For those interested in health and fitness, the name Rujuta Diwekar instantly rings familiar. The Mumbai-based nutritionist has an enviable list of clients, and is a recipient of numerous prestigious awards. She started her practice in 1999 after completing a postgraduate degree in sports science and nutrition. An accomplished author, Diwekar has a different take on what is considered 'eating healthy,' and has time and again broken several myths harboured by people.
Living in a time when the concept of healthy and unhealthy food is changing almost everyday, Diwekar insists on following grandmother's wisdom. She refuses to be swayed by modern trends, and instead harps on the need to consume the diverse food available in India. “We should not wait for the West to acknowledge it as something of value. A diet that is not culturally compliant is a diet that won’t last beyond two meals,” she says.
It is popularly believed that ghee increases cholesterol, but Diwekar does not agree. According to the nutritionist, ghee in fact helps reduce cholesterol by increasing the contribution of lipids towards metabolism. Excess cholesterol is produced by the liver under stress, and ghee helps to curb that effect. Ghee helps one to de-stress, sleep better and wake up fresh.
Refusing to acknowledge rice as merely a carbohydrate, the nutritionist maintains that rice contains important amino acids, vitamins, and phytonutrients. She also emphasises on the need for eating rice for dinner
At the same time, she asserts that one should eat white rice, and not brown rice. The glycemic index (GI) of rice is not very high, and it can be brought further down if it is consumed with ghee. She puts no restriction on the amount of rice one should intake, and believes one can eat rice thrice a day.
“Eat your rice the way you like it, eat it as often in the day as you want and eat it in quantities which will leave you feeling light and energetic, and enjoy the wonders it will have on your body,” the nutritionist says.
Diwekar refuses to consider sugar as the root of all problems. According to her, sugar is natural, thus it poses no threat.
“The problem is not sugar. The problem is processed and packaged food that is high on sugar, particularly since this form of sugar is mostly derived from high fructose corn syrup, which is linked to obesity. The sugar that we traditionally consume in India, which comes from sugarcane, is, in fact, very beneficial,” she says.
Contrary to what is believed, she maintains that the consumption of sugar and occurrence of diabetes are not related. In fact several diabetics are advised to keep sugar with them in order to prevent low blood sugar.
In our obsession to lose weight, we often tend to forget the basics. The 'secret food' that can help in losing weight is right in the kitchen and not outside, and Rujuta Diwekar reminds us of the same. In her book, Indian Super Foods the nutritionist harps on the need to look for solutions back home and not outside. “Think local and not low-cal,” she asks.