Despite this, few of us take the time to understand what food is all about to our body and mind. To begin with, there is a ton of misinformation out there — both on nutritional labels and in the media. Take glutamate for example. There is much more to it than the much-reviled MSG. Here's the lowdown — the proteins we eat are broken down into amino acids. Glutamic acid is one such amino acid, derived from proteins. In fact, glutamine is the most abundant amino acid present in the body. Monosodium glutamate (MSG), on the other hand, is the sodium salt of free glutamic acid and provides a flavour function that occurs naturally in food. Free glutamate is also found in some of the foods we encounter every day such as cheese, mushrooms, milk, tomatoes, potatoes, eggs and chicken, amongst others. The following may also contain MSG natural flavours or seasonings — natural chicken flavouring, hydrolysed milk or plant protein, textured protein, seasonings, soy sauce, bouillon, broth spices. And for all the bad press MSG has generated, the jury is still out. In the end, processed food will always contain mysterious sounding elements and chemicals that may or may not do you harm. So, what kind of choices will allow you to confidently eat what's on your plate Here are four golden rules worth following.

Eat fresh and local
The easiest way to stay on track is to keep things simple. Pick up fresh, local fare from your neighbourhood shop. This way, you can help the local ecosystem, too. Be creative in how you use these ingredients and you'll never be bored of them. There are plenty of recipes on the internet. Go ahead and plan your weekly menu and start cooking.

Understand what your body needs
What you need for your body and mind cannot be determined by fads or diets. Every few years, our body requirements change because of various age, lifestyle and hormonal factors. If you are personally unable to find out what your body needs, a good way is to consult with a nutritionist. Food may be a key to stay healthy and fit, but exercise and a lifestyle change are what make a holistic difference.

Know facts about foods
As much as I would like to stress that you should eat local and fresh, there are times where we have to pick up products off the shelf. And here is where knowledge can go a long way. Reading (and understanding) the nutrition label helps you determine what's in the packet and in what quantities. The most important information to have when making a healthy choice is to find out how much total fat and saturated fat the food has. This is important as fats can contribute to an increase in your 'bad cholesterol.' As much as possible, stay away from something that has excess saturated fats and way too many chemical names that you can't understand. If you can't pronounce it, then you must do your reading. Teach yourself how to get a better understanding of decoding nutritional labelling.

Make informed choices
Understanding what you body needs in terms of nutrition, your fitness and diet are all in your hands. And living a healthy and fit life can't get easier in today's world. We have access to quality nutritionists, fitness experts, gyms, local and fresh produce delivered to our doorsteps, and an Internet full of reliable medical guidelines and recipes. In all of them, all that is required is to maintain a balance and that balance is all up to you. You know your body and mind better than anybody else.

BDST: 1638 HRS, DEC- 01, 2015
Edited by:  Sharmina Islam, Lifestyle Editor