India, Feb. 5 -- Calories burned, steps taken, minutes of deep sleep, inches lost. A good workout means closing the ring on your watch. Dinner comes with a data trail too. How small is the average roti? Does boiled egg have more protein than steamed fish? How much fibre is too little fibre? Do five small meals really total up to a lighter intake?

This obsession with food maths didn't come from nowhere. It's becoming tougher and tougher to eat right - even with home-cooked meals. So, it's tempting to believe that precision control might do what traditional knowledge cannot. It's why we weigh chicken at lunch, get portion-control bowls for rice, and put the salad dressing aside when the greens are served.

Gurgaon-based nutritionist Leema ...