown up to a significant range as an alternative to conventional animal-derived-meat and dairy products in many parts of the world, specifically in the US, UK, Europe, and India.

But no such trend is found in Pakistanis’ eating practices due to insufficient knowledge and awareness of a healthy lifestyle and nutrition. The layman in Pakistan is unconcerned that healthy food could be a precautionary measure against the COVID19 attack. Pakistan is the Hub of great food; from most spicy Lahori food to Baluchistan’s Sajji and Peshawar’s Chapli kabab, one can find a variety of items in daily menus.

food trends
There is an array of international fusion available at the doorstep

Gone are the days when you could enjoy only Desi foods in Pakistani restaurants. There is an array of international fusion available at the doorstep through Food Panda and other food delivery services. Food as a business is flourishing in Pakistan because of the inventiveness and originality of the people involved in it.

With more Pakistani women joining the workforce, home-cooked meals are becoming less of a daily tradition and more of a weekend luxury for these families. Despite being a developing nation and facing economic degradation, Pakistanis spend an estimate of more than 40% of their monthly salaries on food. This is why the food business is getting hype to meet the public’s growing demands and become the second-fastest growth sector of Pakistan.

According to the experts, Pakistan’s food industry is snowballing, still very much in its infancy, and needs to think of more ways to tantalize the public’s taste buds and make them line up for the next big thing. They need to realize that more eateries lead to more food choices and more indigenous and aspiring food trends. While working out on new trends, they should learn healthy nutrition guidelines, especially after the pandemic, when taking care of one’s health is not only necessary for themselves but equally vital for the well-being of their family and peers at the workplace.

In our nutrition edition, we highlight these issues that the public is uninformed of while choosing something in the restaurant’s menus or lining up weekly meals. At the same time, we bring some exciting stories and features on diet and nutrition.
Have a good read!

Also, Read: Ketogenic Diet; don’t blame the butter for what the bread did

Coffee – The Devil’s Drink

Shoaib Shahid
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Coffee – The Devil’s Drink

In 700 A.D Ethiopia, Kaldi watched over his goats when he noticed some of them were dancing around full of energy. The curious shepherd went to check on his goats and discovered that they had eaten some strange red berries. Kaldi took this intriguing fruit to the local monastery. There, the monks couldn’t hide their excitement over the red berry they could use to stay up all night to pray. This is one of the many different stories of how the coffee bean was discovered. In one version, a Sufi Sheikh sees energetic birds singing because they had eaten that berry. In another, the son of the very same Sufi discovered the berry in a bush.

Since its discovery, coffee has traveled throughout the world and become a staple item in most households. Everywhere you go, you’ll find a coffee shop or two around, such is its demand. Over 2.25 Billion cups of coffee are drunk every day! It is primarily consumed for the same reason that excited the monks. Coffee contains caffeine, a natural stimulant that is why you are refueled by a coffee cup. By altering the nervous system’s functioning, it prevents fatigue from consuming the body and improves cognition.

Nonetheless, coffee is a psychoactive drug, i.e., it has a revitalizing effect on you through your nervous system. As the central nervous system starts functioning differently, the ‘fight or flight’ mode is enabled within you. You feel alertness similar to what you would think in a frightening situation, which may trigger an anxiety attack or increase your pre-existing anxiety. A high intake of caffeine can cause heart palpitations and increased blood pressure. Although this subsides quickly in most. But if you suffer from hypertension or other heart-related problems, you should drink coffee only if allowed by the doctor. Also, try to limit your intake to a moderate amount.

Nonetheless, coffee is a psychoactive drug, i.e., it has a revitalizing effect on you through your nervous system.
Nonetheless, coffee is a psychoactive drug, i.e., it has a revitalizing effect on you through your nervous system.

Coffee is widely believed to cause heart diseases in the long run as well. It is commonly seen to increase blood pressure and make your heart beat faster immediately after its intake. But is there any correlation between habitual drinking of coffee and the risk of cardiovascular disease? There is but not in the way most would think. Rather than a higher chance of such conditions, there is a significantly lesser risk of heart diseases in those who drink a moderate amount daily! This result is supported by several studies carried out on sizeable groups.

This is not the first time adverse side-effects have been falsely attributed to coffee over its long journey from Ethiopia. In 1511, the Meccan governor banned coffee and claimed that it had intoxicating effects. Thus, it was sinful. Although this decision was more politically motivated rather than based on factual information. It underwent the same treatment by the Catholic Europeans, who named it the ‘devil’s drink.’

More recently, in 1991, the World Health Organisation (WHO) enlisted coffee as a carcinogen (substances that can cause cancer). In 2016, WHO removed it from the list when results showed the polar opposite of this claim. Not only is it not detrimental to cancer, but some studies also show that coffee may even decrease the risk of many cancers.

