Adelle Davis, American author and a pioneer in the field of nutrition, said, ‘Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.’ For reasons we’re familiar with, the city follows this cycle in reverse. Despite being reminded by our mothers, family physicians and health columns that breakfast has to be the most healthy meal of the day, a majority of Mumbaikars do not devote time to eat breakfast at leisure.
No meal at leisure
Instead, a cutting chai and Mumbai’s ubiquitous vada pav end up qualifying as our breakfast. Remember the good old movies where one would see the entire family at the breakfast table- the father immersed into his newspaper as he sipped tea, the mother helpful with the porridge and the kids obediently scooped mouthfuls of cornflakes? Seems like such indulgences remain for a weekend get-away.
According to a survey conducted by DNA and AZ Research, about 42% of Mumbaikars who are infamous for always being on the run skip the most important meal. Also, most just manage to grab a quick bite on the run and wouldn’t want to spend a lot of time and thought about what their breakfast should consist of.
Breakfast on the move
Sailee Pagnis, a student residing at Tardeo, says that she does have breakfast everyday but it happens in a rush. She says, “I know one should spend at least 15 minutes on breakfast but I am always running late for college. However, I try and consume either a fruit along with milk as I don’t get time to eat fresh and hot breakfast made at home.”
But even that rushed snack may not comprise the most desired eatables. Office goers are the most prominent examples of this, and they end up consuming food that is especially low in proteins and vitamins. Lately, despite the so called health conscious citizen finding his footing, it doesn’t always mean that they are eating right.
Twenty four-year-old Sushil Thakur says, “I end up missing my breakfast twice or thrice in a week. If I am getting late, I eat a fruit or a pack of chips on my way to work. It’s an unhealthy trend but I am expected to reach work at a particular time so I end up missing breakfast and have an early lunch in office.”
Changing eating habits
Dr Purwa Duggal, nutritionist, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, rightly puts it in perspective, “Indian eating habits are undergoing a sea-change, where the traditional hot choices are being replaced with a tendency to skip food, eat irregularly and opt for junk food instead of well balanced meals which are precipitating or worsening the health problems.”
Ignoring health concerns
Surprisingly, despite being aware that skipping breakfast could get them into trouble, people don’t appear fearful enough of its consequences. Manish Bora, a travel agent, says, “I just have a glass of milk and leave home by 10am in the morning. This has been my routine since more than two years. I get time to eat lunch only after 2pm. I surely feel hungry before that but constant phone calls and meetings don’t permit me to eat early.”
Bora, 32, is facing high cholesterol problems and also suffers from migraine sometimes, but tends to ignore it unless it gets serious. So basically people know their lifestyle habits are harming their own body but still continue to ignore it.
The ideal scenario
Dr Duggal sums up saying, “Usually breakfast is an option high in carbs and low in greens. The lower socio-economic class thrives on options such as bread, vada-pav, samosa-pav, etc. The diet conscious ones prefer kanda-poha, upma, egg preparations or breakfast cereals. Breakfast should be the best and the heaviest. This may include cereals (fiber-rich), milk (low fat), fruit, and eggs, depending on your eating preferences.”
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