Superfoods in our kitchen, yet India's cholesterol profile is alarming

India Today

8 hours ago

ICMR-INDIAB study found 79% of urban Indians have at least one lipid abnormality
Garlic is packed with allicin, a compound known to lower LDL cholesterol
It's not what we eat, but how we use it that makes the difference
No, this is not just another health crisis; it's an awareness, apathy, and aggressive food marketing problem.
We are aware that Indian kitchens are troves of ingredients that are now labelled as 'superfoods.' Be it curcumin from turmeric, or soluble fibre from oats and barley, allicin in garlic, polyphenols in tulsi and green tea, all of these aren't imported wellness trends any more but are a part of our culinary DNA!
Given this premise, a couple of questions naturally arise: Why is India's lipid profile mirroring the patterns of fast-food-heavy Western societies?
Indians are developing coronary artery disease almost a decade earlier than people in the West. Why is that the case?
Internal data is damning too. A 2024 survey by a popular diagnostic firm revealed that "six in 10 Indians have abnormal levels of LDL cholesterol". The highest prevalence is amongst people aged 31 to 40 â€' hardly the age group one would associate with heart risk. Meanwhile, the ICMR-INDIAB study found that 79% of urban and 72% of rural Indians have at least one lipid abnormality. A 2023 AIIMS study on heart attacks in young adults showed that over 70% had high LDL, with most unaware of their cholesterol status before the attack.
While there's no surefire way to pinpoint the exact cause of India's lipid problem, experts broadly attribute it to a few key factors. NOT DOING IT RIGHT
Sure, we are a country rich in superfoods, but the way we use them today dilutes their benefits.
Take the case of garlic, for example. It's packed with allicin, a compound known to lower LDL cholesterol and support heart health, but allicin is fragile. It forms only when garlic is crushed raw and left to rest before cooking. Instead, we toss garlic straight into hot oil, absolutely killing its medicinal properties. The same holds for turmeric â€' most of its benefits are unlocked only with the right fat and black pepper, yet we drown it in deep-fried gravies or consume it in barely-there amounts. It's not just what we eat, but how we use it that makes the difference. BIG MODERN BETRAYAL
Today's modern plate is at best a mash-up. We have calorie-dense desi staples overloaded with carbs, combined with processed snacks, sugary drinks, and ultra-refined seed oils. It is the wholesome, balanced thali that has been replaced by hyper-palatable fusion food and late-night takeaways.
Fasting, which was once a natural part of Indian life, is now dismissed as unscientific. To make matters worse, movement is down, screen time is up. The end result is a generation that is growing up believing that wellness lies in a pill, or a protein bar, or even a 21-day detox challenge â€' not in a plate of home-cooked dal-chawal or a bowl of millet khichdi. KNOWLEDGE DEFICIT
The other problem is that understanding of cholesterol is very poor. Most people don't know what LDL is, or why the HDL:LDL ratio matters more than total cholesterol alone. Few realise that 80% of cholesterol is produced by the liver, not directly from dietary fat. What's worse, we still treat health check-ups as something reserved for the sick or the elderly. Preventive health, especially lipid screening in your 20s and 30s, is not yet a part of India's cultural consciousness.
The good news is that the solution is simpler than we make it out to be. NEEDED: CHOLESTEROL MOVEMENT
We need to demystify cholesterol, educate young people, and normalise preventive blood tests. There's no point waiting for chest pain to realise something is off. This is because the real tragedy isn't that Indians are falling sick; the real tragedy is that we already have the tools to stay well â€' we're just not using them.
No, this is not just another health crisis; it's an awareness, apathy, and aggressive food marketing problem.
We are aware that Indian kitchens are troves of ingredients that are now labelled as 'superfoods.' Be it curcumin from turmeric, or soluble fibre from oats and barley, allicin in garlic, polyphenols in tulsi and green tea, all of these aren't imported wellness trends any more but are a part of our culinary DNA!
Given this premise, a couple of questions naturally arise: Why is India's lipid profile mirroring the patterns of fast-food-heavy Western societies?
Indians are developing coronary artery disease almost a decade earlier than people in the West. Why is that the case?
Internal data is damning too. A 2024 survey by a popular diagnostic firm revealed that "six in 10 Indians have abnormal levels of LDL cholesterol". The highest prevalence is amongst people aged 31 to 40 â€' hardly the age group one would associate with heart risk. Meanwhile, the ICMR-INDIAB study found that 79% of urban and 72% of rural Indians have at least one lipid abnormality. A 2023 AIIMS study on heart attacks in young adults showed that over 70% had high LDL, with most unaware of their cholesterol status before the attack.
While there's no surefire way to pinpoint the exact cause of India's lipid problem, experts broadly attribute it to a few key factors. NOT DOING IT RIGHT
Sure, we are a country rich in superfoods, but the way we use them today dilutes their benefits.
Take the case of garlic, for example. It's packed with allicin, a compound known to lower LDL cholesterol and support heart health, but allicin is fragile. It forms only when garlic is crushed raw and left to rest before cooking. Instead, we toss garlic straight into hot oil, absolutely killing its medicinal properties. The same holds for turmeric â€' most of its benefits are unlocked only with the right fat and black pepper, yet we drown it in deep-fried gravies or consume it in barely-there amounts. It's not just what we eat, but how we use it that makes the difference. BIG MODERN BETRAYAL
Today's modern plate is at best a mash-up. We have calorie-dense desi staples overloaded with carbs, combined with processed snacks, sugary drinks, and ultra-refined seed oils. It is the wholesome, balanced thali that has been replaced by hyper-palatable fusion food and late-night takeaways.
Fasting, which was once a natural part of Indian life, is now dismissed as unscientific. To make matters worse, movement is down, screen time is up. The end result is a generation that is growing up believing that wellness lies in a pill, or a protein bar, or even a 21-day detox challenge â€' not in a plate of home-cooked dal-chawal or a bowl of millet khichdi. KNOWLEDGE DEFICIT
The other problem is that understanding of cholesterol is very poor. Most people don't know what LDL is, or why the HDL:LDL ratio matters more than total cholesterol alone. Few realise that 80% of cholesterol is produced by the liver, not directly from dietary fat. What's worse, we still treat health check-ups as something reserved for the sick or the elderly. Preventive health, especially lipid screening in your 20s and 30s, is not yet a part of India's cultural consciousness.
The good news is that the solution is simpler than we make it out to be. NEEDED: CHOLESTEROL MOVEMENT
We need to demystify cholesterol, educate young people, and normalise preventive blood tests. There's no point waiting for chest pain to realise something is off. This is because the real tragedy isn't that Indians are falling sick; the real tragedy is that we already have the tools to stay well â€' we're just not using them. Join our WhatsApp Channel