Shalini Passi doesn't eat dal chawal as part of Ayurvedic diet: 'I have 10-12 different vegetables throughout the day'

Shalini Passi spoke about her lifestyle and dietary choices in a recent interview and how she includes 10-12 different vegetables in her daily diet.

Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives Season 3's Shalini Passi follows a strict Ayurvedic diet that consists of various Ayurvedic spices and powders. In an April 24 interview with BBC Asian Network, Shalini, who is in her late 40s, spoke about her Ayurvedic diet, which involves only eating raw vegetables during the day.

'I am not going to lie and say I have dal-chawal'

The Delhi-based socialite, art collector and philanthropist, who recently walked the Cannes 2025 red carpet, also said that she does not eat staple Indian foods like dal-chawal but consumes '10-12 different kinds of vegetables throughout the day'. Shalini said, “My friends would tell me that being in the media is a lot, you will not be able to handle it. They would say don’t say anything, don’t have your soups, don’t have your juices... I said I am not going to lie and say I am having dal-chawal (dal and rice). I don’t eat dal-chawal.”

Sharing details of her diet, she said she often receives messages from fans in DMs about her lifestyle choices and diet. She said, “My diet is Ayurvedic. I have raw foods till 6 pm, which is in our culture. I have 10-12 different kinds of vegetables throughout the day. I also include ghee and all the Ayurvedic spices and powders. I feel my lifestyle is for me to be healthy and functional. I actually feel bad for them because if they are consuming carbs, sugar, wine, drinking, smoking, and not waking up on time, I feel bad for them. If they reach out to me for help... I can tell them what to do, but it’s essentially my opinion against theirs... I have my lifestyle, which works for me, and they have theirs.”

What is the Ayurvedic diet?

The Ayurvedic diet is an eating pattern based on the principles of Ayurvedic medicine – focuses on balancing different types of energy within your body, which is said to improve health, according to a November 14, 2023 report on Healthline.com. Ayurveda is a form of holistic medicine from India that focuses on promoting balance between your body and mind.

According to Ayurveda, five elements make up the universe — vayu (air), jala (water), akash (space), teja (fire), and prithvi (earth). These elements are believed to form three different doshas, which are defined as types of energy that circulate within your body. Each dosha is responsible for specific physiological functions. According to this diet, your dosha determines which foods you should eat to promote inner balance.

For example, per Healthline.com, the pitta dosha focuses on cooling, energising foods and limits spices, nuts, and seeds, while, the vata dosha favors warm, moist, and grounding foods while restricting dried fruits, bitter herbs, and raw veggies. The kapha dosha limits heavy foods like nuts, seeds, and oils in favour of fruits, veggies, and legumes. Red meat, artificial sweeteners, and processed ingredients are limited for all three doshas, as the Ayurvedic diet encourages eating healthy whole foods.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.