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Eating in the Age of Dieting
Rujuta Diwekar is amongst the most followed nutritionists globally, and a leading health advocate. Over the past decade, her writings have decisively shifted food conversations across the country away from fads and towards eating local, seasonal and traditional. Her mantra, ‘eat local, think global’, blends the wisdom of our grandmothers with the latest advances in nutrition science for sustainable good health for all. This is a collection of some of her most-loved writings - Diet trends and food myths - Festival and seasonal foods - Quick tips for good health - Superfoods in the kitchen - Foods for health problems - Exercise and yoga - Women’s and kids’ health - Heritage recipes
328 pages, Paperback
Published November 16, 2020
237 people are currently reading
516 people want to read
About the author
Rujuta Diwekar
52 books602 followersWinner of the 'Nutrition Award' from ASIAN INSTITUTE OF GASTROENTEROLOGY, Rujuta is amongst the most qualified and sought after sports science and nutrition expert in the country and the only nutritionist to have associate membership from SPORTS DIETITIANS, AUSTRALIA. In the plethora of diet fads and fears, her voice rings loud and clear, urging us to use our common sense and un-complicate the act of eating. Having worked with people from all walks of life, of all age groups and varying fitness levels, she has fine-tuned her methods to fit the lifestyle of the urban Indian.
Her two books and the film 'INDIAN FOOD WISDOM' have been on top of the best-selling charts for more than 5 years now. Her third book on exercise 'DON'T LOSE OUT, WORK OUT' is out in the market now.
Her two books and the film 'INDIAN FOOD WISDOM' have been on top of the best-selling charts for more than 5 years now. Her third book on exercise 'DON'T LOSE OUT, WORK OUT' is out in the market now.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
February 26, 2021
The basic premise of the book is this - The healthiest diet is the one which keeps one connected with farms, forests and family heritage. Most of the book is dedicated towards busting major health related myths. The author comes down heavily on the health and fitness industry for propagating most of the myths. Some of it is absolutely true and one cannot disagree on it.
One of the most highlighted point of the book is eating local items. This makes sense when seen in entirety. First of all local food can aid in small scale industries and farms. Second is that it is great for the planet. Eating non local items adds to climate change even if done in the name of vegan, ketogenic or detox diet. The book extensively covers a lot of local foods and superfoods. This is surely a great highlight of this book.
The author has discussed about working out also. Fundamentally a good workout consists of three components. First is flexibility, second is strength training and third is cardiorespiratory fitness. If we focus on any one aspect and leave others then it can create troubles in the long run.
Most of the insights are being repeated because this book is more like a collection of various articles written by the author. Also I guess there is little overdoing of the whole traditional and regional food. Traditional wisdom no doubt is precious and has been undervalued but one must be conscious enough to separate the wheat from the chaff. Lot of superstitions and myths are passed on through traditional wisdom too which needs to be resisted.
One of the most highlighted point of the book is eating local items. This makes sense when seen in entirety. First of all local food can aid in small scale industries and farms. Second is that it is great for the planet. Eating non local items adds to climate change even if done in the name of vegan, ketogenic or detox diet. The book extensively covers a lot of local foods and superfoods. This is surely a great highlight of this book.
The author has discussed about working out also. Fundamentally a good workout consists of three components. First is flexibility, second is strength training and third is cardiorespiratory fitness. If we focus on any one aspect and leave others then it can create troubles in the long run.
Most of the insights are being repeated because this book is more like a collection of various articles written by the author. Also I guess there is little overdoing of the whole traditional and regional food. Traditional wisdom no doubt is precious and has been undervalued but one must be conscious enough to separate the wheat from the chaff. Lot of superstitions and myths are passed on through traditional wisdom too which needs to be resisted.
January 11, 2021
Great tips in this book. I generally enjoy Rujuta Diwekar’s philosophy on food, exercise and health. However, this book is about 70% railing against western and industrial influences on Indian traditional diets. Every chapter talks about how the people have been deluded into thinking that the west has all the answers and the downsides of foreign and packaged foods. Then there is some legitimate information followed by more of the packaged-food-bad paragraphs. I did not enjoy this format. I was reading to learn more about the topic of the book rather than reading a rant.
January 20, 2022
I read this book after going through a fairly strict diet regime for twelve weeks which twisted my relationship with food such that I couldn't eat a meal without guilt. It was an emotional journey to get over that diet and that's what made me want to read this book. I think it does a great job providing a different color to how we look at food and helps us remove the blinders put on us by industry giants and misinformation out there. I personally view food very differently from before and feel closer to Indian diet and culture after reading it. I am recommending this book to every friend of mine as it has had a huge impact on my life.
January 29, 2021
I bought this book after seeing all the hype from Instagram "influencers".My mistake.
