Parliament has rolled out a new health-focused menu in its canteens. The goal: better nutrition without giving up on taste. Driven by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, this shift aims to help lawmakers and staff stay fit during long working hours. The revised offerings blend traditional Indian recipes with healthier ingredients.
Millets play a starring role. Dishes like ragi idli with sambhar, jowar upma, and sugar-free millet kheer lead the lineup. These meals, now marked with calorie counts, focus on low-carb, low-sodium, and high-protein content.
Popular items such as moong dal chilla and chana chaat remain part of the spread. New salads made from barley, jowar, and garden-fresh greens give lighter options. Soups like roast tomato basil and vegetable clear broth offer warm, filling choices.
For those who prefer meat, the canteen serves grilled chicken with boiled vegetables and grilled fish. These meals keep the calorie count in check while offering enough protein for energy.
The drinks section has also changed. Green and herbal teas, masala sattu, and jaggery-sweetened mango panna now replace sugary sodas.
These updates follow calls from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reduce oil use and tackle obesity. In a recent radio address, he urged the nation to choose healthier food and cut down on processed fats.
Parliament Health Menu: Key Dishes and Calorie Count
| Category | Dish | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Millet-Based Meals | Ragi Millet Idli with Sambhar & Chutney | 270 kcal |
| Jowar Upma | 206 kcal | |
| Mix Millet Kheer (Sugar-free) | 161 kcal | |
| Protein-Rich Snacks | Moong Dal Chilla | Not listed |
| Chana Chaat | Not listed | |
| Salads | Barley Salad | 294 kcal |
| Jowar Salad | 294 kcal | |
| Garden Fresh Salad | 113 kcal | |
| Soups | Roast Tomato & Basil Shorba | Not listed |
| Vegetable Clear Soup | Not listed | |
| Non-Veg Options | Grilled Chicken with Boiled Vegetables | 157 kcal |
| Grilled Fish | 378 kcal | |
| Beverages | Green Tea / Herbal Tea | Not listed |
| Masala Sattu | Not listed | |
| Mango Panna (with jaggery) | Not listed |
To back the menu shift, health check-up camps are held during parliamentary sessions. Nutrition experts have also spoken to MPs on how to adopt better eating habits.
The revamped menu fits into wider public health efforts like the Fit India Movement and Eat Right India. These aim to reduce lifestyle-related diseases through better food choices.
While healthier items now take the spotlight, traditional curries and full thalis still remain available. The idea is to give more choices, not remove familiar ones.
As the Monsoon Session runs from July 21 to August 21, elected members can now pair political debates with nutrient-rich meals. The health push is clear. What remains to be seen is whether it changes long-term eating habits inside the halls of power.
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