Choose life with Eat Right

Friday, 13 February 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Lunch As the budding metropolis that is the city of Colombo becomes more health conscious with walk-ways strewn across the city limits, cycling to work becoming a fad and healthy, organic food being the “in-thing”, it is important for consumers to really understand the concept of healthy living. An integral part of a healthy lifestyle is eating right, and “Eat Right” is based on this simple concept. The brainchild of a couple who believe in eating right to stay fit and healthy, Eat Right commenced operations on 1 January well in time to give most city dwellers a viable option to see their New Year resolutions through. Dharshika Perera and her husband have worked in collaboration with Dr. Ranil Jayawardena (MBBS, MSc, PhD, RNutr) who is a leading clinical nutritionist and weigh

t management specialist in Sri Lanka, to come up with healthy food choices for the entire day. Eat Right’s menu was initially designed to cater to health conscious executives in Sri Lanka interested in losing excessive weight. However, within a short time span the interest has grown to customers from all ages and walks of life. To maintain the concept of healthy and freshly cooked food, orders must be placed a day prior and the meals will then be delivered to your home or workplace within city limits. The meals consist of a weekly plan that range from one week to four weeks which comprise of three main means and two snacks in between. Each portion is calorie counted to ensure maximum health benefits to the consumer. Speaking on the concept Dr. Jayawardena explains, “In the past our nutritional problems were protein and energy malnutrition as well as vitamin and mineral deficiencies. But now new nutritional problems have emerged. Moreover, obesity especially abdominal obesity, hypertension and metabolic syndrome have become major public health problems in Sri Lanka.” Explaining further he adds, “Our diet has to change. The changes in our lifestyles and the fact that we have become more sedentary but having unhealthy dietary patterns is the main cause for these issues. The answer however, is as simple as changing the way we eat.” A national survey on energy and nutrition carried out by the doctor and his team found that Sri Lankans, particularly adults consume large amounts of starch, and very little amounts of vegetables. Sri Lankans also prefer to eat large portions of starch during dinner, which does not get a chance to burn off and therefore gets deposited as fat. Sri Lankans also do not consume large amounts of fruits, only occasionally eating it as a dessert item.

Snacks Eat Right is mainly focused on altering this unhealthy dietary habit. The professional nutritionist recommends people to cut down on their starch intake and consume more vegetables, which contain dietary fibre, anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals. He also encourages people to eat fruits as a snack in between the major meals as opposed to just being dessert. The Eat Right meals are designed to cater to this exact need. The Eat Right meals are targeted towards the corporate sector, for now, but the founders of Eat Right eventually plan to cater to other segments such as school children and senior citizens. Meals will be available in two categories and at two pricing levels, depending on the food items included in the preparations. The food is prepared within the kitchens of ‘The Chariot”, monitored by professionals from Eat Right. While Eat Right currently does not offer meals produced with organic vegetables, in the future they plan to cater to that niche market as well. For additional information, please call the hotline 0114247247 visit the official website www.eatright.lk.