{By: Madhura Paroolkar Beki}
Every year on October 16th, the world comes together to observe World Food Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about hunger, food security, and sustainable agriculture. While much of the conversation often revolves around global food trends and nutrition fads, it’s also the perfect moment to turn inward and rediscover the forgotten foods from our very own kitchens.
If you open your social media, all you would see is how healthy broccoli is for your heart or kale is for your kidneys or blueberries for your brain, but no one wants to talk about our millets being great for blood sugars or ghee for healthy joints.
You would always hear experts talk about including “superfoods” in your diet, but what exactly are these super foods?
Superfoods are basically nutrient-dense foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, offering maximum nutritional benefits for minimal calories.
This World Food Day, let’s shine a spotlight on the forgotten Indian superfoods that deserve a much-needed comeback, not only for their nutritional value but for their deep connection to our culture, climate, and culinary heritage.
ALSO READ: World Food Day 2025: 8 Creative Ways To Turn Leftovers Into Delicious Meals
1. Ragi
Packed with calcium, fibre, and iron, it’s one of the best grains for bone health, especially in growing children and older adults. It’s also gluten-free and supports blood sugar management, making it ideal for diabetics.
Swap Your Breakfast For A Nutritious Twist: Replace muesli with warm, wholesome ragi porridge sprinkled with seeds, or enjoy gluten-free ragi ladoos for a healthy, traditional treat.
2. Bajra
Bajra is a winter powerhouse which is a staple in many Indian households. It’s high in magnesium, protein, and insoluble fibre. Bajra aids digestion, boosts immunity, and keeps the body warm during colder months.
Switch To Wholesome Indian Favourites: Replace quinoa rice with hearty bajra khichdi, and enjoy soft bajra rotis drizzled with ghee instead of almond flour rotis for a nutritious, warming meal.
3. Moringa
It’s rich in vitamin C, iron, potassium, antioxidants, and contains all nine essential amino acids. Great to boost immunity and fight inflammation, moringa should be added to your plate for an overall well-being.
Upgrade Your Greens: Swap a simple lettuce salad for a nutrient-packed moringa powder mix on curd, and replace your kale smoothie with a vibrant, immunity-boosting moringa smoothie.
4. Ghee
Ghee has always been in controversy due to its saturated fat content, but in this we missed out on it being rich in vitamin A, D and MCT. This eases digestion, boosts immunity, and is great for bone health.
Make A Healthy Twist: Swap almond butter on toast for a golden ghee drizzle on warm rotis, adding richness, flavour, and traditional Indian goodness to your meals.
5. Curd
Long before the word “probiotics” became trendy, Indian kitchens had a daily dose of it in the form of curd (dahi). Rich in good bacteria, calcium, and protein, curd helps balance gut health, supports digestion, and cools the body.
Opt For Indian Classics: Replace kefir with refreshing chas and trade kimchi for tangy, creamy hung curd dips to enjoy probiotics the traditional way.
6. Amaranth
Often eaten during fasting periods, amaranth is a gluten-free, protein-rich seed that contains calcium, iron, and lysine, an essential amino acid rare in plant sources.
Give Your Snacks An Indian Superfood Boost: Swap puffed quinoa for crunchy, protein-rich amaranth bhel, packed with nutrients, fibre, and a delightful festive crunch.
As we become more health-conscious and climate-aware, returning to local, seasonal, and traditional foods isn’t just a nostalgic move; it’s a sustainable, nutritious, and empowering choice.
So, let’s honour our food heritage by putting these Indian superfoods back where they belong, on our everyday plates.
The author, Madhura Paroolkar Beki, is a Nutrition Expert, at Cult.
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