by Meera Vasudevan
Why is it foods that taste so good are often termed “not good for you"? Why is eating healthy is considered synonymous with “not so great" taste? This is the conundrum facing Americans who are hearing from the media, health organizations and even the First Lady that we are dangerously obese and need to reexamine the foods we eat.
Americans have, for the past couple of decades, been consuming absurdly large quantities of foods that are laden with fat and sodium. One argument places a chunk of the blame for this consumption pattern with fast-food restaurants and processed foods manufacturers, which have tended to use fat and sodium as the principal “taste makers." The sheer convenience of these foods for time-poor Americans has led to high levels of consumption.
According to a study from the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2007 to 2008, the prevalence of obesity in the United States was 32.2 percent among adult men and 35.5 percent among adult women. What’s worse—future generations will be affected as well by this “obesity epidemic." CDC also projected one in three children born after the year 2000 will develop type II Diabetes as a result of obesity.
Fortunately, an increasing number of Americans are re-evaluating their diets and lifestyle in an effort to become healthier. Low-fat and low-sodium diets, exercise and increasing the ratio of fruits and vegetables in an average meal are becoming part of the everyday lexicon of Americans. This is great news for retailers of natural foods and healthy products.
Diet obviously plays a key role in weight management, and today’s consumers have access to many more dietary choices than ever before. Restaurants offer a variety of global cuisines, packaged ready-to-eat foods provide amazing innovation in nutrition and convenience, and a diverse range of new immigrants bring ancient, healthy cuisine influences with them. As a result, dietary choices are easier for Americans to make.
One of the rising trends in eating across America is the inclusion of ethnic foods and flavors. According to a 2009 Mintel study, ethnic food sales hit $2.2 billion and were expected to increase 20 percent from 2010 to 2014. Indian and Asian foods are among the fastest growing offerings. These cuisines are not only delicious, but also relatively healthy, since they are based in centuries-old medicinal systems that hinge around diet. Indian cuisine, for instance, has evolved over thousands of years with strong roots in Ayurveda (which means “science of life")—an ancient medicinal system that combines spices and herbs, specific foods and yoga as the cornerstones of a healthy life. Similarly, Thai and Chinese cuisines are based in traditional medicinal systems that incorporate spices and herbs.
Indian and Asian foods use an amazing variety of spices for two simple reasons. First, spices add sheer pleasure to food and transform the ordinary into something exotic. And second, spices are nature’s “super foods," with intrinsic proven health properties. Even obesity or daily weight management can be affected by the regular use of spices.
Ayurvedic documentation over the centuries, as well as modern American medical and clinical studies, has proven some simple facts about spices. Here a few examples:
Chilies: A great reason to spice up the standard meal. A compound in chilies called capsaicin has a thermogenic effect, meaning it causes the body to burn extra calories after consumption, bolstering metabolism.
Turmeric: Another popular spice in Indian and Thai cuisine, turmeric may help reduce the absorption of fat by the body. A Columbia University of Medical Research study found curcumin, the major polyphenol found in turmeric, reduced weight gain in mice and suppressed the growth of fat tissue.
Cinnamon: This spice is thought to boost weight loss by promoting healthier processing of carbohydrates by the body. Because of this effect, it may help to prevent development of metabolic syndrome. The benefits of cinnamon can be achieved with just one teaspoon a day. It mimics insulin to lower blood glucose, as well as helps reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides.
Black Pepper: Black pepper has great healing properties and can help with weight loss. It improves digestion, frees nutrients for absorption and can help stimulate the metabolism to burn more calories. The component in black pepper that makes it taste pungent is called piperine; it stimulates receptors in the brain and nervous system. Researchers suggest this effect increases food’s thermogenic effect (the amount of energy it takes to digest food) and results in a greater number of calories burned.
These are just some examples of the spices researchers are studying to understand how they help in the fight against obesity. Adding spices to the daily diet not only enhances the flavor of meals, but also works toward maintaining health.
Meera Vasudevan is the executive vice president for product development and marketing at Preferred Brands International (PBI), which markets the Tasty Bite (TastyBite.com) line of all natural, ready to eat Indian and Pan Asian foods.