This man from Tirupur is changing the diet landscape in India with his out-of-the-box recipes for common foods. Here is why you should check it out

If someone told you that a healthy and high protein chocolate drink could be made from sprouted legumes, what would be your first thought? Think it's impossible? Think again. Mahesh Sivashanmugham is an expert nutritious food strategist based out of Tirupur in Tamil Nadu who is trying to revolutionise common foods by incorporating whole grains and legumes into their recipes. In a quick conversation with him, he talks about the nutritional aspects of his out-of-the-world foods and the dietary crisis currently facing India. Excerpts:  

1. What efforts have you taken to address the diet requirements of young India?

I have been trying to develop replacements for rice and wheat segments by introducing whole grains and legumes. I started with innovation in instant mix foods and ready-to-eat packaged food. But I realised soon that India is not a vast market for such products. That is why I had to change to day-to-day food varieties. So, I got innovative with dishes and their recipes and found smart ways to include whole grains and legumes in their preparation without compromising on flavour.

2. What are some of the products that you have developed so far?

We find that products like pasta and ready-to-eat cereals are very popular among youngsters. But they come up with several downsides like added gluten content from maida and preservatives. To address this problem, I came up with the solution of a no-maida black pasta and whole grain and legume breakfast cereal. I also developed a high protein chocolate drink as a substitute for the unhealthy drink options available in the market. 

3. Tell us a bit more about the revolutionary breakfast cereal you have created.

I made this breakfast cereal after studying the ones currently available in the market. They are mostly focused on corn and wheat flakes. But more nutrition can be derived from whole grains like bajra and ragi. So I made these breakfast cereals using whole grains. Also, we easily forget that breakfast cereals have limited protein content because of the absence of dals. That is why I made it a point to include dals in my recipe as well. 

4. So where did this idea stem from?

I believe that young India requires the wholesome value of all nutrients and not just carbohydrates. Protein deficiency is a major obstacle in foods available right now. I wanted to address that. I knew the basic ingredients that are used in the widely available products. I knew the nutritional deficiencies in them. So, I changed the major ingredients to include more dals so that the protein content is met through this. Another innovative idea is that I used sprouted legumes to create the high protein chocolate drink. It will really boost the energy levels required for all sorts of physical activities that youngsters are into these days.

5. What are some of the nutritional aspects that you are trying to focus on?

India is a country where the foods are very carbohydrate-heavy and deficiency in protein is very common. Even the carbohydrate consumption is mostly of the simple type. This creates problems like weight gain. There are several other nutritional aspects that people are not aware about. One of them is tryptophan, an amino acid. It is abundant in non-vegetarian products like eggs, milk, chicken, turkey and goose. But it can also be obtained through ragi. It is especially important for the functioning of the brain and also reduces stress levels, helps fight sleeplessness and depression. Another vital molecule is that of nitric oxide. It is not directly available from foods. Only nitrate-rich foods like vegetables and fruits can be eaten and they are then converted to nitric oxide in the stomach. It is essential for cell signalling between white blood cells and other cells of the human immune system. It also aids hair density and fights erectile dysfunction as well.