Kareena Kapoor's dietician Rujuta Diwekar warns against falling for ‘health washed’ products; shares 8 diet red flags

Many people on their weight loss journey tend to fall into the trap of health washed food products, which often do more harm than good.

If you’re trying to lose weight, chances are you’ve been tempted by neatly packaged “healthy” snacks - protein bars, veggie chips and labelled superfoods that promise quick results. But more often than not, these health-washed products quietly load your diet with empty calories, added sugars and false reassurance, while pulling you further away from real nourishment. True, sustainable weight loss isn’t built on shortcuts or expensive packaged fixes - it comes from simple, home-cooked, regulated foods that actually support your body.

Rujuta shares eight weight loss mistakes you might be making. (Unsplash)

Rujuta Diwekar, a leading celebrity nutritionist and wellness expert who has worked with stars such as Kareena Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Shahid Kapoor - and who famously curated Kareena Kapoor’s “size zero” look as well as her post-pregnancy weight-loss journey - has shared 8 crucial weight-loss red flags to watch out for if you’ve recently started dieting.

In an Instagram video shared on February 5, the nutritionist warns against falling for health washed food products, captioning the post, “Some diets are just costly both for body composition and budget. You still eat more food products than actual fresh food at home. It’s just junk food but it’s pricier because it’s health washed. The founders walk their way to an IPO and you to the next diet fad.”

Diet red flags

1. “You now do spice shots in the morning and vodka shots in the night” - Alcohol does contain calories, irrespective of the popular misconception that it doesn’t.

2. “You're still eating a bar of chocolate, but this time it's a protein bar” - Most protein bars are loaded with hidden calories and added sugars, making them nutritionally no better, and sometimes worse, than a regular candy bar.

3. “You're still binge eating chips in the night, but this time they're made of beet or broccoli” - Binge eating, especially late at night, disrupts the body’s natural digestive rhythm, leading to weight gain.

4. “You have lost weight, but you've also lost on your sleep, on your poop, and on your happiness” - Extreme diets can place excessive stress on the body, throwing it out of balance and disrupting its natural physiological functions as well as mood.

5. “You now believe that only drinks and yoghurt that come out of a packet have bugs that are good for you” - When it comes to diet and weight loss, homemade products are the best options, since you can control what goes in them.

6. “You're waiting for the clock to turn two” - Sustainable, long-term weight loss shouldn’t keep you starving and thinking about the next mealtime every other minute.

7. “Your cravings are through the roof” - A well balanced diet should not spike your blood glucose levels, while providing the right nutrients that keep cravings in check.

8. “You're still bloated, angry, and hungry” - Sustainable weight loss should be driven by holistic, nourishing nutrition that keeps you satisfied and energised, not by approaches that trigger gut issues, intense cravings or mood swings.

Don’t fall for health washed products

Rujuta highlights that the more you fall for health washed food products, instead of choosing real home-cooked meals, the more weight you will gain, while simultaneously draining your wallet. A “healthy” label is no guarantee of quality or weight loss benefits. Many of these products are packed with empty calories, added sugars and synthetic fibre, offering little real nourishment and doing your body far more harm than good.

She explains, “Well, I could go on, but the most important thing here is that, don't fall for food products that have been health washed. Chips, whether they come out of broccoli or beet, chocolate bars, whether they are rich in protein or completely dark, the more you consume food products, the fatter you're going to be on your stomach, the poorer you're going to be on your pocket.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.