asks climate change activist Punita Chitwar Varma. What is “good food”?

Knowing so much about food, especially the harmful aspects of the food chain, can be burdensome. While understanding these things is important, it also means deciding what to eat and where to source your ingredients can feel like a chore. What does the word “good” mean when it comes to food? For some, corn-fed prime rib may be the epitome of deliciousness. Some people prefer meat from animals raised using land reclamation practices.Food writer and climate activist Puneeta Chitwar Varma She tackles this very issue in her book Delicious food, healthy planet.

Evan Kleiman: I found this book so interesting because it gives a clear and thorough way to approach these issues and how we can respond to them without becoming paralyzed. . Even after years of doing this, I sometimes find myself in the store thinking, “I have to make these decisions. What am I going to do?” So what does “good” mean to you when it comes to food? Are we talking about “good” in terms of nutrition? Are you honing your taste? Or is it something else? It’s a very simple word to say, but it becomes very complex when you think about what it means from a food perspective.

You’re absolutely right, Evan. When I hear the word “good” I can’t sleep at night. Do you buy organic? Should I buy an avocado today? Are almonds good for you? The list can be very long, and the length can be confusing and overwhelming. This is the approach I was taking when writing this. To simplify the science because there’s all the evidence and science behind this.

Climate science teaches us that food affects the climate, the choices we make in the kitchen affect the climate, and the climate affects how our food is grown and grown around the world. He’s teaching me. Therefore, they are interconnected.Then there’s medical research, how food and mood, how what we eat is closely related to gut health. As a result, it affects our mental health and the way our brains think, remember, and function.

If we take all of this and extend what’s good for us and extend that same courtesy to the planet – what’s good for us and what’s good for the planet – decision-making becomes surprisingly easy. There is a possibility.

As someone who grew up in the Indian food culture, have you noticed that many of your comfort foods align with this new “good stuff”?

That’s difficult because I grew up eating lentils and yogurt. “Eat the dal.” That’s what I had to do. I had to finish that bowl of dal every meal. (Dal ) I didn’t know at the time that the reason I was eating lentils was because they were good for me. I knew I had to do it. I had to eat that lentil bowl.

As I got older and started researching the connection between climate change and our kitchen choices, I realized that lentils are actually one of the most powerful sources of nutrition. They are great for the soil, regenerating the soil, don’t use as much water as many other staple crops, are easy to harvest, and are inexpensive. You can stick it in your pantry. A bag of lentils can be stashed away in your pantry, and a year from now you’ll be cooking with them, as we discovered during the long months of coronavirus lockdown. Lentils, yogurt, these are the foods I grew up eating that remind me of India.my favorite is KhichdiLiterally, it’s yellow lentils baked in hot ghee with basmati rice.

As I discovered, the combination of lentils and whole grains is actually scientifically proven to be one of the best things to eat with yogurt. The richness of probiotics that fermented foods provide is a match made in heaven for our bellies.

Chitwal-Verma outlines five strategies people can use when making decisions about food. Illustrations by Jazmine Welch.

There’s a framework in the book called “Eating With Benefits.” You outline five strategies to help people make decisions about food. I like this because it shows that our food decisions don’t have to be perfect every time. We eat a lot throughout the day, and if you feel like you have to make the perfect decision every time you put food in your mouth, you might drive yourself crazy.

It’s too overwhelming, isn’t it? I would say, let’s make progress, not perfection. I’m paraphrasing what someone much smarter than me said this nicely: Cooking at home is a better choice than takeaway for a variety of reasons, including transparency of packaging and food contents, for example. At the same time, takeout from a small business owner is better than takeout from a fast food restaurant. So it’s progress, not perfection. This influences our choices about whether to eat meat and fish or whole grains and lentils. There has been progress, but it’s not perfect.

When cooking at home, we all tend to fall into the trap of repeating the same things over and over again. We have 5, maybe 10 dishes on rotation. How can I diversify my diet? And why is it important?

Dietary diversity is very important for two reasons. Medical research shows that eating a diverse plate of diverse foods is actually very good for your gut health. We know that foods that are good for your gut health are also good for your brain health. The other is climate research. Scientists have been saying for years that we are losing biodiversity at an incredibly alarming rate. To shift biodiversity loss towards a long-term, healthy and prosperous planet, we need to eat more food.

It may sound like an oversimplification, but what happens when something as simple as choosing arugula and lettuce gets the message across. That will have ripples through the economy, ultimately sending a message to farmers to grow more arugula and less lettuce. Currently, 80% of our vegetable salads are lettuce.

You say we should eat less potatoes, no wheat, and less rice if possible. why?

This would really make it unpopular. These three are popular at our house. Potatoes and white rice are staple foods, so I think it’s easy to lean towards what you’re used to. But if you go back to one of the fundamentals, one of the strategies of “eating with benefits,” it’s about trying something new. It doesn’t have to be new. It may be something new compared to last week or compared to yesterday.

When I researched what the local residents in my block were eating, it turned out to be potatoes and rice. we love them. So how about switching to sweet potatoes or sunchokes instead of potatoes for a similar mouthfeel? There’s nothing against white rice. I love it. I grew up on white rice. Add lentils and you have a great Palau. Try different whole grains like millet, amaranth, or wheat berries. New whole grains are great for our bellies, our brains, and our planet.

Now let’s focus on some recipes. I love eggplant. The result is a dish that combines my love for Italy with my Indian roots. Please tell me about it.

Baingan Balta Caponata. For people who speak Hindi or Italian, this word may sound like: Because it’s literally a mash of diced eggplant, slow-cooked over low to medium heat with coriander powder and tomatoes, along with olive oil, garlic, and paprika. My mouth is salivating right now because I want to make it for dinner tonight. There are some eggplants on the counter. The first bite of the eggplant is really mellow and wonderful and it brings together my love for Italy and India. Try it.

“Hearing the word ‘good’ keeps me up at night,” says food writer and climate activist Punita Chitwal-Verma. Photo by Diana Muresan.

That photo is so captivating. There are some foods I’ve never eaten before and I don’t know how to read their names, so please forgive me if I dismantle them. But what is Makani?

I’m so glad you took Makani out of the book. That’s plural. Makhana is singular and makhani is plural. It is made by roasting lotus seeds and making them pop. It is a crop indigenous to India. It is harvested by hand from the lily stems. Grows without human intervention. It covers the basins, lakes and rivers of Northeast India. It just tastes incredibly light and airy.

Roast simply. You can add any number of spices. My child’s favorites are paprika and salt. They stay at the counter. It’s a great snack. that’s delicious. And I really hope to come back because it is one of the forgotten foods in India and it is good for us and also great for the villages and communities where it grows . Let’s take a look at the mainstream Makani.

Good Food Healthy Planet advocates a diverse diet that has health benefits and is good for the climate. Photo courtesy of Touchwood Editions