Author Calls Out Hidden Fats as Real Diet Villains

A simple observation about biscuits is changing how millions of Indians think about healthy eating.

Cookbook author Krish Ashok recently appeared on The Gut Feeling podcast with gastroenterologist Dr. Pal Manickam to discuss a pattern he's noticed. Indians quickly label visible oil as unhealthy but never think twice about grabbing a biscuit, even though it's packed with saturated fat from palm oil.

"We like easy villains," Ashok explained, pointing out how much simpler it feels to blame rice or ghee than to understand the full nutrition picture.

Edwina Raj, Head of Clinical Nutrition at Aster CMI Hospital in Bangalore, says Ashok is absolutely right. Foods like rice, potatoes, eggs, and mangoes get unfairly blamed for weight gain and diabetes when they can be perfectly healthy in the right portions.

The real problem isn't individual ingredients. Social media and diet trends have made people fear traditional foods that have nourished Indian families for generations while giving processed snacks a free pass.

Ultra-processed foods pose far greater risks than natural ingredients, Raj explains. Packaged snacks, sugary drinks, instant noodles, and bakery products contain high amounts of sugar, salt, unhealthy fats, preservatives, and artificial ingredients designed to taste addictive.

Regular consumption of these processed foods increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver, and inflammation. Yet because the fat isn't visible, people don't register the danger.

Why This Inspires

Ashok's message offers real relief to people who've been restricting traditional foods unnecessarily. Instead of fearing rice or potatoes, families can now focus on what truly matters: reducing processed foods and eating more home-cooked meals with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, pulses, and balanced proteins.

The conversation also addresses hidden factors beyond food choices. Portion sizes, lack of sleep, stress, low physical activity, smoking, and alcohol all contribute to lifestyle diseases, but people often overlook these while obsessing over single "bad" foods.

This shift in perspective means freedom from restrictive diets and a return to balanced, enjoyable eating rooted in cultural traditions. A balanced lifestyle beats villainizing individual foods every time.