Ghee shots, quinoa, and water therapy: Is there a science behind shunning all things delicious? | Food-wine News

When people in a third-world country start eating like they are in a famine, you realise that maybe we are no longer a developing country. What am I referring to? The new fad, promoted celebrities and “healthy” people, of starving themselves for 18 hours a day, and then eating three almonds, 1 teaspoon of ghee, and lots of quinoa. I am not exaggerating. Never have I seen people consume as much protein powder as they do in today’s urban India. I can only shudder at the thought of their bowel movements. Given that a war is raging and there is a fear of running out of LPG, this might well be a good diet to follow.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
I shouldn’t wrinkle my nose too much, since—much like Malaika Arora, who is the same age as me but 15 kg lighter—I also begin my day with what she has evocatively termed “water therapy”. I have a glass of warm water in which either fenugreek seeds, fennel or coriander seeds have been soaked overnight and then heated and strained. This is followed a glass of Green Juice, which is made blitzing half an apple, half an orange, a stick of celery, an inch of lauki or bottle gourd, half a cucumber, an inch of ginger, mint, and an amla. Sometimes I have a glass of Red Juice instead, made blitzing half an apple, half an orange, beetroot, ginger, and a carrot. It’s only after this that I have a cup of ginger tea. Which I can just see the celebrities shaking their head at, because I should be drinking ghee instead!
The usual diet I see promoted various celebrities is to have a spoonful of ghee every morning. Then chew on a tablespoon of flaxseed. Then throw away that lovely white rice, and only eat brown rice. Don’t eat any meat cooked with yoghurt. Don’t eat for 18 hours. Drink only almond milk, which is not milk but almonds pureed with water. Eat only dates, no sugar. Eat cakes with no butter, no sugar, and no flour. Substitute coconut milk for dairy milk, which has a totally different taste profile.
Now I’m all for a healthy diet, and have to admit that having the juices and the warm water (I even have a witch’s brew at night made boiling a cup of water with bay leaf, cinnamon, fennel, coriander seeds, and other masalas), which does make your skin glow.
But is there truly a science behind shunning all things delicious and eating like a very rich, famine survivor? As Rani Mukherji said in an interview with Faye D’souza, she can’t diet because she’s Bengali and needs her rice and fried fish. I hear you, Rani.
Are we overdoing healthy food? (Photo: AI Generated)
According to Delhi nutrition Shweta Ahuja Arora, there is a method to the madness. Green juice in the morning is actually a way of filling your body with vitamins like A, D, E, and K and folate. It helps in deep hydration during summers for better skin and gut health, and in detoxification too. What about brown rice? She says, it’s great for weight loss and better than white rice because brown rice is high in fibre and helps to keep you satiated and your sugar levels in check. But don’t think that that means you can have a shovel of rice as I do. Because even here, portion size matters.Story continues below this ad
According to Ahuja, one food that one should include daily, even during weight loss, is yoghurt as it’s a rich source of protein and probiotics that keep our gut healthy. Among fruits, pomegranate is a great powerhouse of iron and folate and is very high in antioxidants. ⁠Beans and pulses are rich in both soluble and insoluble fibre and keep us full for longer, while also keeping our cholesterol in check and are great for fat loss too.
Now, sadly for everyone guzzling herbal drinks, these don’t actually lead to weight loss directly, but do help in better digestion and sugar control, and keep cravings at bay, which ultimately leads to faster weight loss.
I do have to say that while it’s great to be able to follow a regimented diet, these are the perks of those who have someone at home to do all the prep daily. If you’re going to office, there is very little chance that you will come back and make fresh cheelas or boil brown rice for 30 minutes as opposed to white rice for 10 minutes. Diet food also tends to cost exorbitant amounts to essentially stay hungry, as opposed to a normal diet of, say, toast and eggs, and roti, sabzi, and chicken curry.
And when celebrities promote these diets, keep in mind that their careers depend on how they look. If they gain even one kilogram or look slightly puffy on camera, they are doomed. They also have a retinue of staff preparing their multiple juices, brews, smoothies, chopped cut fruit, and soaked oats for them.Story continues below this ad
My advice—and I’m no nutrition—is to eat healthy, try and eat home-cooked food, eat small portions, exercise every day, even if it’s just a one-hour walk, and eat natural proteins instead of gallons of protein shakes every day. You’ll be a happier person, but I agree you might not have multiple Instagram reels praising your near ascetic diet and body.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
Next week, I’ll write about my session with the graduating class of The Culinary Institute of America, who were visiting India and came over to learn about Bengali cuisine.