Shuchi Agrawal
Author Interview - Shuchi Agrawal
Author of Health, Taste, and Traditions- A Vegetarian Journey from Ayurveda to Modern Times
Today, the aspects of health and longevity outlined in ancient Ayurvedic texts are being reexamined and appreciated across the world. Science has also confirmed several Ayurvedic principles related to diet and nutrition. These include the concepts related to a balanced diet, medicinal aspects of spices, and benefits related to a vegetarian diet. My book “Health, Taste & Traditions: A Vegetarian Journey from Ayurveda to Modern Times”- explores several questions related to day-to-day cooking such as - which oils are best suited for cooking? How to add more greens to your diet? How to make delicious dietary choices for a diabetic person? Be it daily cuisines or festivities, snacks or desserts, this book offers simple suggestions on how anyone can make healthy and delicious food with ingredients commonly available in one’s kitchen without compromising your health. I have also explained gluten sensitivity and gluten allergies and included recipes which are gluten-free. Diabetes is a major illness these days, and I have included several suggestions from Ayurvedic texts and Modern Science that focus on a healthy diet and how to keep diabetes under control.
Author Interview - Shuchi Agrawal
Author I draw inspiration from:
Mrs. Sudha Murthy - a woman of versatile talents, from a tech expert to chairperson of Infosys to social worker, to motivational speaker and last but not least a renowned author. She is like a role model.
Author Interview - Shuchi Agrawal | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
I am an outdoor person. I love to spend time in the backyard growing veggies, flowers, fruits etc. My favorite reading place is the deck/patio looking at the greens all around me.
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
Well, this is a long story. My family and I relocated to France from India in 2004. Being vegetarian, I frequently found myself bombarded with questions about how vegetarians obtain sufficient protein, what are the primary sources of iron in a vegetarian diet, and whether being a vegetarian is a healthy choice. The most challenging question to address was why were we vegetarians? These questions surrounding vegetarianism fueled my determination to delve deeper into the subject. I started hosting dinner gatherings for my foreigner friends, where I introduced them to delicious and healthy vegetarian meals. It was a moment of pride when a French friend stated that he could live his whole life on such flavorsome vegetarian dishes. This encouraging feedback inspired me to intensify my efforts in spreading awareness about vegetarianism and advocating for a more health-conscious way of eating. I began offering cooking classes, sharing my knowledge with others, and learning more about the health benefits of healthy eating. On request I started working on writing detailed recipes for the participants. It was the beginning of a new venture! Later, I designed a website to compile those recipes in English and Hindi as well. And with my readers love, request and encouragement motivated me to move ahead in the journey and published my first book.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
Paperback
The last book I read:
The World Played Chess by Robert Dugoni
Author Interview - Shuchi Agrawal | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
I am an old school person! I love to take notes on paper. I write down ideas, recipes, ingredients etc. in a notebook while I am working. The formal writing goes on the computer.
Find more from the author:
https://www.facebook.com/ChezShuchi
https://www.pinterest.com/shuchiagrawal/
https://twitter.com/chezshuchi
https://www.instagram.com/chezshuchi/
Author Bio:
Shuchi Agrawal is a renowned food and nutrition expert. She has been working on vegetarianism, Veganism, and health for several years. She develops recipes which promote healthy living and healthy eating habits.
She holds a master’s degree in botanical sciences and has studied health, ethnobotany, plant-based nutrition, and digestion at Cornell University, USA.
Shuchi runs a bilingual website- www.chezshuchi.com where she writes vegetarian recipes and articles in Hindi and English. Shuchi also writes articles in newspapers and magazines focused on healthy living. Her book “Health, Taste, and Traditions- A Journey from Ayurveda to Modern Times” was released in January 2023. The book is also available in Hindi.
She works with several charity organizations who are focused on the education of underprivileged kids and alleviating hunger. She maintains a beautiful vegetable garden where she grows ayurvedic herbs, vegetables, fruits, and flowers. In her spare time, she also indulges herself in scrapbooking. Currently she lives with her family in Texas, USA.
