Nutritional Up-gradation of Some Vegetarian Preparations from Konkan region

Abstract

Malnutrition is widespread in India. Even comparatively literate and economically fairly advanced state like Goa is not an exception. Ailments like diabetes, blood pressure, heart diseases and even cancer are on the rise. Other symptoms typically found in cases of malnutrition were also visible amongst the populace of Konkan. Though it cannot be claimed that malnutrition was the sole cause of all these ailments, malnutrition definitely appeared to be one of the causes in many of these cases. In any case malnutrition makes individuals susceptible to diseases. Though a substantial part of the populace had non vegetarian meals, be it the breakfast, proper meal or snack, rice, wheat and coconut together formed almost 80 to 90% of their daily food. A study was conducted with the aim offinding the approximate nutritive value of the various components of the daily food of plant origin and making improvement in nutritive value wherever possible. Substantial amount of data was collected and analysed. Based on the analysis of the data, preparations were modified using 2 prominent traditionally used legumes. Modified preparations were actually cooked, tasted and the increase in the amount of some vital nutrients, in case of some important preparations, was tabulated. This paper reveals the increase/decreasein quantity of each of these vital nutrients as percentage of the quantity present in the original traditional (before modification) preparation.

Key words: Malnutrition, Konkan, Vegetarian, Nutritive value, traditional, legumes.