Some of the observations in your cover story (Choleric Fables, Sep 28) are absurd, like the exhortation to eat tandoori pomfret. Among fish, pomfret has the least Omega 3, a fatty acid good for health. Whatever Omega-3 it has will get drained away in the tandoor. It’s better to eat sardines instead, they have the most Omega-3 among all fish. You should be careful about what you write, and not put out things which are misleading.
Hilary Pais, Chennai
That dietary cholesterol is no longer linked to heart disease is good news. But what about other threats, like work pressure, untimely eating habits, sedentary life at work and at home? It does not matter what you eat, but leading a disciplined life and eating habits, along with moderate exercise will definitely prolong life.
P.A. Jacob, Muscat
Fast food hawkers, restaurants and associated outlets have changed our taste buds to the detriment of our health. In a country like India and everywhere else, people ingest food without regard to its nutritional value or calorie count. When eating habits are dictated purely by the surface piquancy of taste, it is little wonder that we end up with high cholesterol build-up in the arteries, leading to abnormal blood pressure and coronary disease. The human body is meant for eating natural food, drinking water in abundance and running around, with adequate rest being essential. A break from current affairs and giving us a health update instead, Outlook has done a brilliant job by putting cholesterol on the cover.
Sanjiv Gupta, Perth
The problem with foodie fads is that the do’s of today become the don’ts of tomorrow—overnight, with biased ‘research’ swaying opinion. There is only one solution in sight—whatever you consume, do so in moderation.
George Jacob, Kochi
Great article. Now I need my family doctor to read it.
Kamal Anil Kapadia, Mumbai
I applaud the very balanced advice that one considers one’s profile to determine one’s dietary requirement. This should make people think about fads that keep pushing us in different directions as the wind blows. The infatuation with calories as a measure of nutrition must end.
Anand S., on e-mail
Foods high in cholesterol have been branded a danger to human health since the ’70s—a warning that has long divided the medical establishment. Now, it makes a U-turn and says it might have got it wrong! Though there are other risk factors, the medical establishment became obsessed with cholesterol. The American Heart Association has also backed out of making cholesterol the enemy—it urges people to cut back on added sugars.
H.N. Ramakrishna, Bangalore
Experts now don’t identify dietary cholesterol as the real villain; they warn us not to pamper the liver. Should everyone then adopt an entirely different food habit—fresh fruits and vegetables, foods rich in vitamin C beta carotene and other anti-oxidant nutrients?
M.K. Somanatha Panicker, Manappuram
We all know that cholesterol beyond a certain limit is responsible for blocking arteries, and to keep it within limits we have to have a low-fat diet, a healthy lifestyle and distance ourselves from smoking and stress. Today, people are also health-conscious. Indeed, I don’t see anyone grabbing kaleji parantha breakfasts and hogging on gulab jamuns and fried prawns.
M.C. Joshi, Lucknow
