Samosas versus burgers: The Great Indian Dilemma

• An Assocham report says that even calorie-dense traditional Indian foods fare better than their Western counterparts.
  
• Consuming Indian foods is more satisfying than Western dishes which increase cravings.
  
• Indians are aware of the health effects of food, but most people refuse to shift to a healthier alternative.
  

Indians are spoilt for choice when it comes to food. Not only is there a bhel or samosa vendor at the end of every street corner, quick service restaurants that dish out burgers, pizzas, chicken and more are also rapidly expanding in count while incorporating desi recipes.

A recent report by Assocham may make choosing easier. The report ‘Indian Cuisine at Crossroads’ assesses Indian traditional and modern food, by going beyond calorific value – for instance it compares samosas with burgers.

While a samosa is made of refined flour or maida and fried in vegetable oil, it also has fresh ingredients like cumin, boiled potatoes, peas, salt, chillies and spices. These ingredients are healthier than those that go into a burger, the report says.

A burger, on the other hand, has preservatives, acidity regulator, emulsifier, improver and antioxidants along with refined wheat flour, sugar, wheat gluten, edible vegetable oil, yeast, salt, soya flour, sesame seed, vegetables, mayonnaise, and cheese or potato patty, Assocham says. Calorie-dense samosas are a better choice since they lack chemicals, it concludes.

“Unlike traditional Indian foods which are prepared, generally fresh, non-traditional foods listed use preservatives and additives, making them greatly unhealthy—way more than their calorie content,” the report says.

The industry body extends this argument for all desi vs Western foods — it says a vada pav would be healthier than a cheese pizza; kulfi is better than a chocolate ice cream; and the Bengali sweet sandesh is healthier than an apple pie.

Are you ordering the ‘sides’?

It is common to pair burgers with french fries and potato wedges; pizzas with garlic breads and a variety of dips. On the other hand, Indian thalis come with a combination of protein and carbohydrates like chapatis, daal, rice, sauteed vegetables and dairy products like dahi or chaas — which are more filling.

Those who eat pizzas and/or burgers also tend to pair it with a carbonated beverage – making the meal more calorific. Compare that with an Indian thali. Thanks to the variety of options and portion control – Indians do not have to worry about overeating unlike other Western dishes which increase cravings, as per the report.

“Even for higher-calorie dishes such as dosa and aloo paratha, the satiety quotient is better than small-calorie dense foods such as pizza as they are rich in protein, fibre,” the report insists.

A nutrition transition

Indian eating habits have been changing rapidly in the last two decades, with greater access to Western options, urbanisation, and increased wealth led to predictable shifts in diet, commonly known as – nutrition transitions.

Even as the love for fast food is growing rapidly, the Indian food services industry is dominated by the unorganised segment comprising individuals or families selling ready-to-eat food through roadside vendors, dhabas, food carts, street stalls, etc. This segment has a lion’s share of the market, catering to 65-70% of the total market.

On the other hand, the packaged foods market caters to only 15% of the total grocery retail market, as per FY20 data.

Assocham also conducted a nationwide survey in which almost all respondents said they consumed packaged foods (both branded and unbranded) at least once a month. “The consumption of branded to unbranded food in India is roughly 1:3 in terms of value, making consumption of unbranded food pervasive in terms of value and more so in terms of quantity,” the report says.

As between the choice of branded foods like potato wafers, chocolates, chips and biscuits with others like street food like noodles, mithai from sweet shops and fried snacks — the choice is determined by taste, quality and price.

Indians are also well aware of the health effects of food on health. However, nearly half — 46% of respondents — said that they would not shift to a healthier alternative if the food of their choice was given a low health rating.

Indian dietary habits, like in the case of most others, are not simply determined by physiological or nutritional needs of people, but also the pleasure that is derived from eating — and Indians seem to be sticking to their guns and gulab jamoons.

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