Food matters

 In the world of food, there’s one thing that’s constant- nothing stays the same. What was chic a few years ago may be a distant memory today. Food trends that started as a ripple across cities and towns with ever increasing demand from a growing urban population. Fast food joints have quickly escalated into a tidal wave that swept across the globe. When it comes to food trends, there’s always something new and outrageous to try. Fast food has been a trend since many decades and today, it is a modern culture with people no longer satisfied with the conventional restaurant food. The young generation are fast food addicts and it is therefore not surprising that many fast food ‘joints’ have sprung up in premier towns like Dimapur and Kohima. In Dimapur, the entire stretch of the Circular road from the Clock Tower junction to Holy Cross School becomes a bee hive of activity in the evening. Scores of food carts have sprung up in the particular area. There are also some food-on-wheels that provide detachable dining areas. Even in other parts of Dimapur such as- Duncan area and Notun Bosti junction are witnessing opening up of more food joints including food carts. These are indeed signs that young entrepreneurs are venturing to fast food business. It is also a sign that these young entrepreneurs are determined to do business to succeed without government help. Demand for food exists and today the number of people who want to eat out is also a growing trend. Fast food business is indeed spreading fast and wide because these food items are tasty and suits not only the palate but also the pocket. The taste may not be natural since most modern food items are laced with artificial colours and flavours. It would be worth noting that taste and affordability should not be the main criteria but hygiene as well as medium for cooking. There is urgent need for food inspectors to ensure that those selling fast food items strictly adhere to hygiene. There are rules governing those involved with food preparation as well as the items used. Some chemicals used for colouring and flavouring may not be in the best interest of the health of customers. Even the medium for cooking such as oils are also in need of inspection. Studies have linked consumption of trans fats to heart disease, inflammation, higher “bad” LDL cholesterol and lower “good” HDL cholesterol levels. When eating on the go, bear in mind that trans fats may lurk in certain takeout options. restaurants and takeaway chains often fry foods in vegetable oil, which can contain trans fats that soak into the food. On the other hand, many eateries cook under high temperatures during frying. This can cause the trans fat content of the oil to increase slightly. The trans fat content increases each time the same oil is reused for frying. Reusing oil too many times can increase exposure to free radicals, which increases the cholesterol, creates peroxides acid, causes cancer, attacks organ cells and can infect the white blood cells. Reheating or reusing cooking oil can be the reason some are getting more acidity or why their cholesterol levels are rising. Hopefully authorities will step in to ensure that people don’t eat food items that eventually ruin their health.