Rising calorie consumption is failing to prevent micronutrient deficiencies as ultra-processed foods displace Telangana’s traditional millets, greens and pulses.
Telangana’s households may be consuming more calories than before, but health experts say that has not translated into better nourishment. The result is a form of “hidden hunger”, where people feel full yet still lack essential vitamins, minerals and fibre. According to recent dietary guidance from the Hyderabad-based Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition, that imbalance is one reason micronutrient deficiencies are persisting alongside rising rates of obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.
The institute’s updated Dietary Guidelines for Indians, released in 2024, urge people to move away from ultra-processed foods and products high in fat, sugar and salt. The guidance says adding synthetic vitamins to packaged snacks, ready-to-eat meals or refined baked goods does not make them healthy, and it warns against the heavy marketing of such products. Instead, the document points to traditional dietary patterns built around whole grains, pulses, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds as a more reliable route to better nutrition.
That message resonates strongly in Telangana, where long-standing local foods already offered many of the nutrients now missing from modern diets. Millets and coarse grains such as jonna, sajja and ragi naturally provide fibre and minerals, while leafy vegetables such as thotakura, palakura, gongura and chukkakura are rich in folate, iron and beta-carotene. Traditional meals also paired legumes with whole grains, a combination that improves protein quality without relying on processed supplements.
The guidelines set out several practical steps for families trying to improve their diets. They recommend filling about half the plate with vegetables, fruits, leafy greens, roots and tubers, and making at least half of daily cereal intake whole or minimally polished grains, including millets. They also advise limiting salt to less than 5 grams a day, avoiding routine use of commercial protein powders and synthetic amino acid supplements, keeping physically active and checking packaged-food labels carefully for trans fats, saturated fats, sodium and added sugars.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
