Snack Smarter

How Much Oil Are We Consuming? And Should We?

Posted on by the roasted alternative
How Much Oil Are We Consuming? And Should we?

India is the world’s second-largest consumer of edible oil. Our per capita consumption reached 19.7 kg per year or possibly even more – much higher than the WHO’s recommended 13 kg. To give another perspective: in the 1960s, we consumed just 3.2 kg per person annually. That means an increase of more than 500%.

We came across this little snippet in the August 25th edition of The Daily Brief by Zerodha, and it frankly seemed to be quite a bit, so we did a bit of digging.

We found they were actually erring on the conservative side. We shot past the 19.7 kgs per capita consumption on August 29, 2024 according to the Niti Aayog and are more likely closer to 24kgs now according to this article in the Business Standard, which also happens to be double the 12kg limit recommended by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Dwell on it for a minute and you realise it shouldn’t be surprising. Those pooris at breakfast, or those bhajiyas in the rains, festive laddoos, or that quick street-snack – all involve more than generous amounts of oil. Add to that the ubiquitousness of packaged snacks and fast food, and it’s easy to see why oil is playing such a big role in our diet.

Now in moderation its fine, our body does need some amounts of healthy fats, but as the statistics show, we’ve moved beyond moderation, and this can lead to consequences we may not like.

Weight gain and obesity: Too much oil can add unnecessary calories and lead to weight gain
Heart health risks: Excess consumption of oils has been linked to higher cholesterol levels and cardiovascular issues. This would also be also be contributing to the increasing incidences of heart attacks in the under 40 age group.
Digestive concerns – Deep-fried foods are harder to digest and may cause acidity, bloating, or sluggishness.

In short, the increasing dependence on oil-heavy foods, while being delicious and convenient, is a growing concern for our health, and should no longer be shrugged off.

But, here’s the good news: tasty doesn’t always have to mean oily. Roasted snacks are an easy swap that let you enjoy the crunch without all that excess oil.

And that is where The Roasted Alternative steps in.
Take our range of Banana wafers for instance – crunchy, full of flavour and not a single drop of added oil.
Or take our Moong Jor or Chana Jor or the Protein Munch – crisp, full of protein with just the minimal amount of oil required to blend the spices to the jor
In fact, in all our products, we are able to keep the oil to a minimal amount, without compromising on the flavour.
So, the next time you’re reaching for a bag of chips, maybe grab a pack of roasted wafers instead. Your heart (and your stomach) will thank you later.

India’s relationship with food will always be tied to rich flavours. But we don’t need to give up on the foods we love – just rethink them a little. By choosing roasted snacks over fried ones, you’re cutting down on unnecessary oil while still keeping flavour front and centre.

After all, good food doesn’t have to be fried – sometimes, it’s roasted to perfection 🙂

Because when it comes to flavour and wellness — you shouldn’t have to choose.

the roasted alternative

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