If you're not enjoying food, it's not healthy: Sanjeev Kapoor on healthy eating

For Kapoor, the biggest food problem today is not simply what is on the plate. “Food is in your face,” he said, pointing to the constant stream of dishes, brands and food trends online.

As people are exposed to global cuisines and food delivery, home-cooked meals can start feeling like a luxury. Kapoor said longer working hours, rising expectations and both partners in many families needing to earn have made cooking less of a priority.

What Happened

People who have someone cooking at home often want a break. He believes there is a large market for genuinely home-style food, but says “home-style” is not always the same as food cooked at home.

• When asked which ingredient people should cut down on, his answer was: "Stress." He also highlighted the mind-gut connection and said food should be enjoyable.

• His most striking advice was perhaps about the mind.

• Asked about cheat meals, he said, “Every day is a cheat meal,” adding that he eats everything and believes in moderation.

Key Details

One of Kapoor’s strongest messages was about frozen food. “Frozen by its nature is not bad,” he said, explaining that freezing can preserve food without adding preservatives or additives.

• Yet his approach is not about banning favourite foods.

• Kapoor backed calls to reduce sugar, salt and oil, linking moderation to India’s growing burden of diabetes, obesity and other lifestyle-related problems.

• Filtering the oil and avoiding repeated heating, he said, are important.

Why It Matters

If cooked food is frozen, Kapoor recommends dividing it into small batches. When needed, move it from the freezer to the refrigerator and let it thaw there.

• He explained that food particles left in oil can burn and form carbon when the oil is repeatedly reheated.

• THE REAL PROBLEM MAY BE OUR FOOD HABITSKapoor also spoke about repeatedly heating cooking oil.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Continued reporting by India Today as more details emerge