Good food is the key to good health. This is why, when you are ill — from a lifestyle disorder like diabetes or skin disease like acne to serious issues — your doctors always ask you to watch what you eat. However, getting a healthy, balanced diet every day is not easy. For adults who do their best to manage career, family and social life, doing meal preps, consulting dieticians and monitoring daily calories intake is a strenuous task. To add to this, ever since the pandemic broke out, many fitness enthusiasts faced another problem — managing weight and health without hitting the gym. This meant keeping extra tabs on what they were eating. Fabeat, a one-year-old health food establishment that has become a favourite for many Kochiites now, has a solution for this. Started by three MBA graduates and a fitness trainer, Fabeat delivers preset meals three times a day, depending on the result you seek — from weight gain or loss to diabetes or PCOS management.
Fabeat is the brainchild of Ramji Das (founder and R&D head), Anit Nelson (CEO and operations manager), Mathew Paul (finance and purchase manager) and Subin Sabu (marketing and client relations manager). Anit, Mathew and Subin are alumni of Amity Global Business School, Kochi. They were employed in different capacities after passing out from college in 2018. “A couple of years ago, we were going about our normal schedule of working out and grabbing a snack at the end of the day. Back then, we didn’t have many ‘healthy eating’ options in Kochi. So we went out to get the next best thing, meat al-fahm,” quips Subin, over a phone call. “While we were at the restaurant, I saw one of my partners actually requesting the waiter to wash off the masala from the meat before serving him. I asked him why, and he said, ‘extra calories, man!’,” Subin adds.
That was when the group had the idea to focus on a brand that provides a healthy, stable and affordable meal delivery service to Kochiites. They have a dietician based in Australia who makes the call on what to serve each customer, based on a Google Form people fill up when they join the meal plan. “That Google Form is our Bible. It asks if you are trying to lose or gain weight, details about any illnesses you have, your allergies, how many times you eat, do you include more protein or carbohydrates in your diet — end-to-end of your eating routine,” says Subin.
No compromise!
As a pescatarian myself, when I was filling out the Google Form, I asked Subin if they serve people with special preferences like mine. “Of course we do!” he replied. My breakfast was a delightful mix of oats and ragi, topped with almonds and kiwi slices. As soon as I opened it, I remember thinking this is the best way to start a day. The lunch was even more of a treat, with tasty, fresh grilled fish, topped with broccoli and carrots and a light gravy with onions and kidney beans. The dinner was a broken wheat salad topped with fish and cottage cheese chunks.
When people say “I am on a diet”, everyone immediately assumes they eat bland, tasteless meals. But with Fabeat, a diet stops being a compromise on your tastebuds. Every meal is packed not just to delight your stomach, but also your eyes. “We don’t see ourselves as a cloud kitchen or a diet eat brand. We describe Fabeat as a way to transform your life. So we take the time to make each meal as creative as possible,” adds Subin.
Healthy detail
From planning to packaging, every meal box sent out of Fabeat kitchen is put together with great attention to detail. “Thanks to the Google Form, we can plan the raw materials we need for the next day’s cooking. We procure our meat, fish and vegetables from selected vendors in the city. Even those go through rigorous quality checks before they reach the kitchen,” says Subin. This is why their clientele includes prominent names from the movie, fitness and sports industry. “We are always looking to improve, taking in feedback and exploring ways to make healthy eating an affordable and innovative experience,” concludes Subin.
Starts at Rs 500-Rs 600 per day*
*Inclusive of packaging and delivery
Why do you need a balanced diet?
A balanced diet is one that contains not just protein and carbs, but also the right amounts of all necessary minerals that come from fruits, vegetables and pulses. Vitamins and minerals, such as folate, vitamin C, and potassium, are abundant in fruits and vegetables. They’re high in dietary fibre, which can help keep your gut healthy and prevent constipation and other digestive issues something for everyone
Apart from specific plans that help you gain or lose weight, Fabeat also offers wedding special diet plans, muscle building routine, alkaline diets and pre-post-pregrancy diets. “If you are not looking for anything specific, you can pick the balanced diet which comes with the right amount of protein, fibre and carbs,” says Subin.