India, with its rich heritage and deep-rooted culture, boasts a culinary history as old as time itself. The food habits of the country are deeply rooted in traditions, shaped by centuries of invasions, religious beliefs, and social customs. They have evolved and transformed over time, varying slightly from state to state. Each tradition has left an indelible mark on Indian gastronomy. Some ancient food traditions that are integral to India's culinary reputation have shaped its multicultural cuisine. So it comes as no surprise that some of these customs are still followed in many homes with the same tenacity as before, especially because they are also backed by scientific reasoning. These time-honoured practices not only add flavour to the food but also weave together tradition, culture, and identity, making Indian cuisine an experience like no other.

1. LET’S GO BACK TO ROOTS: ADOPTING ANCIENT
INDIAN FOOD PRACTICES

4. The Indian Way of Eating with Hands –
Reduce the use of Cutlery

5. •When it comes to food, Indians still prefer eating food with their hands rather than
using spoons and forks.
•According to the Indian Vedic tradition, human fingers are said to be the conduits of
the five elements namely space, air, fire, water and earth which are believed to
transform food by heightening the senses of smell and taste and make the food
digestible by feeling its texture in hand.
•According to Ayurveda, eating food with bare hands not only feeds the body but also
the mind.
•Eating with hands serves as protection to the tongue. The hands act as a temperature
sensor and it becomes easy to gauge the temperature before putting the hot food in the
mouth.
•Before the invention of plastic and styrofoam-based disposal plates, India used easily
compostable, naturally available cutlery, especially in community functions serving a
large number of people.
•Even today in the state of Kerala, food is served on banana leaf which is available in
plenty and is considered healthy. Being big in size, it can easily accommodate large and
many portions of Indian food. It is believed that banana leaves further enhances the
aroma of hot food when placed onto it.

6. Food Preservation without Refrigeration to
Reduce Energy

7. •Before the invention of refrigeration technology,
ancient communities had discovered the secret of storing
perishable food items for consumption around the year.
The method involved sun drying or storing food in
salt/sugar/lemon solution or oil. The science of pickles is
a way of preserving food by covering plant-based foods
with lactobacillus bacteria. During pickling, these
bacteria grow while suppressing the development of
other bacteria that cause spoilage and disease. The
bacteria metabolize the sugar in the vegetable. By
producing lactic acid and other antibacterial substances
the plant’s nutritional substances, such as fiber and
vitamin C, remain intact. This process is called lactic
acid fermentation, which gives fermented pickles their
characteristic tartness.
•Indian pickles are famous around the world and they
are made using the most sustainable method. These
pickles do not use fossil fuels for cooking nor do they use
refrigeration for storage. Pickles are fruits or vegetables
that are sun-dried, mixed with spices, and stored in salt
and oil. Commonly pickled food items are mangoes,
lemons, garlic, chilies, mushrooms, and even chicken
and meat.

8. Recycle Food to Reduce Food Waste
Indian communities
have many examples of
creative use of extra
food which helps in
reducing the waste
produced during the
preparation and even
the leftovers. Each state
in India has its own
creative way of
reducing food wastage.

9. Recycling and Using Leftover Food

10. Upcycling Food Waste Into
Different Products

11. Weather Adaptation and
Weather Based Foods

12. Being a huge country, there are different weathers across India. The ancient locals
have adapted to locally grown, seasonal food which helps the body to adapt to
harsh weather – hot and cold.

13. Non-Mechanical Kitchen Tools – Reduce
Energy

14. Preparing food is nothing short of magic. A
great dish is made after using local seasonal
products, the right amount of salt and spices,
and the perfect kitchen tool. For centuries
some tools have not undergone any changes
and are used even today. These are non-
mechanized and do not use any electrical
energy.

15. Indian Spices and Herbs that are
lost from the kitchen

16. India is a great producer
of plenty of spices, from
80 types of spices grown
in the world where as
about 50 types are grown
in India. Spices not only
improve the taste of food
but also a good source of
vitamins B and C, iron,
calcium, and other
antioxidants. Spices
drawn from various
parts of plants like bud,
bark, root, flower, and
fruits. Spices are being
used by many medical
industries like cosmetic,
pharmaceutical, and
aromatic as perfumery

18. Traditional ways to lower glycemic index and improve the nutritive value of rice-based meals:
•Using hand-pounded rice: brown/red/black rice
•Using parboiled rice instead of polished white rice
•Using old (i.e., stored and aged) rice
•Using cooked rice that has been cooled overnight
•Combining rice with protein sources like pulses, yogurt, cottage cheese (paneer) , egg, fish, poultry,
meat
•Adding ghee or nuts and seeds in moderate amounts
•Combining rice with a variety of vegetables as a part of a mixed meal
•Squeezing lemon or adding tamarind to rice meals

19. Traditional ways to lower glycemic index and improve the nutritive value of wheat-based meals:
•Using whole wheat flour and Khapli (Emmer) wheat
•Using broken wheat and larger grit semolina
•Mixing bran and pulse flours like gram flour, soya flour, or millet flour with whole wheat flour
•Adding grated or pureed vegetables, green leafy vegetables, herbs, and spices to whole wheat flour
•Kneading whole wheat flour with yogurt, whey, milk, leftover pulse curry, or vegetable curries
•Stuffing the chapati/paratha made from whole wheat flour with protein sources such as egg, minced
meat, cottage cheese, pulses, and vegetables
•Adding fat in moderate amounts

20. Traditional ways to improve the
nutritive value of meals using pulses:
•Using whole pulses or pulses with skin
•Using sprouted pulses
(raw/steamed/ground/pureed)
•Adding pulses (and/or its flours) like
soybean to grains like wheat, rice, and
millets in meals and snacks
•Adding pulses to vegetables and meat
curries
•Substituting cereals with pulses in
snacks and meals e.g., in pancakes,
roasted gram
•Consuming pulse-based spiced pastes
(chutneys) with meals

21. Traditional ways to lower glycemic
index (GI) and improve the nutritive
value of meals:
•Processing grains to the minimum.
Using unpolished, coarse, long grain,
and aged grains
•Using slow digesting (lente)
carbohydrates with higher amylose
and soluble fiber content such as pulses
and barley
•Using meal combinations to add
protein, fiber, and healthy fat to meals
•Using resistant-starch-rich foods and
methods which enhance resistant
starch content
•Using an acidic medium such as
lemon, vinegar, or tamarind
•Using slightly unripe fruits, since the
GI increases as fruit ripens

22. Conclusion
Traditional Indian food
practices evolved over
thousands of years and provide
a holistic approach. The
emphasis was to provide
wholesome, balanced,
nourishing meals, which were
also visually appealing and
palatable. Meal combinations
were guided by scientifically
sound principles, ensuring
nutrient density and diet
diversity. Many of these ancient
traditions continue or are being
revived. It would be helpful to
incorporate these food
concepts, combinations, and
techniques in our daily lives.