3 min readNew DelhiJun 6, 2026 02:28 PM IST
First published on: Jun 6, 2026 at 02:28 PM IST
BK Shivani has been eating only home-cooked meals for almost three decades. During a recent conversation with Ryan Fernando, nutritionist to Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma, and Shahid Kapoor, the motivational speaker revealed that she spent “29 years without eating outside food.”
This also included no onions or garlic. No cheat meals whatsoever. The motivational speaker is also strictly vegetarian. “We eat food without onion, garlic — it’s considered tamas according to Indian traditions,” she added.
While the world keeps searching for the next health trend, Fernando said that some people quietly heal through discipline, simplicity and consistency.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
Deepalakshmi, a registered dietitian at Shree Balaji Medical Centre in Chennai, says that BK Shivani follows the Sattvic diet, which is high-fibre, low-fat, and strictly vegetarian. Whole grains such as rice, wheat, oats, millets, legumes, lentils and pulses, milk, seasonal vegetables and fruits, ghee, honey, jaggery are fair game in this diet. According to her, ‘tamasik’ foods include processed foods, preservative-filled foods, meat, fish, eggs, onions, garlic, mushrooms, alcohol and stale food.
According to Deepalakshmi, many commercially prepared meals prioritise taste and convenience over nutrition, often incorporating refined ingredients, artificial flavour enhancers, preservatives, and unhealthy cooking methods. “This can increase the risk of obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, and digestive issues,” she says.
In contrast, home-cooked meals provide numerous health benefits by allowing individuals to control ingredient quality, cooking techniques, and portion sizes. “Preparing meals at home ensures a well-balanced intake of essential nutrients, including fibre, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. It also encourages the use of fresh, whole ingredients and healthier cooking methods such as steaming, baking, grilling, or sautéing with minimal oil, which helps preserve the nutritional value of food,” elaborates the expert.
Is homemade always healthy?
However, she pointed out that don’t think everything cooked at home is the epitome of health. According to the latest dietary guidelines by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), these meals can still be unhealthy if they are made with too much fat, sugar, or salt.
High-fat foods and high-sugar foods, the guidelines state, are energy-dense (high-calorie foods and poor in vitamins, minerals and fibre. Deepalakshmi warns that regular consumption of these foods not only causes overweight and obesity but also deprives one from taking healthy foods that provide essential macronutrients (amino acids and fats), fibre and micronutrients. Thus, it becomes important to be aware of our cooking habits to ensure we’re preparing nutritious meals.
BK Shivani's diet decoded. (Magnific, Wikimedia Commons) 
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