Dairy products include milk, curd, butter, etc. Including dairy products in your diet boosts your body’s health. These healthy dairy products are yummier, and children who watch Little Krishna will know for sure; that these cartoon shows affect children’s diet and habits. Let’s understand these healthy dairy products with the help of a small story.
The Story
Bittu, a small kid of my friend, Rupa, was dressed as Krishna and called his friends.
“Hey, is it a fancy dress competition today?” I asked.
“No, now my Krishna will come on TV,” Bittu replied.
A small kid could not even pronounce the program’s name clearly; he was so excited about the show!
Me: “Ohh, so much interest.”
“Yes. You won’t believe, Bittu now has started drinking milk without any complaint, isn’t it good?” she asked me. I remembered how Bittu gave excuses for not having milk. And Rupa used to run behind him with a glass of milk every day.
Rupa said, “A few months back, he watched the movie, Little Krishna, with his grandparents. And after that, he is so much inspired by the stories of Krishna. His grandparents also bought a dress for him like Little Krishna. So out of excitement, he has worn this dress today.”
So that’s the reason why Bittu was so excited. I noticed that animated stories and their characters, sound, and light effects attract kids and leave a powerful impact on their eating habits too.
Bittu’s friend, Pinku, with his mother, Reena, also joined him. They were enjoying themselves together. Rupa prepared some dishes for them. Bittu and Pinku started enjoying eating while watching their favorite show.
Bittu: “Give me some butter, Mamma; I want to have butter like Krishna.” (Rupa gave butter to them.)
Rupa said, “Bittu has become so naughty like little Krishna; he loves butter on whatever he eats. I started buying ready-made butter for him; that is too salty as he likes it.”
“I started buying curd for Pinku, regularly,” Reena added. “But why do you need to rush to the market for curd daily? Don’t you prepare it at home?” Rupa asked.
Reena was so shocked, “Can we make it at home? We always buy it from the market,” she replied. She is a working woman and has rarely been in the kitchen due to her busy schedule.
“It is very simple, Reena. You need to add a little starter to the lukewarm milk. If you add it at night, you will get fresh curd in the morning. Curd sets in within 4-6 hours depending on the season. And if you have curd with cream after churning, gives white, soft yummy butter”, I added.
“I never imagined that it is so simple to set curd. I will try it today for sure.” Reena was so happy to know a new thing and was eager to implement it.
“Yes, my granny used to prepare butter and feed us with great love,” Rupa remembered.
“Yes, fresh homemade butter is more tasty and healthy. But we need to have it in moderation”, I added.
“Ready-made butter, most of the time, is cream extracted from milk directly. After churning the curd, the butter has a medicinal value from an Ayurveda perspective. Also, ready-made butter is salty as they have to keep it fresh for a longer period. Such indirect consumption of salt in excess is harmful over the period, even for kids.” I added.
“Even though homemade butter is tasty and good for your health, it is harmful in excess and makes you obese,” I warned Rupa.
“No, no. I have to be more careful from now onwards, for Bittu. Good that you explained to us,” she assured me.
After some time, I returned home, thinking about the whole incident.
Little Krishna And Children
Are we slowly losing our healthier, time-proved, traditional practices and moving towards unhealthy ways? I was concerned about the eating habits of Bittu and Pinku. Because I just observed the impact of animated characters on the eating habits of Bittu. Bittu started having milk is good, but ready-made salted butter in excess already made him extra chubby.
Little Krishna is such a fantastic character from Indian epic stories that fascinate all children and adults alike. No wonder that his mesmerizing stories are popular in animated form on YouTube and in movies in different languages.
Little Krishna (Nandalala or Gopala) is raised in Gokul. Gokul relates to grazing cows that give an abundance of milk, curd, and butter. All these products are Little Krishna’s favorite. Krishna and his friends enjoy these things together. Many fascinating stories are involved around it. And it has a significant impact on children’s minds. It influences children’s eating habits too. Many dairy brands also have been well-established in the name of Krishna. But we need to be more aware of its use.
3 Healthy Dairy Products
1. Grazing Cows’ Milk
It has a lot of importance nowadays for better quality milk. It is a class 1 protein source with almost all nutrients (except vitamin C, and iron). It is low in fat but rich in protein (whey and casein) and other micronutrients, especially vitamin B and other minerals, calcium, magnesium, and iodine. It is essential for bone development and muscle function in the child. Milk proteins reduce the risk factors for heart disease, cancer, blood pressure, and overall health improvement.
2. Curd
Curd is fermented milk. It is a part of a balanced meal. It is a probiotic, easy to digest, and helps maintain an individual’s healthy gut flora. It improves digestion. We have a tradition of having a little curd before going for an exam or an important event. Curd has almost the same amount of protein as milk, and it has incredible health benefits.
3. Butter
It is a delicious byproduct of milk prepared from the churning of curd. Eating it in excess has a risk of obesity-related disorders. It is saturated fat and is considered a culprit for heart disease. But it contains fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K, B12). So, the butter needs to be consumed in moderation. It is crucial from an Ayurvedic/traditional perspective too.
Gopalkala
Gopalkala is a wonderful recipe enjoyed by Little Krishna with his friends. It is a mixture of curd, milk, rice flakes, flattened rice, a little freshly churned butter, cucumber, fruits, dal, and some basic spices. It is an ancient recipe with all radially available ingredients. It is easy to prepare a healthy balanced recipe from a dietitian’s perspective too. We should incorporate it on other days also.
To conclude, traditional animated stories or other cartoons and their characters can leave a powerful impact on little ones. It could build a foundation of eating habits and health. At an early age, habits set in quickly. So this impact could stay longer. It is like a two-sided sword. I realized that creating awareness about healthy eating practices among parents and kids is essential.
