Gucci. Armani. Prada. Dolce & Gabbana. Sound familiar? Well, the names I have just mentioned refer to some of the most popular fashion brands which are in vogue today. These all are imported, meaning they are not native or indigenous products, or rather, they are not native to our own country. Instead of opting for Hidesign, Allen Solly, Monte Carlo (which are native to our country because they are produced here) etc people opt for the brands thus mentioned.
Unfortunately, such is the trend with foodstuffs as well. Imported foodstuffs like KFC chicken, McDonald’s burgers, Starbucks coffee, Del Monte’s pasta, Koka’s noodles etc currently dominate our market, with the humble, indigenous and homely foodstuffs like dosa, vada, roti, Sarson da saag, chutney, filter chai (tea) going right out of the window.
It is a harsh and grim reality that today we prefer to go out for “burger and some coke and fries” rather than having or packing the same from our respective homes. It is common sights to see young people (and sometimes even adults) gorge on pizzas, fried chicken and what not and even when there is an option for Indian food, we still opt for the Thai cuisine, the Oriental cuisine etc.
It is also not uncommon for us to go for imported/ unseasonal fruits which pose many dangers to us like loss of nutritional value, processing to store let them stay fresh for long, endangering our planet by emitting CO2 during storage and transportation.
Though I am myself a Junk Lover, and I do not deny that trying out new cuisines is good. But then We need to create a balance. Regular Junk, Regularly opting for Foods that do not belong to us moght be an issue. Now, just like rose has thorns, the unbridled consumption of imported food too has many disadvantages.
Here I listed some of them out for you below.
- Illness due to the food
In April 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 47.8 million food borne illnesses occur almost every year in the USA, with over 1, 27, and 839 people requiring hospitalisation with 3,037 people succumbing to death.
There are many reasons behind such incidents but yes, Food not suiting our type is one. So what grows in our habitat is customised to our body needs. When we take something out of it, it might mess with the system.
- Substandard quantity of Imported food
The sub-standard quality of food items imported from countries like China, poses a serious threat to consumers’ health, testifies, health authority. They refer to a particular incident when certain or most of the foodstuffs for the pets of the consumers were treated with or contained melamine, with other foodstuffs like fishes were treated with various illegal drugs, chemical additives etc. Even the Soya bean Chap thats imported is extremely unhealthy.
- Increased Cancer Risk
With the consumption of imported food thus arises the need for its preservation. Thus we have sodium benzoate, a commonly used food preservative in the industry. However, usage of sodium benzoate too has its side effects, which include a highly increased risk of Cancer owing to the fact that when mixed or in contact with acidic foodstuffs, it leads to benzene formation which is a forerunner of increased rates of Leukemia, and other types of Cancer.
- Possible risk of infections
Now all of us suffer from some kind of resistance to a particular foodstuff or substance, the consumption of which could lead to serious complications in health, such as an overactive fit of coughing or sneezing (allergy), prolonged sudden fever, etc. For instance, sulfites help limit the bacterial production in wine but can and do cause potentially deadly allergic reactions like rashes, low blood pressure, diarrhoea, anaphylactic shock etc.
Thus, these are the ill effects of having or consuming or opting for imported fruits over our very own, native, indigenous products.
Having watermelon all through the year, Mango stays so much longer now, Peas and carrots too meet us all year long. Thats not how nature planned them to be. Its high time, that we hear the signs of nature and act upon. We need to start living the way nature built us, else the day is nearly there when every single being ll be suffering from the wrath that mother nature throws at us.
This article is written as a part of #SuperBloggerChallenge2018 conducted by Healthwealthbridge.com ,Fashionablefoodz.com and Allaboutthewoman.com and should not be repurposed, republished or used otherwise. The content herein is owned by the blogger. SuperBloggerChallenge2018 is not responsible for any kind of infringement caused
Sitharaam Jayakumar
Preservatives are so much a part of imported foodstuff that eating it is like stuffing oneself with chemicals of all kind. Imported brands really spoil the health. And what you say about our bodies easily adapting to what is grown locally is very correct. But we often overlook this fact. #Superbloggerchallenge2018 #Instacuppa
Misha
True Sitharam. And its really high time we get in touvh of nature again
Ms Arora
A very informative post. I have seen many a times that imported products have the expiry date or ingredients written in their own language , which we can’t understand. Its always better to have fresh seasonal food which are good for health.
