Kuch Khatta Ho Jaaye
A prominent ad campaign in recent years has been promoting a message ‘Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye’ — Lets have something sweet
Beautiful visuals, sound and catchy messages such as above are just strengthening one facet of Indian society — the sweet tooth. Estimates say that Indians consume an average of 20 kgs of sugar every year. This number however hides the diversity, with some sections of population probably consuming a lot more than this. Sugar subsidies of all forms are just helping this trend.
Why is this important? Rising sugar consumption is introducing us to a new set of health problems. Obesity and lifestyle problems are for the rich, but sugar also hides hunger of the poor, who get a quick energy kick, normally with a sweet tea that is more of water and tea, and less of milk.
The flipside is that of the sour or ‘Khatta’ that people are slowly losing taste of. Vitamin C that is present in most ‘Khatta’ stuff like lemons and Amla is a lifesaver for Indians and very few people know this. One of biggest malnutrition problems in the country are those of Iron and Calcium, both affecting women much more than men.
Vitamin C is crucial for both Calcium absorption into bones and for increasing Iron absorption in food. Very importantly, it is coming out that Vitamin C is vital in fighting bone related diseases such as Fluorosis that is caused by excess of Fluoride in water. Vitamin C also increase Iron absorption from food.
Doctors across India such as Dr A K Susheela in Delhi have been promoting Amla for better health. In case of Fluorosis, Vitamin C provides a very good first layer of resistance that prevents Fluoride from attacking Calcium in the body and thereby providing better bone health.
‘Khatta’ food containing Vitamin C and others are also essential for other body functions such as for liver health. In an age of massive sweet consumption and promotion, we need to have a different message — ‘Kuch Khatta Ho Jaaye’
Read more on how Vitamin C helps better bone health and helps fight Fluorosis http://www.fluorideandfluorosis.com/Reprints/pdf/5.Molecular%20and%20Cellular%20Biochemistry%202002.pdf and http://www.fluorosisinandhra.org/Booklet_Fluorosis.pdf
Visit www.fluorideindia.org and join www.facebook.com/groups/fluorideindia/
