India has a longstanding relationship with almonds, including generations of mothers giving almonds to their children in the morning. Aided by a sustained Almond Board marketing program, the shipments of almonds from California to India have seen a 16% increase compared to last year, reaching 231 million lbs in 2018-2019. The ABC marketing program in India encourages consumption of almonds for both children and adults.
Discussion Over Almonds Targets Working Moms
As more and more women in India join the workforce, they are by and large experiencing an increasing sense of guilt: Since many women across the country are responsible for their family’s health and wellbeing, additional pressures are placed on working mothers to manage and maintain both family life and work life.
Addressing this concern, ABC hosted a panel discussion in New Delhi, titled “Discussion Over Almonds — Working Mother’s Dilemma in Ensuring the Family Health,” where an expert panel shared their thoughts on the issue as well as tips on how working women can address this growing challenge. The panelists included Dr. Madhu Chopra, mother of global icon Priyanka Chopra’s and managing director of Studio Aesthetic; fitness and Pilates expert Madhuri Ruia and nutritionist Sheela Krishnaswamy.
The hour-long discussion highlighted concerns and hurdles that working women in India today face, especially when it comes to ensuring their family’s wellbeing and health. Each of the panelists also highlighted the impact and positive value of adding healthy foods like almonds, in its diverse forms – raw, as a snack or within food preparations – to a family’s diet.
Drawing from their own personal experiences, panelists also shared anecdotes along with recommendations on how they balanced pressures at work, while maintaining a healthy family life. Panelists also advocated and spoke at length about the array of health and nutritional benefits that adding a handful of almonds to one’s daily routine can have:
- Dr. Madhu Chopra is the mother of Priyanka Chopra, the Indian actress and singer married to Nick Jonas of the American pop rock band, the Jonas Brothers, and the managing director of Studio Aesthetic. Chopra drew on her own experience of raising two children and highlighted how almonds were always a go-to snack for her family for any hunger pangs. She also spoke about ensuring her children took a handful of almonds with them on their way to school, relying on their satiating properties to keep them full until lunch time.
- Nutrition and wellness consultant Sheela Krishnaswamy spoke at length about small changes that working mothers can incorporate in the lifestyles of their families. These changes include replacing unhealthy snacks with more nutritious options like almonds, which will in turn will help in building a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle.
- Addressing the concern around the working mother’s guilt, Pilates expert and diet & nutrition consultant Madhuri Ruia spoke about the importance of first taking care of one’s own health and wellbeing. Stressing this as a key priority, she highlighted the negative impact that ignoring one’s own health can have and recommended that working mothers follow a well-balanced diet and regularly exercise to keep themselves healthy, routines that also will go a long way in maintaining the family’s health.
The session was well received by media and garnered a total of 5.9 million impressions including results in key consumer media including outlets like The Indian Express; Delhi Aaj Tak, a leading electronic news channel; Grih Shobha, a leading regional lifestyle magazine; and regional publications like Rashtriya Sahara and Vir Arjun.
