Don't quit rice, ghee or bananas: Rujuta Diwekar shares tips to lose weight

Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar has challenged some of the most common food rules around weight loss and diabetes. Here is why she says rice, ghee and bananas can still be part of a balanced Indian diet.Rujuta Diwekar Busts 3 weight loss mythsWeight loss often comes with a long list of foods that people are told to avoid. Rice is labelled as “fattening”, ghee is treated as something that must be eliminated, and bananas are sometimes avoided because of their natural sugar content. But are these foods really the problem?Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar has challenged these common beliefs in a recent Instagram video, saying that rice, ghee and bananas do not need to be completely removed from the diet. Instead, she highlighted the importance of how these foods are eaten and how they fit into an overall balanced meal.Her comments come at a time when restrictive diets and food elimination have become increasingly popular among people trying to lose weight or manage blood sugar.RICE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE OFF THE PLATEAccording to Diwekar, rice can be part of a balanced Indian meal, particularly when it is eaten along with vegetables and protein-rich foods. She pointed out that Indians traditionally do not eat rice on its own. Rice is commonly paired with dal, vegetables, fish or egg curry. Combining carbohydrates with protein and fibre can make a meal more balanced and may help slow the rise in blood sugar compared with eating a large portion of carbohydrates alone.For people with diabetes, this does not mean that portion size or overall carbohydrate intake can be ignored. However, simply banning rice may not be necessary for everyone.WHY DIWEKAR SAYS YOU SHOULD NOT FEAR GHEE Ghee is another food that frequently disappears from weight loss diets. Diwekar argued that eliminating dietary fat is unnecessary.She highlighted ghee as a source of fat and mentioned its butyric acid content and fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D and E. She suggested that people should use moderate amounts of ghee with foods such as rice, roti and dal rather than treating it as a forbidden food.However, ghee is still calorie dense, so eating it in large quantities is not a shortcut to better health or weight loss.BANANAS ARE NOT THE ENEMYDiwekar also addressed the common belief that bananas should be avoided because they contain natural sugar.A whole banana provides carbohydrates along with fibre and several vitamins and minerals. Eating a whole fruit is also different from consuming foods or drinks with added sugars.For people with diabetes, the amount and overall carbohydrate content of the meal still matter. But a banana does not automatically have to be removed from the diet simply because it tastes sweet.THE BIGGER MESSAGE: STOP FEARING INDIVIDUAL FOODSDiwekar's message is ultimately about moving away from extreme food rules. Rather than eliminating individual foods, a healthier approach can involve looking at the overall meal, portion sizes, nutritional balance and individual health needs.Rice, ghee and bananas can therefore have a place in an Indian diet. The key is not necessarily to label foods as “good” or “bad”, but to understand how much to eat, what to pair them with and whether they fit an individual's health goals.- EndsPublished By: Smarica PantPublished On: Sep 2, 2026 07:30 IST