Eat smart while at college
(By Lisa Sarah John, Courtesy Bangalore Times, Jun 11, 2007)
MOST college students rush out in the morning
without breakfast. By 9- 10 am they start feeling weak and giddy and during the mid morning break they indulge in an aerated
drink, coffee or packet of chips. Lunch is a vada or samosa and then they come home and eat a huge meal at 4- 5 pm. This spoils
their appetite at dinner, which ends up as a snack, glass of milk or fruits. This is certainly not the diet you should be
following at a time when studies are your focus. You need food not only to nourish your body but also to keep your mind healthy
and active.
The above diet will also result in hair loss because you are not getting enough protein, vitamins and
minerals during the day from properly balanced meals. You may also develop pimples due to too much oil from the chips and
snacks. Even in a rush you can quickly eat a bowl of cornflakes with milk, or bread with egg, or even two slices of bread
with a glass of milk. If time permits idli, dosa, or chapati and a glass of milk are good alternatives. Ragi or oats porridge
with milk or buttermilk are also quick and easy to consume.
Also, carry a fruit like an apple or guava to munch at break time and avoid cola and chips. Colas are
very bad for your weight, teeth and chips. They add to your weight and are responsible for pimples.
However difficult it may be, lunch must be carried from home. Chapati with dal or pulses (chole, sprouts
sabji or rajma) and a vegetable sabji like beans, ladies finger, cauliflower are a must. Non-veg too can be eaten at lunch
along with the above mentioned. One more alternative is to carry two chapatis — one rolled with vegetable and one with
an egg, non-veg or some paneer. Just a snack or sandwich is not advisable at all. Lunch has to be a proper balanced meal and
is to be eaten at 12 or 1pm, not at 4pm. If eating lunch from a canteen please try to choose the above food and keep the carbohydrate,
protein and vegetable balance. At tea time, 4 pm, you may eat a snack or sandwich and also a glass of milk in any form must
be consumed. At your age, 2-3 glasses of milk is absolutely essential for your bones, teeth and hair.
Have a fruit at
6 pm. Do not skip dinner or just have a soup, salad or glass of milk. Dinner must be a balanced meal like roti, dal, sabji
and curd. A big bowl of salad is a must at dinner to keep you fresh and healthy and give you a good complexion.
Last but not the least you need 2-3 litres of water daily. Take 2 glasses before you leave the house.
Carry 1 litre of water to drink through the day at college. Back home finish another litre before bedtime. Plenty of water,
fruits and salad is the secret to a glowing complexion.
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