Kamala Krishnaswamy and Ruchi Vaidya Food or ‘annam’ is the basic necessity of life and existence and ‘annam’ is “aham”. We all need food to eat, to grow, to develop physically and mentally, to work at our optimal capacity, to build our defenses against infections, and maintain good health. Indian traditional diets are of immense variety and the diversified preparations not only offer the whole range of nutrients but also activate digestion and several physiological functions. Until a few years ago, we used to prefer natural foods over refined foods, and light foods (less oily) (satvic) over heavy foods. Our traditional meals were mostly plant based (as animal foods were expensive) with spices, and were cooked and eaten fresh at home. They were a combination of cereals, millets, pulses, and spices such as pepper, cumin, asafetida and coriander with curd and coconut satisfying our energy and protein requirements. Those who could afford had milk, yoghurt, eggs, and chicken with small amounts of animal meat adding to the protein requirement. Vegetables and fruits contribute to the intake of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants required for supportive functions. We use traditional oils from groundnut, sesame, mustard, and ghee which are essential, in small quantities, to absorb fat soluble vitamins and contribute to several hormonal functions. Edible oil is an important source of fat in the Indian diet. Besides being a source of energy, it adds a special flavour and palatability to the food. The foods were balanced, diversified and freshly prepared but not stored. Food habits, in general are culture specific, but in the last few decades dynamic changes have occurred due to the fast growing economy, a shift from traditional to modern technologies, globalization, industrialization, constant travels across the world, evolving tastes and increased demands for “fast” and processed foods throughout our country. We have a social divide and therefore, the consequences also vary widely. On the one hand, we have poverty and hunger causing undernutrition and related disorders while on the other hand, a substantial increase in the intake of fats and refined foods such as white rice, maida based items, sugars, and salt leading to overnutrition related disorders such as obesity. The evolution of the current food habits and diets of Indians reflects the agriculture and industrial revolutions in the country. The world’s worst recorded food disaster happened in 1943 in British-ruled India which is known as the Bengal famine. This was a time when India faced an acute shortage of food production and also