A few days ago, a LinkedIn post of Shantanu Deshpande, CEO of Bombay Shaving Company, went viral on social media. In it he discusses various factors based on which he believes healthy diets are declining in India. “We are suffering from the biggest epidemic of poor nutrition and unhealthy processed and ultra-processed food, high in palm oil and sugar. Our grains have lost nutrition over the last 50 years because we traded agricultural produce for nutrition Our junk food addiction, fueled by Rs 49 pizzas and Rs 20 energy drinks and Rs 30 burgers, has put us on the path to China and America without the necessary economic cover for health, he wrote. is taking.”
Also read: “Misleading” ultra-processed food ads in India promote obesity, diabetes: Report
He goes on to describe how food delivery platforms receive and fulfill orders, promising quick delivery. “Heat frozen purees and curries and seasoned vegetables and garnish with coriander [coriander leaves] To look fresh and get on board some 2 wheeler that reaches your doorstep like Mad Max in 10 minutes because you couldn’t wait another 15 minutes or were too lazy to get on [put on] A cooker of pulses and rice. And all the investors and founders are already finding fancy words to sum it up in the next big wave of Indian commerce.” He urges delivery giants like Zomato, Swiggy and Zepto to avoid doing the same. However, if they can’t do that, he asks them to “make the product delicious.” He added, “I would love if we innovated and could actually deliver stale and good food in 10 minutes. Unlocked at scale. But I don’t think we’re close to there yet.”
Shantanu Deshpande has also asked the regulators to keep an eye on this situation. He concluded his post by reminding people of the importance of diet in their daily lives. He advises everyone to learn cooking. He says, “It’s an adult skill. No one is busy enough to take out 10 minutes to put together a nice dal rice or smoothie or salad or sandwich. If it goes unchecked it can lead to some long-term health Can lead to problems. The gut is the center of your being. You are what you eat.
Shantanu Deshpande’s words took the internet by storm and sparked online debate. In the comments below his LinkedIn post, many people agreed with most of his ideas. Some people also shared other reasons for such dietary patterns. Check out some of the reactions below:
“This entire ecosystem will be the biggest health threat in the coming future!”
“Couldn’t agree more.. well written post.. and definitely a warning to all of us who regularly order those 10-minute delivery options.”
“I understand the concern about ultra-processed foods and their health impacts, but if approached responsibly, innovation can be a solution, not a problem.”
“I don’t think this is an appeal to corporations. It’s about all of us wanting to make our own healthy choices. I’ve already seen many children abstaining from chocolate and aerated drinks, influenced by education in schools This is the generational change we need.”
“While 10-minute delivery of cooked food may seem like a game-changer, it raises significant concerns about health and well-being. Even as regulators attempt to keep pace, we continue to see widespread use of preservatives in India. We continue to face challenges with sugar-rich foods.”
We also asked our consultant nutritionist Rupali Dutta to weigh in on this viral debate. His opinion on the subject is as follows: “Parents today are so focused on the 99.9% in education that children miss out on acquiring skills for living. They don’t know how to cook or buy groceries. It has been made even more glamorous when celebrities come out in the media and say that they do not cook. This has increased the dependence on unhealthy ready-to-cook/ready-to-eat foods. Unaware of how to run a kitchen, they are also dependent on “diddis” who cook tasteless and oily food in 10 minutes. Women’s health is more sensitive and increase in PCOS and PCOD is an indicator of bad lifestyle. The scary fact is that These youth will lead the next generation.”
