THEN AND NOW

 WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD!

When we were little, my poor mum prepared our meals. She cooked whatever she could buy from the Indian vegetable man who brought vegetables and fish in his basket which he carried on his bicycle. We, especially the boys had voracious appetites and happily ate whatever she cooked for the day. It was food for our sustenance. My mum never went to college or uni but she knew what was good for us.

Today people consult nutrionists, refer to health books and culinary texts and blindly follow fads.

REMEMBER?
1970s- Aloe Vera juice - supposed to have been a life-saver for every ailment.

Then cave Noni juice- (this shrub grows wild in many countries) another life saver, quickly followed by Xango juice _- the juice extracted from the fleshy part of the shell of the mangosteen fruit which is then laced with huge amounts of sugar to camouflage the extreme bitterness).

After that came the vegetable Kale followed closely by the spice Turmeric which was another cure all as it contained the magic ingredient curcumin.

Then all of a sudden the much vilified coconut was resurrected and given a new life- now they swear by the coconut as a treatment for every type of internal and external malady.

Many people have started growing curry leaves in pots or in their gardens as a few leaves soaked overnight in a cup of water and drunk the next day (don't forget to chew and swallow the leaves).

The humble asam gelugur or asam keping as they are called in Malaysia was given a "serious name" Garcinia Cambogia and marketed as a remedy for obesity and cholesterol reduction.

Heard of Moringa Olifiera (the Murungai Keerai)- I a person of Indian heritage was told that the Indians do not have high incidences of High Blood Pressure or Diabetes because they consume the leaves and the beans (drumstick).?

Last month saw a new fad- Broccoli extract capsules.

When I arrived in Australia some 30 years ago, eggs and butter were a NO! NO!

Now those two items are used in copious amounts. What has changed? The human constitution or the eggs or butter?

To my dear mother - IN SPITE OF THE LIMITED CHOICES YOU SERVED US MEALS WHICH FORMED THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR LIVES BECAUSE YOU KNEW EVERYTHING HAD TO BE TAKEN IN MODERATION.