What were the most searched and consumed foods during the COVID pandemic in India? Top nutrition scientists in the country say that Indians gorged on Vitamin C-rich fruits, zinc supplements and traditional supplements like ginger and garlic, while opting to stay away from non-vegetarian foods, frozen foods and Chinese cuisine.
Scientists studying the search trends in foods explain that though the search interest in Ayurvedic Kadha (a decoction of spices and herbs) was found to be very high, the usage was markedly low.
“Rise in COVID-19 cases had a direct association with the search trends,’’ said Dr. Subba Rao M. Gavaravarapu, scientist and head, Nutrition Information, Communication and Health Education Division, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, who headed the study titled “Impact of ‘infodemic in pandemic’ on food and nutrition related perceptions and practices of Indian Internet users”.