Misha
yeah true..
Namratha
Did noy know that about Sodium Benzoate! I thought it was something used in baking though I haven’t yet. However, I do enjoy going out and trying out various cuisines.
#SuperBloggerChallenge2018
Misha
Thats Sodium Bicarbonate and also Benzoit is very commonly used preservative but is harmful to some extent
Aritra Chakrabarty
I loved how u backed ur statements with family facts.
That’s a grt takeaway for me.
With respect to ur post, most certainly if we continue to go against the rules of nature, the resultant might not be pleasant for the generations to come.
Grt post.
Pls read my week3 post for #superbloggerchallenge2018 #instacuppa
https://www.talestotell.co.in/single-post/2018/03/03/FOODPORN-BY-THE-SOCIAL-JUNKIE-Superbloggerchallenge2018-instacuppa
Aritra Chakrabarty
I meant ‘facts’ …
The autocorrect made it ‘family facts’
Apologies for the inconvenience
Mann
Hey Misha,
Eating out at pizza hut, dominoz, MacD makes us look modern. Isn’t it right? I am generalizing us here. We think that we eat there because we can afford, meaning we come from a well to do family. This is just all social extravaganza. An occasional visit is fine but if we are preferring this food to our own food, the health status speaks all the truth soon and we have to come back either by our own will power or at the discretion the dietitian!
Mann💓
#superbloggerchallenge2018
Mann
Hey Misha,
Eating out at pizza hut, dominoz, MacD makes us look modern. Isn’t it right? I am generalizing us here. We think that we eat there because we can afford, meaning we come from a well to do family. This is just all social extravaganza. An occasional visit is fine but if we are preferring this food to our own food, the health status speaks all the truth soon and we have to come back either by our own will power or at the discretion the dietitian!
Mann💓
#superbloggerchallenge2018
Misha
thats very well true dear.. We like to pose ourselves modern and to the new times
and exactly, first we eat and then we go on Diets
crazy is our world today
anupriya
Thanks for putting all the hazards of packaged imported food items in a nutshell in this post.
Neha Tambe
You are bang on, when a normal cooked food can’t survive for more than 24 hours, we need to realize that all kinds of fast food and over the shelf food products will be laden with preservatives that will be detrimental to our health.
tewskape
After I initially commented I clicked the -Notify me when new feedback are added- checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get 4 emails with the same comment. Is there any way you may remove me from that service? Thanks!
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Gunjan
That’s such an informative post. Well I have seen lot of good imported products have all content and everything written in the language only. It’s better we shift to our products
Nameesh
This article sure is an eye opener for many. We all need to balance out on the food intake outside and not going with the fancy foreign brands that may lack the essential nutrition and cause us more harm.
Deborah Miranda
So important to encourage consumption of local ingredients and avoid processed foods..
Mrinal
Although I too eat junk food at times, I have shifted to indian food and healthy snacks after getting severe intestinal disorders! We should create a balance and think before indulging in the low quality imported food!
Papri Ganguly
This post is an eye opener in true sense. Thanks for sharing this.
Ash
I live in the UK but addicted to Indian Food due to my Indian Ethnicity. I go for South Indian restaurants or some North Indian special cuisines here. Love Sarvana Bhawan and some other lovely Indian restaurants in the UK.
Ash
IG : @ms_tantrum
Rohini
There is so much junk available nowadays that the next generation knows only to snack on such items. As much as I love my kids, I give in to a McD or Pizza once a month only. A very required post in this day and age.
Dr Bushra
Totally agree the quality of food in the market is so adulterated that increases the risk of health issues. We have to switch to organic to combat the affect
poornima m reddy
Most of times during our busy schedules, who does even check whats in the pack and when is the expiry. This post was very informative.