Momos are a beloved snack across India. Whether enjoyed at your favourite street stall or lovingly prepared by your mom at home, momos have a magical way of making everything better. However, the debate between steamed and fried momos often comes up in foodie circles, leaving many scratching their heads, wondering which option is the healthier choice. Now, nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar has set the record straight once and for all. In a recent interview, Rujuta was asked to identify the healthier momo option among the many varieties available in the market.
She responded, "All momos are equally bad unless you are trekking in Spiti or Kinnaur and someone at a homestay has offered you homemade momos. Those are culturally authentic momos. Here, in the cities, momos are merely street food." With her trademark humour, Rujuta added, "If someone is paying for your plate, only then is that momo good." She further advised that if you can't resist momos, it's best to limit your indulgence to once a week.
She was also asked to pick the healthier option between soya chaap and momos. The celebrity nutritionist quipped, "It's the same thing. Both are equally bad - unless someone else is paying for it." This isn't the first time Rujuta Diwekar has spoken in favour of authentic momos. In one of her books, she shared how she once allowed actress Kareena Kapoor to eat momos.
In her book 'Don't Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight', Rujuta wrote, "Kareena ate momos in Ladakh and they helped her lose weight because Ladakh is dry, windy, cold, and at an altitude of 3,500 metres. If she ate the same momos in aamchi Mumbai, which is humid, hot, and at sea level, she would have gained weight."
She even quoted Kareena in the book. An excerpt reads:
"When I [Kareena] was shooting in Ladakh, breakfast was fresh fruit and pudina chai without milk. In Ladakh, I also ate momos and thukpa (on the last day of the shoot, I was even allowed a pizza!)."