Nikhil Kamath Vs Rujuta Diwekar on home-cooked food: Who is right, what food is actually healthy?

Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath's recent observation on how nobody cooked at home in Singapore and mostly ate out was contested a few days ago by Kareena Kapoor's dietician Rujuta Diwekar. Sharing the picture of a basket full of vegetables and fruits, Rujuta wrote on her Instagram, 'Do not listen to rich boys, eating at home is a healthy practice. One that can prevent many diseases lead to sharing between communities and deepen the bonds of love and security. Learn to cook. Practice it often. Irrespective of gender, age or income.'

The responses to her post mostly supported her view, but some also pointed out that not everyone has the luxury of having home-cooked food. Some of her followers asked, considering today's job schedules, demands and expenses, how many people have time to cook at home or even have someone at home to cook for them. 'So easy to ask people to eat 'home cooked food, isn't it? Who is getting it cooked at home? The rich people. While the not so rich are probably juggling multiple jobs, managing to get by. How about you fight instead for outside food to be also hygienic, clean, and affordable to all? I mean, it can give women a breather,' said one of the comments. At a time when social media is a place that confuses many on what's healthy and what's not, many people have also been saying this is another talking point that has just managed to make people wonder what's the truth. 

Is home-cooked food healthy?
The Indian Council of Medical Research stated in 2024 that even home-cooked meals can be unhealthy if they are prepared with high salt, fat, and sugar content. In a set of 17 guidelines released in May, it busted the common notion that home-cooked means healthy meals. According to them, foods high in fats, sugar, and salt of HFSS are extremely calorie-dense and low in fibre and micronutrients such as minerals, phytonutrients, vitamins, and bioactive substances. In Indian kitchens, unless the people who cook are health-conscious, it's a common practice to prioritise taste over health, especially during weekends, festivals, and even dinner time. Therefore, whether the food is home-cooked or store-bought, it's important to check whether its ingredients are healthy, whether the food is in season, how fresh the foods are and how fast they are consumed after cooking. Here are some of the factors that make home-cooked meals unhealthy, according to ICMR:

1) Use of unhealthy cooking methods like deep frying, overuse of oils, and overcooking vegetables on high flame. 
2) Unhealthy hygiene practices in handling the food, storage, cooking practices and ingredients.
3) High amounts of fats and salts can make your food calorie-dense.
4) Unless portion control is exercised while eating at home, you don't get the benefits of eating home-cooked food. 

How to make home-cooked food healthy?
Dr Arpit Jayswal, founder of Curelo Labs, mentioned a few tips to make home-cooked food healthy based on ICMR guidelines. 
1) Pick the right oil that suits your health and consume it in moderation.
2) Opt for grilling or pan-frying instead of deep-frying
3) Opt for steamed brown rice over pulao or biryani. 
4) Replace spices with herbs wherever possible, as it can reduce the risk of acid reflux and indigestion
5) Go for whole wheat chapatis instead of naan or parathas
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