Local Food Innovation Is A Healthy Lifestyle Solution Today

JAKARTA - In the midst of an increasingly growing trend of a healthy lifestyle, the need for alternative foods that are not only delicious, but also healthy becomes increasingly important, for example local foods that may be a healthy solution today.

Responding to this challenge, Dailymeal, an innovative brand engaged in healthy food products, held the Dailymeal Foodnovation 2025 event. Carrying the theme 'Nusantara Reimagined', this event is a forum for the younger generation to be creative in creating healthy and sustainable local food-based dishes.

Located at Kitchen Lab & Restaurant Building D, Pelita Harapan University, Karawaci, this national level cooking competition invites students from various universities and all over Indonesia.

The participants were challenged to create the opening dish and main menu using the three main ingredients of Dailymeal's innovation, namely Porang Cassava Rice, Corn Rice, and Cassava Rice.

These three ingredients are known as low alternative food for the glycemic index, gluten-free, fiber-high, and support a healthy lifestyle that is now part of the needs of urban communities.

"The nuances are now divided into two categories, cooking rice and practical. This porang is the most practical because it is only brewed with hot water and immediately cooked," said Amar Ramdani, Vice President of Marketing of PT. Hockey Niaga Distribution, when met at Pelita Harapan University, Tangerang, Banten on Wednesday, April 16.

According to Amar, the trend of cooking rice is still attached to housewives, especially young mothers who are busy working, still want to serve healthy food to their families.

"If the trend is actually cooking rice, it's usually modern, mom. Mothers sometimes want to cook at home, even though they have worked all kinds of things, they naturally want to cook for their families," he added.

However, practicality is not the only advantage. The nutritional content and health benefits of various types of alternative rice are also the reasons for increasing popularity.

"His glycemic corn nutmeg is low, he has an energy source, so it's suitable for people with energy. But if the family has stomach acid, GERD, we have a Bestie Lambung from Cassava Rice, because it has soluble fiber," Amar explained.

According to Amar, for those who want to maintain mental health and avoid anxiety, red rice can be the right choice.

"If you don't want to worry, Anxiety, we can eat red rice. Containing B6 and others. If you want a diet, you eat porang cassava because it has glukoma fiber," he said.

"Diabetes can also be controlled by low glycemic foods because blood sugar is not easy to rise," he continued.

Raising local food as part of a modern lifestyle is not just a trend, but a step towards national food sustainability. This is emphasized by Prof. Dr. Diena Mutiara Lemy, APAR., MM, CHE, Dean of the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism at Pelita Harapan University.

Indonesia has a lot of food, which must be introduced again to young people, to the younger generation. Like a cassava, think about not being cool. But don't do that, this wants to be removed again," said Prof. Diena.

According to him, people's perceptions of healthy foods are often colored by the assumption that the process is complicated.

"I thought it was complicated to cook red rice. It turned out that it wasn't, it could be made in easy, delicious, and healthy ways," he said.

Prof. Diena also highlighted the importance of innovation in the midst of the challenges of limited food in the future.

"When it comes to food ingredients, food talks about sustainability which may be more limited in the future. If it is increasingly limited, we will innovate in providing foodstuffs. So ingredients that are not supplied, how can something be attractive and new for the younger generation." he explained.

The Foodnovation 2025 event is not just a competition, but also a movement to inspire the younger generation to be closer to local food. Through creativity and innovation, young people are invited to see great potential in materials that have been considered ancient or outdated.

Dailymeal believes that with the right approach, foodstuffs such as porang, corn, and cassava can be lifted back into a symbol of a healthy and classy lifestyle.