GANDHI'S DIET PATTERN

GANDHI'S DIET

Gandhi followed a diet pattern that most nutritionists consider an ideal diet. But, to what extent is that diet practical for a modern individual?For Gandhi, food was not something that just satiated hunger. It was an integral part of shaping the human consciousness. Which is why he carried out a number of experiments to find the perfect diet. Though Gandhi is associated with vegetarianism and milk, he actually abstained from milk for a period of six years, considering it an animal product.In 1917, when he was bed-ridden, doctors compelled him to take milk. He, however, did not want to break his vow of not consuming cow's milk. Thus began his now-famous goat-milk diet. And the idea seems to be catching on.

According to a comparison made by Dr P.P. Bose, who has been studying dietary habits, the xanthine oxidase in cow-milk is capable of damaging the heart and arteries. On the other hand, glycerol ethers are higher in goat's milk, which is an important source of nutrition for an infant. Goat's milk also has greater amounts of vitamin A, as well as minerals, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, chlorine and manganese. Gandhi emphasized wheat and rice in a diet, with cereals holding the second place. He felt that cereals should be taken relatively dry for mastication and proper digestion. This was followed by fruits and vegetables. He stressed that fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables should be eaten raw.

A food pyramid begins with fat and oils at the top, whose consumption should be the least. Then milk and poultry products, followed by fruits and vegetables. The base represents cereals, with maximum amount of water content.
"Gandhi," explains Dr Bose, "was far ahead of his time. What he proclaimed 50 years ago is now being promoted as the ideal diet pattern."
Gandhi expressed his preference for jaggery over sugar. Because, as Dr Bose explains, "sugar goes directly into blood, raising the sugar level, and the excess sugar gets converted into calorie or fat. Jaggery, however, takes more time to masticate, thus resulting in a slower rise in sugar level".Gandhi did not think it necessary to eat pulses if milk was included in the diet. "He consumed small quantities of pure ghee," informs Dr Bose. "Since this was derived from milk, it was more like an unsaturated fat, which is not cholesterol forming."


GANDHI'S DIETARY ADVICE

· Diet must include milk and milk products such as curd, butter, ghee.
· Condiments such as chillies, pepper, turmeric, coriander, mustard should be avoided, unless prescribed by a doctor.
· Cereals, specially wheat, should be an important part of the diet. Sieving the flour should be avoided. Prefer unpolished rice to polished rice, which is more nutritious.
· Starchy foods should be eaten in a relatively dry form to ensure greater flow of saliva for mastication.
· People leading sedentary lives can do without pulses.
· Fresh leafy vegetables should be taken everyday.
· Daily diet should include seasonal fruits. The best time for taking fruits is early in the morning.
· Food should also have a certain amount of fat. It can be obtained from ghee or oil. Oil is not as nourishing as pure ghee.
· Although sweet fruits supply plenty of sugar, there is no harm in taking one or two ounces of sugar, brown or white, in a day.
· Avoid taking tea or coffee.


Gandhi said: "When food submerses the body, and through the body the soul, its relish disappears, and then alone does it begin to function in the way nature intended it to." It took Gandhi 35 long years to evolve a healthy diet that helped him to keep fit and wage a war that required all his energy and determination.