Food & Nutrition

Norman Borlaug's high-yield wheat varieties (1960s) saved a billion lives from famine

Domesticated in Mexico ~9,000 BC; now the world's most produced crop by volume

Domesticated in China ~7,000 BC; feeds more than half the world's population daily

Spices drove global exploration; Columbus, Vasco da Gama and Magellan all sailed in search of them

Sugarcane originated in New Guinea ~8,000 BC; sugar refining began in India around 500 BC

First domesticated ~10,000 BC in the Fertile Crescent; the world's most widely grown crop

Oldest food preservation method; produces bread, yogurt, cheese, beer, wine and idli

Methods to prevent spoilage — from ancient salting to modern freeze-drying and irradiation

FSSAI regulates food safety in India; international standards set by Codex Alimentarius (WHO/FAO)

Genetically modified crops engineered for yield, pest resistance and nutrition

Louis Pasteur's 1864 process that kills pathogens in food by controlled heating

5,000-year-old Indian system linking food, medicine and body constitution (doshas)

India is the world's largest producer and consumer of spices; home to 70+ varieties

Roti, rice, dal and sabzi — the foundation of 1.4 billion Indians' daily nutrition

India's 28 states each have distinct cuisines shaped by climate, religion, trade and history

Primary energy source for the body; simple (sugars) and complex (starch, fibre)

Indigestible plant material that feeds gut bacteria, lowers cholesterol and prevents disease

Most energy-dense macronutrient; essential for hormones, cell membranes, fat-soluble vitamins

Essential macronutrient made of amino acids; builds muscle, enzymes, hormones and immune cells

The most essential nutrient; 60% of the human body is water; needed for every bodily function

Eight water-soluble vitamins essential for energy metabolism, nerve function and red blood cell production

Most abundant mineral in the body; builds bones and teeth; required for muscle and nerve function

Critical mineral for haemoglobin; deficiency (anaemia) is the world's most common nutritional disorder

Essential for collagen synthesis and immune function; deficiency causes scurvy

Synthesised in skin via sunlight; essential for calcium absorption, bone health and immunity

World's oldest continuous culinary tradition; 5,000 years of cooking history

Food as identity — from UNESCO-listed cuisines to religious dietary laws across the world

Ranked world's healthiest diet; rich in olive oil, fish, legumes, vegetables and whole grains

Ultra-processed foods now make up 60% of calories in Western diets; linked to chronic disease