Bhubaneswar, Feb. 10: In spite of its health benefits, the beetroot is often ignored perhaps because of its distinctive taste. A visit to the National Natural Food Festival that began today will give one ample reasons to love the health food.

A number of recipes using beetroot, including soup, cury and dessert, have been displayed at the fair - flavourful enough to entice one's taste buds.

This apart, around 200 recipes using natural ingredients are being demonstrated at the fair that is on at Janata Maidan. Apart from salads, juices and snacks, a number of curries and desserts using sprouts and other healthy food items have been displayed.

"Beetroot is low in fat, full of vitamins and minerals and packed with powerful antioxidants. If cooked in the proper manner, there could be no healthier item than this," said Arshi Vashisht, a student of Swami Vivekananda Yoga and Anusandhana Samsthanam based in Bangalore.

Various naturopathy colleges and hospital from across the country have exhibited their products and natural recipes at the fair that aim to focus on sustainable food cultivation and practices.

A number of demonstrations on how to cook food without losing its nutritional value, how to store and preserve food, what are the good and bad combinations of food, when to eat and what not to eat, among others will be given during the fair.

Around 100 naturopathy doctors are also present at the fair to interact with visitors about the myths associated with use of locally made products.

To promote natural methods of cooking and its impact on health, the National Institute of Naturopathy is hosting the three-day food festival in the state for the first time.

The institute is an autonomous body under the Ayush ministry.

"The focus will be to engage people in discussions on how to choose food which is nutritious, tasty, healthy and sustainable," said state co-ordinator for the event B.K. Pusti. Governor S.C. Jamir, while inaugurating the fair, said: "I wish more people visit the fair and adopt sustainable and healthy food practices."

There would be competitions for schoolchildren in drawing, elocution and essay writing. A cooking competition and vegetable and fruit-carving contest have also been lined up.

Seminar on various topics such as food policies of the central government, healthy eating habits in Odisha and energy density in foods among others will also be discussed.

Naturopathy experts involved with the fair said the focus would be on promoting a preventive health model for long-term sustainability. "Instead of being curative, we should take precautionary measures with our food habits. We feel food is medicine and the kitchen at our home is the drug store," said Dr Pradeep M.K.

A Yoga-Naturopathy Seminar will also be hosted and Ayush minister Shripad Naik will attend the valedictory ceremony.