Work?
It’s 5 PM.
An office employee is sipping their third cup of coffee for the day. Their eyes are fixed on the screen, but their mind keeps wandering. The workload is piling up, energy levels are dropping, and they assume their exhaustion is simply the result of a busy workday.
But is that really the case?
Interestingly, the human brain accounts for only about 2% of our body weight, yet it consumes nearly 20% of the body’s total energy. Every thought we process, every decision we make, every problem we solve, and every hour we spend staring at a screen requires energy. The harder our brain works, the more fuel it needs.
This is why we often believe we are tired because of work, when in reality our body may simply be signaling a lack of proper nourishment.
We would never put the wrong fuel into our car, yet many of us do exactly that with our bodies. A hurried cup of tea in the morning, a rushed lunch, and a few coffees or snacks to survive the afternoon become the norm. As a result, energy levels begin to dip, concentration suffers, and cravings for sugary or fried foods become stronger.
Here’s another fascinating fact.
Have you ever noticed how the aroma of freshly cooked dal, vegetables, or spices instantly makes you feel hungry?
It’s not just a matter of taste or habit.
Scientists call this the cephalic phase response. The moment we smell food, our body begins preparing for digestion. Saliva production increases, digestive enzymes start being released, and several biological processes are activated before the food even reaches the stomach.
In other words, digestion begins long before the first bite.
Perhaps that is one reason freshly prepared meals feel more satisfying and comforting than food that has been sitting around for hours.
Now think about this.
If preparing a wholesome meal takes two hours, most people with busy schedules will postpone it. Over time, takeout meals, packaged snacks, and convenience foods gradually become everyday habits.
But what if that same nourishing meal could be prepared in just ten minutes?
More people would choose freshly cooked food at home.
More families would sit together and share meals.
And most importantly, healthy eating would stop being a special effort and become a natural daily habit. One of the greatest strengths of traditional Indian food is that it combines taste and nutrition beautifully. The classic combination of dal, rice, and vegetables was not created merely for flavor. Together, these foods provide a balanced mix of carbohydrates, protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and sustained energy.
Interestingly, what modern nutrition experts now call a balanced meal has existed in Indian kitchens for generations.
Our ancestors may not have known terms such as calories, micronutrients, or protein percentages, but they certainly understood food. They recognized that food was not just meant to fill the stomach. It was meant to energize the body, support the mind, and sustain life.
Healthy eating does not require spending hours in the kitchen.
Sometimes it is simply about making better choices.
Because in the end, the body never remembers how long a meal took to prepare.
It only remembers what we fed it.
