At one end where nutritionists & dieticians continue to stress the consumption of home-cooked food or so to say “ghar ka khana” there is a constant rise in the consumption of Street food and junk food.
In India, the National Policy for Urban Street Vendors/Hawkers stated that street vendors constitute approximately 2% of the population of a metropolis.
There is enough scientific evidence in India to substantiate that fast food has become an integral component of the diet in all sections of society. High consumption of fast food has been reported in school-going children and this is quite substantial in college and university students – even though a significant proportion of the population is aware of adverse consequences of fast food consumption. Children of pregnant and lactating women eating fast foods are more prone to obesity. High fat and high-sugar diet lead to changes in fetal brain reward pathways altering food preferences.
Fast food consumption is rising in India across all income categories and this is contributing significantly to the rising trend of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in this country. Regulation of marketing and nutritional labeling is not up to mark in India.
Fast Food vs Homemade Food
Fast food is one of the popular food items nowadays. We are moving to instant foods.
Fast food help to cook easily. Fast food is invented to help mine workers who have no time and the temperature under the earth is not good.
Fast food helps them to maintain their energy level until they have time to cook and eat. Urban development is one of the reasons for the development of fast-food culture.
Grandma-made food is the best which can beat anything.
No one can cook like our mother. Homemade food is best which has many health benefits. The health benefits of homemade food are nothing but every ingredient that is added to the dish has separate health benefits.
In homemade food, the masalas are prepared in the home itself. It provides a better taste to the food. As compared to fast food, homemade food has a low content of chemicals.
We can control the calories and fat ingredients by using healthy ingredients in the dishes. Homemade food is a big advantage for growing children.
| Parameters of comparison | Fast Food | Homemade Food |
| Salt and sugar | High in salt and sugar | Low in salt and sugar |
| Preservatives | More preservatives | No preservatives |
| Freshness | Processed and stale ingredients | Fresh ingredients |
| Healthy | No | Yes |
| Disease-causing agents | Present | Absent |
10 Reasons to Avoid Street Food
Here are 10 reasons why one should AVOID Indian street food:
- Poor Hygiene Standards
- Unsafe Food Handling Practices
- Unhealthy Ingredients Used In Street Food
- Unsafe Cooking Equipment
- Lack Of Sanitation Facilities At Street Food Stalls
- No Health Inspections Required For Street Food Stalls In India
- No Legal Action is Taken Against The Vendors If They Aren’t Following Hygiene Standards And Food Safety Rules Of The Country
- Lack Of Knowledge About Healthy Eating Habits Among People Who Eat Street Food Regularly
- Too Much Fat And Sugar In Most Of The Popular Dishes Served By The Vendors
- Dirty Utensils, Insect Infestations Like Cockroaches, Mosquitoes, etc on The Kitchen Floor of Many Indian Restaurants.