So, if you’re healthy and allowed to by your physician, keep drinking that cup of coffee in the morning. Drink two or three cups if you please. It might even ensure you stay healthy.

Bibliography:

https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/109/3/509/5369955#137316060

https://www.healthline.com/health/caffeine-effects-on-body

https://www.djournal.com/pontotoc/coffee-consumption-and-heart-health/article_a0bb9517-46db-5155-ab51-e18af3062508.html

Review: Better Brain Health – We Are What We Eat

Syeda Laiba Tayyab
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Review: Better Brain Health – We Are What We Eat

Nowadays, we are constantly bombarded with facts such as how chocolate can be used as a stress reliever, is organic food better than processed, are fish better for brain health? Are all these popular beliefs true? Fortunately, we have researchers digging deep into this subject. Studies show that, yes, these beliefs are true. We are actually what we eat!

Better brain health, a documentary released in 2020, comments on how the food we eat affects our brain. This new interdisciplinary science that is neuro-nutrition is creating a link between food and the change in our behavior. This enlightening documentary shows how food science is an important consideration in better brain development. It presents views of an international panel of nutritionists from around the world, which is supported by ingenious lab experiments.

We know this much that fatty foods make you obese and lead to certain complicated diseases, but do you know they actually limit your mental capacity? Yes, this is surprising as it may seem, but, researchers have linked reduced memory storage in people who are fed with a sugary diet.

It is astonishing to know that our manners and social behaviors are being determined even before we are born. Yes, the food consumed during pregnancy indeed affects brain development. Consumption of a high amount of sugary foods leads to stress, anxiety, and reduced mental capabilities later in life. Lab rats were tested for particular dietary deficiencies, and they show similar consequences.

Not only do fatty foods make you obese and lead to certain complicated diseases, but they have also been found to limit your mental capacity.

Researchers have concluded that eating foods rich in omega3 such as nuts, seeds fish oil increases the electrical properties of our brain. But unfortunately, very few people consume them in their daily diets.

After the industrial revolution, many foods that were shelved in the market were processed. In this day and age, we heavily rely on processed food. It contains insane amounts of corn syrup, which is high in fructose. Although it gives food increased shelf life and twist in taste, the effects on health are very harmful. Yes, as crazy as it may sound eating these foods develops behaviors that lead to increased aggression, restlessness, and agitation. In one study, hamsters were tested for behavior change after being strictly given a corn-based diet. They turned to cannibalism.

 In one captivating piece of the documentary, a question is raised: Is nutrition helpful in controlling crime? Researchers in the Netherlands are trying to get the answer. Obviously, I will not spoil for you. You’ll have to watch the documentary to know the answer. 

Better Brain Health: We are what we eat, puts forward a very critical connection between the importance of nutrition and how it can retrain our brain with better dietary choices. 

Link: https://youtu.be/TLpbfOJ4bJU

Also Read: KETOGENIC DIET; DON’T BLAME THE BUTTER FOR WHAT THE BREAD DID

Achievement unlocked: Saadeqa Khan, CEO of Scientia Pakistan, selected as a finalist for 2021 FDM everywoman in Technology Awards

Scientia
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Achievement unlocked: Saadeqa Khan, CEO of Scientia Pakistan, selected as a finalist for 2021 FDM everywoman in Technology Awards

Scientia Pakistan’s CEO, Ms. Saadeqa Khan, is among the finalists for the 2021 FDM everywoman in Technology Awards. She is a science journalist based in Quetta and has been working with renowned news agencies like BBC Urdu and Deutsche Welle.

Now in their 11th year, the awards celebrate the tech industry’s most exceptional talent, from the UK and beyond, creating role models to inspire the next generation of tech stars. From women developing technology to support the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out and the NHS’s fight against the virus, to those running businesses that assist developing economies, to the young rising stars that place diversity and inclusion at the forefront of their organisations, the 88 finalists are all united by one common goal – to create a legacy founded on people, planet and purpose, a legacy that leaves the world in a better place than they found it.

Scientia Pakistan's CEO, Ms. Saadeqa Khan, is among the finalists for the 2021 FDM everywoman in Technology Awards.

The tumultuous events of 2020 led to transformative changes in the technology industry and accelerated the digital future by over five years. As the pandemic continues to shape the needs of society, the sector is expected to adapt ever more rapidly in 2021. Developing drugs and vaccinations, expanding home working and education tech, addressing sustainability and environmental impact, and developing AI solutions are just some of the challenges the industry faces as it looks to improve lives.

