Nutrition Education: How Can It Improve Your Health?

Last updated: 2024/10/17 at 2:53 AM

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Nutrition education can also emphasise the importance of sustainable eating habits, such as sourcing local, seasonal, and organic ingredients.Why Nutrition Education Is Essential

Nutrition education can also emphasise the importance of sustainable eating habits, such as sourcing local, seasonal, and organic ingredients.

Nutrition Education: How Can It Improve Your Health? — Nutrition education can also emphasise the importance of sustainable eating habits, such as sourcing local, seasonal, and organic ingredients.

What are the essential functions of nutrients? Eating out or ordering food has become a growing trend in India. Below 50 years of age, about 70% dine outside 1-3 times per week, and 15% eat out around 4-6 times per week. However, the increasing fast food consumption contributes significantly to the rise in diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This surge in NCDs like diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases can be attributed at large to poor dietary choices and unhealthy eating habits.

Culinary arts creates visually appealing and delicious dishes and craft meals that nourish the body and mind. Today, when India has already been declared the diabetic and cancer capital of the world, chefs have a responsibility to ensure that their food contributes to the well-being of their customers. Culinary education traditionally emphasises the development of cooking techniques, presentation, and flavour profiles.
Since chefs determine the ingredients, preparation methods, and portion sizes, they can promote healthier eating habits or exacerbate health risks. While chefs are trained to deliver aesthetically pleasing and flavorful dishes, they often lack the knowledge to ensure they are nutritionally balanced. This makes nutrition education essential for culinary students, who are tomorrow’s food influencers. Integrating nutrition into culinary education enhances the student’s skills and has far-reaching effects on public health.

Why Nutrition Education Is Essential

Many food vendors and restaurants prioritise mastering their cooking methods, meal presentations, and flavour profiles over the nutritional value of the food. Consequently, most of the foods on their menus are loaded with calories, sodium, sugar, and harmful fats, all of which increase the risk factors of NCDs like obesity, hypertension, etc.
It is necessary to empower chefs to make healthy choices. If students know their own dietary needs and those of their clients, they can design meals that are low-sodium, low-fat, gluten-free, diabetic, heart-friendly, or plant-based. They can also ensure that their meals contain balanced essential nutrients like proteins, vitamins, and minerals, which can significantly enhance health outcomes.
Raising awareness of food allergies and intolerances is necessary. With their nutrition knowledge, Culinary students can create menus that accommodate these restrictions without sacrificing the quality of the dining experience. Understanding allergens, how to substitute ingredients, and the importance of cross-contamination are vital skills for modern chefs.
Nutrition is necessary to create sustainability. Nutrition education can also emphasise the importance of sustainable eating habits, such as sourcing local, seasonal, and organic ingredients. This enhances the nutrient profile of dishes and contributes to environmental sustainability.