Health Ministry bans biscuits,Samosas for department meetings; asks officials to serve Healthy Options

The Union Health Ministry circular stressed on 'healthy eating' and said is only healthy snacks such as with 'Lobiya channa, Khajor, Bhuna Channa, Badam and Akhrot" will be served at official meetings of the department.

New Delhi: Biscuits and cookies, the ubiquitous snacks offered in almost every official meeting are now on their way out, at least inside the Health Ministry, which is replacing them with healthier alternatives such as dates and roasted chana! In a step towards healthy eating, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has now sent out an advisory to all its departments asking not to serve cookies, biscuits and other fast food during official meetings.

The circular dated June 19 suggests replacing unhealthy fast food with healthier snacking options that include almonds, walnut, dates and roasted chana. The Ministry headed by Union Minister Harsh Vardhan has issued a circular on June 19 where it made mandatory not to serve cookies, biscuits or unhealthy fast food with immediate affect.

An official from the ministry told ANI, "We are happy with the move. Our minister being a doctor himself knows the ill-effect of eating fast food hence ordered this step. We in the ministry are happy to accept the order." The circular provides strict directive not to serve biscuits and other unhealthy fast food during official or any other meetings in every department of the ministry as well as the canteens of its department.

Fast food affects living in multiple ways involving directly or indirectly with the health issues. Eating fast food causes obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and at times can also be fatal. The Ministry circular stressed on 'healthy eating' and said is only healthy snacks such as with 'Lobiya channa, Khajor, Bhuna Channa, Badam and Akhrot" will be served at official meetings of the department.