In a major step forward, for the first time over one million women are now working in STEM. However, the impact of the pandemic means that one in four women are currently considering “downshifting” their careers or leaving the workforce, which risks both a skills gap and a set back for gender parity. This is why the role played by the awards in promoting careers and showcasing the achievements and networks of women working in the sector is so important.

FDM Group is the FTSE 250 market leader in the Recruit, Train and Deploy industry, specializing in developing the next generation of technology talent. FDM launches over 2,000 new careers every year. With a dedicated commitment to closing the digital skills gap, the company offers high quality, diverse talent from a breadth of backgrounds and experience levels.

The 2021 FDM everywoman in Technology finalists can be found here.
Winners will be announced at an experiential virtual ceremony on 4th March 2021.

Also Read: IT’S NOT A DIET; IT IS A LIFESTYLE- HEART-TO-HEART WITH FAREEHA JAY

The Faults in our Food Foibles: A Guide to Eating Better

Aniqa Mazhar
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The Faults in our Food Foibles: A Guide to Eating Better

Food is a solid part of every event in the culture of Pakistan. Whether it may be a joyous occasion like a wedding ceremony or a mourning one like a funeral, food is the main focus of the event for most of the guests present. Like every society, we have our set of food habits and norms which are difficult for us to change despite the fact that they may be deteriorating for our health in the long run.

Despite regular awareness on social media and by peers and experts, diet and food habits have always remained ambiguous topics. That’s because everyone has different food tastes and preferences, and everyone tends to experiment with different diet fads and trends in society. We should remember that we are what we eat and providing a balanced diet and lifestyle to our body ensures that it works well.

Social media is the strongest influencer for everyone nowadays. I, for example, mostly get to know about the latest diets and food trends through Instagram because I follow a lot of celebrities, nutritionists, and lifestyle bloggers there. Every one of them has their own ideas and tips to offer, but I’ll tell you one thing that there is a common line they all agree on: food can be used to influence your lifestyle and health, it can be your medicine or it can be your poison. That means everything you put in your mouth affects you in one way or the other, so you have to be careful about the constituents, quantity, and timing of the food that you consume.

 I’ll discuss some of the bad trends that tend to increase day by day in our society:

1. Late breakfast

The ideal time for breakfast is from 8 to 9 am. Most people don’t realize that this is the most important meal of the day and our energy level for the day depends on how good a breakfast we’ve had. Just drinking tea or processed white bread or a glass of milk or juice is not at all the right way to start your day. A typical Pakistani breakfast consists of a Paratha along with an egg or any curry or yogurt followed by tea. This is a perfectly healthy breakfast provided it is done at the ideal hour and the rest of the day is spent actively. Eating most of your calories for the day in the first meal of the day assures that you burn them throughout your routine and the body doesn’t store them as fat. Eating your breakfast late or skipping it altogether is harmful to the brain, which constantly requires a source of glucose to function properly.

2. Excessive use of caffeine

I think we got this trend from our drama industry. People portray tea as some kind of magic potion for headaches, stomach aches, bad moods, tiredness, etc. I know people will hate me for writing this down, but it is not okay to consume more than three cups of tea a day. You do not need to turn to tea as your rock in hard times, it’s just a drink that needs to be taken moderately.

I know people who drink six to seven cups a day because they feel like they need it. Well, hear clearly people; tea is not a medicine for your problems. Also, the typical tea involves using powdered whitener to your teabag. While these may take lesser time, they are not healthy. Try using fresh milk so that you get the benefits and nutrients of milk as well.

3. Not drinking enough water

Water is taken very lightly by people. Do you know that 90 percent of the cells in your body consist of water? Ideally, you should consume at least 8 glasses of water a day. As soon as you wake up, you should consume 2 glasses, then one an hour before every meal, one before bedtime, and squeeze in a few between the day.

eating and drinking
Ideally, you should consume at least 8 glasses of water a day

You can consume up to 16 glasses a day. it will help your body to flush out toxins via urine and sweat, your skin will glow and you’ll feel active and healthier as well.

4. Not eating enough raw vegetables

When it comes to eating salad, many people don’t understand the concept. Just slicing a few cucumbers on a small plate along with a meal for the whole family is not what a salad is. It should comprise of fresh vegetables, at least three to four, tossed in olive oil, and a whole serving should be eaten in the afternoon. Salads should comprise of whatever’s in season like cucumbers, tomatoes, apples, carrots, radishes, sweet corn, onions, beetroot, cabbage, iceberg, etc. If you want to add a staple like pasta or chickpeas to your salad make sure they don’t outnumber raw things. Drizzle with some olive oil and you’ve made yourself the ideal concoction of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants!

