pregnancy women. These lead to low income, low standard of living, poverty and
infection. The experience of past two decades indicated that there is an improvement in the nutritional status of the women during pregnancy in developing societies which is mainly because of eradication of poverty, application of measures to
overcome socio-economic disabilities. Although there is an improvement in the
nutritional status and the micronutrient rich foods may be both available and
consumed, often they are not consumed in sufficient quantities to prevent deficiencies and they may not be consumed by all women during the period of pregnancy. Further, education and information for behavioural changes in the eating
habits are being increasingly recognized as the key of interventions in the
improvement of health and nutrition among pregnant women. However, functional
illiteracy, lack of infrastructure and expensive technologies often mean that efforts
in healthy and nutritional communication at the community level are minimal,
difficult and disappointing. To overcome all the nutritional problems faced by
women during the period of pregnancy and provide them a healthy pregnancy and
post pregnancy period there is an overwhelming requirement for traditional healthy
foods. The traditional healthy food intake by women during pregnancy safeguards
them and their foetus from malnutrition during and post pregnancy. Hence, traditional healthy foods are particularly needed for women during pregnancy.
Traditional foods in India are receiving greater attention in market as a health food
for pregnant women for centuries. Further, traditional health foods are having
anti-diabetic potential, hypocholesterolemic activity, control of cholesterol, gall
stones, anti-inflammatory, arthritic aspects and anticancer potency have been
brought out in recent studies that indicated the need for corporate social responsibility in community development. However, tailor made foods are needed to meet
the various situations through optimization of dietary energy sources in low calorie
diets with reference to fat and proteins to prevent degradation of body proteins in
pregnant women. The cognitive process as learning, memory development,
problem-solving abilities, creative thinking and psychological factors such as
depression, anxiety, aggression and behaviour aspects can be enhanced through the
intake of traditional health foods by women during pregnancy. The problem of
micronutrient deficiency (hidden hunger) is gaining widespread attention and can
lead to growth retardation morbidity, mortality, brain damage, eye damage leading
to blindness and affect the cognitive and working capabilities. This drain on the
country’s human resource due to the problem of malnutrition and micronutrient
deficiencies is unnecessary and is tragic, hence, the government of India has drawn
up many action plans to reduce the gravity and enormity of this chronic malnutrition. Malnutrition and micronutrient malnutrition is a matter of serious concern in
our country as it affects more than 33 percent of India’s population. Women are
more likely to suffer from nutritional deficiencies than men are, for reasons
including women’s reproductive biology, low social status, poverty, and lack of
education. Socio-cultural traditions and disparities in household work patterns can
also increase women’s chances of being malnourished. Globally 50 percent of all
Traditional Health Foods Security as Corporate …
555
infection. The experience of past two decades indicated that there is an improvement in the nutritional status of the women during pregnancy in developing societies which is mainly because of eradication of poverty, application of measures to
overcome socio-economic disabilities. Although there is an improvement in the
nutritional status and the micronutrient rich foods may be both available and
consumed, often they are not consumed in sufficient quantities to prevent deficiencies and they may not be consumed by all women during the period of pregnancy. Further, education and information for behavioural changes in the eating
habits are being increasingly recognized as the key of interventions in the
improvement of health and nutrition among pregnant women. However, functional
illiteracy, lack of infrastructure and expensive technologies often mean that efforts
in healthy and nutritional communication at the community level are minimal,
difficult and disappointing. To overcome all the nutritional problems faced by
women during the period of pregnancy and provide them a healthy pregnancy and
post pregnancy period there is an overwhelming requirement for traditional healthy
foods. The traditional healthy food intake by women during pregnancy safeguards
them and their foetus from malnutrition during and post pregnancy. Hence, traditional healthy foods are particularly needed for women during pregnancy.
Traditional foods in India are receiving greater attention in market as a health food
for pregnant women for centuries. Further, traditional health foods are having
anti-diabetic potential, hypocholesterolemic activity, control of cholesterol, gall
stones, anti-inflammatory, arthritic aspects and anticancer potency have been
brought out in recent studies that indicated the need for corporate social responsibility in community development. However, tailor made foods are needed to meet
the various situations through optimization of dietary energy sources in low calorie
diets with reference to fat and proteins to prevent degradation of body proteins in
pregnant women. The cognitive process as learning, memory development,
problem-solving abilities, creative thinking and psychological factors such as
depression, anxiety, aggression and behaviour aspects can be enhanced through the
intake of traditional health foods by women during pregnancy. The problem of
micronutrient deficiency (hidden hunger) is gaining widespread attention and can
lead to growth retardation morbidity, mortality, brain damage, eye damage leading
to blindness and affect the cognitive and working capabilities. This drain on the
country’s human resource due to the problem of malnutrition and micronutrient
deficiencies is unnecessary and is tragic, hence, the government of India has drawn
up many action plans to reduce the gravity and enormity of this chronic malnutrition. Malnutrition and micronutrient malnutrition is a matter of serious concern in
our country as it affects more than 33 percent of India’s population. Women are
more likely to suffer from nutritional deficiencies than men are, for reasons
including women’s reproductive biology, low social status, poverty, and lack of
education. Socio-cultural traditions and disparities in household work patterns can
also increase women’s chances of being malnourished. Globally 50 percent of all
Traditional Health Foods Security as Corporate …
555