This book is just a collection of random thoughts the author had in her mind. Some sentences are in English and some in Hindi. So one needs to know both the languages in order to understand the book.
Coming to the content, the author says cook and eat what your grandmother used to cook. And goes on to describe what her grandmother used to make. Unfortunately, half the ingredients that she mentions isn't available in my town. So much for eating local.
The common enemy throughout the book is biscuits. And clarified butter (ghee) and turmeric are the victorious heroes. And more grandma ingredients that get repeated in every chapter.
I would say only 10% of the content in the book is actually useful. All in all, it appears to be hastily written and overlooked in the editing phase and printed hurriedly. I wouldn't suggest this book to anybody
This book is just a collection of random thoughts the author had in her mind. Some sentences are in English and some in Hindi. So one needs to know both the languages in order to understand the book.
Coming to the content, the author says cook and eat what your grandmother used to cook. And goes on to describe what her grandmother used to make. Unfortunately, half the ingredients that she mentions isn't available in my town. So much for eating local.
The common enemy throughout the book is biscuits. And clarified butter (ghee) and turmeric are the victorious heroes. And more grandma ingredients that get repeated in every chapter.
I would say only 10% of the content in the book is actually useful. All in all, it appears to be hastily written and overlooked in the editing phase and printed hurriedly. I wouldn't suggest this book to anybody
November 3, 2021
Repetitive
Good knowledge, too much repetition on same topic. Focus on rice, ghee, buttermilk, mainly maharashtra centric. No importance on fermentation process
Good knowledge, too much repetition on same topic. Focus on rice, ghee, buttermilk, mainly maharashtra centric. No importance on fermentation process
May 24, 2021
A must read for all women who are behind the diets and losing weights often which are short lived. Throws light on our ages old food habits and a rich science behind them be it north or south or east , West Indian food habits and types and why one shouldn’t leave the type of food they had all been from generations. We can still lose weight while eating the same Indian food we’ve eaten all our childhood by just making small but effective changes along with a daily exercise routine.
I broke free of all the different diet manias I’ve been behind after reading this and I’m gratefully enjoying my full sumptuous South Indian meal without any impact on my weight !! So Thankful to Rujutha for a wonderful book. Need of the hour for many women out there !!
Must read !!
I broke free of all the different diet manias I’ve been behind after reading this and I’m gratefully enjoying my full sumptuous South Indian meal without any impact on my weight !! So Thankful to Rujutha for a wonderful book. Need of the hour for many women out there !!
Must read !!
December 11, 2020
While the suggestions are good, there's a lot of repetition in terms of food and going local.
January 28, 2021
This is one of the best books, I have read recently. The title of the book explains the content of the book and the author has done her job in a fantastic manner. She tells us about our food habits and small changes which we should bring in to improve our health and stay healthy.
She covers almost all the local food as well as give us a substantial reason behind dropping unhealthy habits. This book is for each one of us and also has specific sections dedicated to children, youth, pregnant ladies, teenagers as well as those people who are suffering from any kind of health issue.
I really liked this book and you should read it to know more about the food which you are eating.
She covers almost all the local food as well as give us a substantial reason behind dropping unhealthy habits. This book is for each one of us and also has specific sections dedicated to children, youth, pregnant ladies, teenagers as well as those people who are suffering from any kind of health issue.
I really liked this book and you should read it to know more about the food which you are eating.
December 27, 2021
The only book about health and fitness I have read in my whole life... But I don't think this will be the last... I came to learn about a lot of things which are crucial in our everyday life... The thing that fascinated me the most about this book was that it really tells you to eat for good health as well as for getting an hourglass figure... Might sounds fishy but it sure does... While I am always for good health and exercise, I never knew I was doing so many things in the wrong way and was avoiding so many foods for fear of getting fat or being heavy to digest... This book has a scientific explanation for all the stuffs that it recommends... I also loved this book more cuz it teaches you to really support all local produce... How we, in the hopeless desire to adopt a keto diet purchase so many products online as it is not found locally... This book on the other hand is a strong advocate for local grown products and how they can be even more beneficial than those unavailable foreign stuffs... Apart from food it explains about the exercises that we can do and how to begin with... There are so many yoga poses referred to all over... Food, I am yet to try some as advised in this book but yoga I know and can say how beneficial it is... I myself have been doing yoga for 4 years now and I know the changes it has brought in my life... So I have a strong feeling that most of the other things in this book are also true... The only cons for me in this book was that at times, esp in the latter part, some stuffs were kind of repetitive... But other than that I loved it... I do recommend this book to all the health enthusiast and also to those who are trying to get there... This is the one body that we have and we have to take care of it... Stay healthy physically and mentally... ✌✌✌...
