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Food has also been a guiding force in national integration. Spices cultivated in south India are an integral part of Kashmiri cuisine up-north while the saffron produced in Kashmir gets used in south Indian delicacies. Food indeed is a unifying force. India has a glorious tradition of healthy food. People in India have always respected food and this can be seen even today. In Indian tradition, food is placed next to God and that is the reason why food forms a main part of ceremonies and religious celebrations. Indian food is born from the concept of Ayurveda. Ayurveda comprises two word—ayus, meaning life and Vedas, study or knowledge; hence Ayurveda means knowledge of life, which begins from the basic ingredient ‘food’. Indian cuisine is ancient, steeped in tradition and an amalgam of different ethnic influences. It is multidimensional, diverse and a colourful cuisine with a repertoire of recipes that is virtually unmatched globally. Indian cuisine is a reflection of the heritage of its people and the influences of historical and cultural developments. India has welcomed a multitude of settlers with a variety of belief systems. For more than two millennia, India has witnessed various foreign invasions, from Greeks to Arabs and Turks to Mughals, Portuguese, French and British. This history, tourism, trade, fiscal policies, globalization, and the ever increasing population with young demographics have all led to major foreign exposure.