 Vegetables which are steamed or simply grilled are also an excellent source of nutrients. Make sure that you eat vegetables in at least one of your meals. They are a good source of carbs as well as fibre and a cure for chronic health conditions like diabetes and blood pressure. The thing to remember is that fruits and vegetables make your plate colourful and diverse. The more colours your plate has to offer, the more healthy it is for you!

5. Snacking on the wrong items

Snacking means eating small amounts of certain foods between the main meals of your day, usually to satisfy cravings or for immediate boosts of energy. Ideally, this is not a bad idea, but people usually prefer to snack on biscuits, cookies, packet potato crisps, boxed juices, and fizzy drinks, fried, baked, and refined items, etc. All of these foods are made of nothing but crap and calories.

If you feel like munching on something, try nuts, seeds, whole wheat biscuits, carrot sticks, fruit, dark chocolate, etc. You might not get satisfied at first but believe me, you’ll get the knack of it and enjoy these healthy snacks more!

6. Overdoing it at tea-time

Most people tend to load themselves with all sorts of delicacies like butter cookies, sugary baked items, fried samosas, rolls, etc. with their evening tea. If you crave something sweet or crunchy along with your cup of tea, one item or one serving is more than enough. Having one cookie or so is all want is needed to satisfy you. Bake some healthy oatmeal and raisin cookies at home or opt for a few pieces of dry fruit with your tea. This is a very important factor in keeping that waistline of yours in check!

7. Drinking fizzy drinks with meals

The perception that drinking cold drinks with or after meals helps in digestion and releases gas is completely wrong. Drinking fizzy carbonated drinks along with a meal wreaks havoc all along your alimentary canal. Instead of curing gas, it creates more of it and messes with your digestive juices. This could lead to bloating, acidity, and stomach aches.

If you want to aid digestion, try drinking water thirty minutes before a meal, do some light strolling after the meal or drink green tea.

8. Oily, salty, sugary foods

Almost all of our traditional cuisines involve a combination of spices and heavy ingredients like cream, ghee, etc. Whether it be biryani, or nihari, or halwa poori, Pakistanis tend to add extra oil, spices, and sugar in their food, believing that is what brings the exceptional flavor. Flavour actually lies in the freshness of ingredients, the procedure of cooking and handling, and the moderate combination of all the ingredients. An indication of a healthy dish is that you don’t feel too full or bloated or thirsty after eating it.

eating
Too much sugar is bad for your health

9. Not sticking to a routine

The most important factor in maintaining a healthy lifestyle is to strictly cohere to a routine. The routine should involve proper timings for meals, sleep, and all other tasks of the day including walk, exercise, household chores, refreshment, and relaxation. Once you let life swing into a proper schedule, it becomes smooth and easier as well as healthier. Your body adapts to it and knows what and when to expect. Avoid skipping meals, or doing sudden strenuous exercise, or taking stress all the time. These terrible habits can seriously affect your immunity and lifestyle.

10. Not planning and reflecting

Life gets a load easier if you plan your meals beforehand. This way you can make sure to include all the food groups and buy your groceries accordingly. Deciding what to eat when you’re on the verge of hunger makes you choose calorie-dense foods that you regret later and then feel stressed about.

Take out a few minutes at the end of your day to reflect upon your other habits as well as eating ones. Do you tend to eat a lot when under stress? Do you drink enough water? Did you have three fruits today? Did you eat more than one sugary item? If you can, try keeping a food diary to keep track of what you consume. This way you can make sure to limit your calories and include all the important foods in your diet as well.

11. Not observing common table manners

Chewing too fast, swallowing big bites, chugging down water between meals, not sitting up straight while eating are all little things that make a huge difference. We usually tend to neglect these essential minute intricacies of fine dining and believe they don’t matter. Well, they do. For example, drinking water between meals causes disturbance in digestion and causes bloating or, in some cases, hiccups which are not good for the heart. And regarding chewing, it is the first essential step of digestion which ensures that food has been broken down enough to be easily further digested by the stomach.

12. Drooling and dying over dessert

Dessert is personally one of my greatest weaknesses and I simply can’t imagine life without sugar. When I first read about how you shouldn’t eat dessert, I felt like shutting and kicking away the laptop and indulging in the bucket of ice cream in my freezer anyway. Then many seconds of self-control and calm provoked me to read further, and I was happy that I did. There is no rule which says you shouldn’t eat dessert (Thank God!). All you have to do is keep two things in mind: timing and portion. It is better to have dessert only after one of your meals and that too after lunch since you’ll have the rest of the day to burn it off. Make sure to have just a few bites or a small serving, one that keeps you satisfied.

How many of these food habits do you have?

Also Read: MIND OVER FOOD; THE PSYCHOLOGY OF EATING

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