September 4, 2022
Couldn't give 2.5 stars, so gave 3. Rujuta is truly a fan of the east and celebrates traditional knowledge and dietary customs and habits passed down to us from our ancestors. She makes us understand that eating is about satiation, appetite and vitality.
3 most important takeaways-
1. Never ever trust BMIs or just weights or how you look to tell you about your health. We need not be clones of each other, and get into that shape advertised most. Health comes in all shapes and sizes and we must celebrate it. Trust the health of your skin, activeness in body, hair growth, bowel movements, sound sleep to tell you if you are eating right and healthy!
2. Geography and climate impact the dietry habits. Diets are so west centric! They homogenise food, for eg. you can find McDonald's, Starbucks etc anywhere in the world. Local food and seasonal fruits are important for sound health!
3. You don't need to omit a single staple food, oil, fruit or anything local your area and family offers you. Shun only packaged food. Eat everything around in the right amount, that is it! All other strategies backfire! No oats, artificial sweetners, exotic drinks can ever render the wholesomeness which dal, chawal and ghee can offer!
You can refer the rest of book to know about what food helps in what, healthy food recipes and a few other eating tips which, trust me, won't cost you extra money and can even save your junk expenses.
However, the writing style is terrible. It is like a lot of Instagram captions without pictures but with illustrations compiled in one. Lots of repetitions, too much bashing of the west and a poorly edited book. One must skim fast and note down the takeaways to make the most out of the book.
3 most important takeaways-
1. Never ever trust BMIs or just weights or how you look to tell you about your health. We need not be clones of each other, and get into that shape advertised most. Health comes in all shapes and sizes and we must celebrate it. Trust the health of your skin, activeness in body, hair growth, bowel movements, sound sleep to tell you if you are eating right and healthy!
2. Geography and climate impact the dietry habits. Diets are so west centric! They homogenise food, for eg. you can find McDonald's, Starbucks etc anywhere in the world. Local food and seasonal fruits are important for sound health!
3. You don't need to omit a single staple food, oil, fruit or anything local your area and family offers you. Shun only packaged food. Eat everything around in the right amount, that is it! All other strategies backfire! No oats, artificial sweetners, exotic drinks can ever render the wholesomeness which dal, chawal and ghee can offer!
You can refer the rest of book to know about what food helps in what, healthy food recipes and a few other eating tips which, trust me, won't cost you extra money and can even save your junk expenses.
However, the writing style is terrible. It is like a lot of Instagram captions without pictures but with illustrations compiled in one. Lots of repetitions, too much bashing of the west and a poorly edited book. One must skim fast and note down the takeaways to make the most out of the book.
May 20, 2023
My reading slump met this book at the start of the year and has finally completed it in the middle of the year!
Rujuta reiterates one of the basic ways of staying healthy and that is going back to our roots. Reconnecting with our foods and not making sugars and sweets the villains of our lives. I’ve had a very hot and cold relationship with food and eating and this book definitely allows me to smoothen my relationship with both. The pressure to count calories and monitor the weighing scale really is scary, and Rujuta does a fab job by removing them from the picture. She advocates a diet which is sustainable and that sustainability stems from what we’ve grown up eating all our lives. You have to eat local in order to reap the rewards of the food that you cook for yourself.
Granted, she does make the West the villain of her book. Everything that the West has aped from us and repackaged and sold to us is highlighted in the book, and in a very detailed manner. But the focus still remains on us reevaluating what we’re considering healthy and why we should not believe everything that the West proposes to be healthy!
Read it if you want to understand how minor changes can be made in our lives so as to witness major improvements!
Rujuta reiterates one of the basic ways of staying healthy and that is going back to our roots. Reconnecting with our foods and not making sugars and sweets the villains of our lives. I’ve had a very hot and cold relationship with food and eating and this book definitely allows me to smoothen my relationship with both. The pressure to count calories and monitor the weighing scale really is scary, and Rujuta does a fab job by removing them from the picture. She advocates a diet which is sustainable and that sustainability stems from what we’ve grown up eating all our lives. You have to eat local in order to reap the rewards of the food that you cook for yourself.
Granted, she does make the West the villain of her book. Everything that the West has aped from us and repackaged and sold to us is highlighted in the book, and in a very detailed manner. But the focus still remains on us reevaluating what we’re considering healthy and why we should not believe everything that the West proposes to be healthy!
Read it if you want to understand how minor changes can be made in our lives so as to witness major improvements!
October 20, 2021
Rujuta is back once again with her desi wisdom on foods. Going local is the new mantra of being healthy. She uses this book to promote local lifestyles and food habits that our ancestors or grandparents have lived and shows the science behind them.
My key takeaway from this book is to eat healthy, local and seasonal foods, stick to an exercise routine (walking is not an exercise), and not focus on weight rather focus on other signals like sleep quality, energy and happiness throughout the day to measure my health.
What could be better about the book - structuring the content. Reading it feels like reading a bunch of blogs one after the other.
My key takeaway from this book is to eat healthy, local and seasonal foods, stick to an exercise routine (walking is not an exercise), and not focus on weight rather focus on other signals like sleep quality, energy and happiness throughout the day to measure my health.
What could be better about the book - structuring the content. Reading it feels like reading a bunch of blogs one after the other.
January 30, 2021
Loved reading this book especially knowing so much about the variety our country India has to offer. Eat local is the need of the hour and not get fooled by commercials which claim 100 things but hardly anything is true as they are just for business. It comes with so much of practical tips which one can easily implement and improve their lifestyle without burning a hole in pocket and supporting farmers. It’s a must read for anyone trying to get fitter and healthier and not necessarily losing weight as it is only an outcome of having a healthy lifestyle. Love yourself and your body.
February 21, 2021
This book is a practical and easy to follow advocate for dietary changes, to improve one's health and focuses on busting many myths created by food manufacturers, especially in the Indian market. The writing is no-frills-straight-to-the-point and the prescribed changes can be implemented seamlessly from Day 0 to Day 1. Also, liked the author's recommendations for locally grown diets, encouraging people to get back to local dietary roots
June 30, 2021
Today in the age of digital we have lot of misinformation flowing around food which not only confuse us but also play with our mind and fear. This book is all about looking back to our grandmothers and moms way of making us eat food which was healthy and tasty but we never realised the importance of it or apply a common sense as what Rujuta says. A must read book to make you start loving your food and with a science explanation behind it.
Eat local, think global!! As Rujuta says!!
Eat local, think global!! As Rujuta says!!
September 6, 2021
If you have read some of her other books or follow her on instagram, this book will seem repetitive. She talks about the same things: eat local, natural and how it is intended to be eaten. Workout atleast 5 times a day. Walking is NOT exercise! So, yeah it's extremely useful but there is no new material to look forward to. If you have never read her work, by all means pick this one up. If you have, you can easily skip this one.
January 7, 2021
It is a great book for those uninitiated with her work, but for those who have been following her work (books, seminars, social-media) for the past few years, it is a collection of her work bound together in this book. So, you would not get much out of this book if you were already practicing those.
June 21, 2021
Good information on the importance of local and traditionally eaten food items. Though the author did look a lot biased towards these traditional foods and was almost completely against the new age dieting, but keeping that aside this book is a well written source of information on the goodness of traditional food items.
November 18, 2025
I Like the way it has simplified the drama we do for eating the so called "healthy diet".
which unfits the Indian cultural aspects. it's so simple thatbe born and brought up eating paratha, dosa, idli and chole bhature in the morning which are irrelevant to eat oats as a healthy meal and cutting the ghee and butter from our diet when we start being health conscious.
which unfits the Indian cultural aspects. it's so simple thatbe born and brought up eating paratha, dosa, idli and chole bhature in the morning which are irrelevant to eat oats as a healthy meal and cutting the ghee and butter from our diet when we start being health conscious.
January 1, 2021
Wonderful book. Rujuta guidance about food and healthy eating habits is dot on. It resonates with traditional wisdom and really, is a lot of common sense. So highly recommended for all those side tracked by so much diet related fluff in the air.
May 1, 2021
A really good insightful read around our daily Indian cuisines and superfoods. A lot of practical tips on how to maintain healthy food habits and lifestyle. Eat local and seasonal is the need of the hour!
November 22, 2021
This is a wonderful collection of articles from Rujuta. Its good educational read and has a suitable set of recipes. Nothing exceptional and since it's a collection of articles, it repeats itself several times.
August 19, 2025
A well put together journal!
As usual Rujuta graciously has shared her wisdom on food, health, and lifestyle. This book covers all age groups, seasonal changes in the food, tips, and more.
As usual Rujuta graciously has shared her wisdom on food, health, and lifestyle. This book covers all age groups, seasonal changes in the food, tips, and more.
February 2, 2021
Sensible And importantly simplicity is profound ❤️
February 22, 2021
A welcome relief during some times of abhorrent chaos featuring relentless junk food sessions and many, many hours spent pondering what to eat next.
February 27, 2021
nothing different or new in this book that she has already not written..
July 12, 2021
Absolutely loved this book.
Must read for everyone.
Debunks a lot of myths about nutrition, dieting.
Changed my perspective of looking at health.
Was a delight to read.
Very informative
Must read for everyone.
Debunks a lot of myths about nutrition, dieting.
Changed my perspective of looking at health.
Was a delight to read.
Very informative
August 13, 2022
Eating right food at right season will keep your health in balance.
August 24, 2022
Must read!
October 9, 2022
Must read book for Indians who are now trying fad diets
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews