What Does Shilpa Shetty Eat? A Deep Dive into Her Wholesome Diet

December 15, 2025 •

3 min read

Based on her co-authored book, The Great Indian Diet, Shilpa Shetty's eating habits prioritize wholesome, homegrown foods over restrictive fads. The secret to what does Shilpa Shetty eat is a disciplined routine balanced with intentional indulgence.

Quick Summary

Shilpa Shetty follows a disciplined, balanced diet centered on natural, wholesome Indian foods, supplemented by Ayurvedic practices and weekly cheat days for balance.

Key Points

Balanced Eating: Shilpa Shetty focuses on wholesome, home-cooked Indian meals rather than extreme dieting.
Ayurvedic Rituals: Her day starts with practices like Noni juice, warm water, and oil pulling for detox and wellness.
Healthy Fats are Key: She incorporates beneficial fats like ghee and coconut oil into her daily diet for sustained energy and health.
Early, Light Dinners: Following the mantra of a pauper's dinner, she prefers an early and light evening meal.
The Power of Indulgence: Weekly cheat days allow her to satisfy cravings and maintain motivation for her disciplined routine.
Swapping for Brown: She consciously replaces white, refined products like sugar, rice, and bread with their healthier brown alternatives.

For over two decades, Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty has remained a beacon of health and fitness. Rather than following transient diet fads, her philosophy revolves around mindful eating, moderation, and nourishing her body with wholesome, traditional Indian foods. Her comprehensive approach, detailed in her book The Great Indian Diet, emphasizes a simple, practical, and sustainable lifestyle that is accessible to everyone. The answer to "What does Shilpa Shetty eat?" lies in understanding this holistic perspective.

Shilpa Shetty's Daily Meal Plan

Morning Rituals

Shilpa's day begins with cleansing and energizing routines. She wakes up and drinks a glass of lukewarm water with a few drops of Noni juice, which she considers an energy booster. This is often followed by the Ayurvedic practice of oil pulling with cold-pressed coconut oil, which she performs for about 5 to 10 minutes. On some days, she substitutes this with a detoxifying drink made from aloe vera juice, tulsi leaves, jaggery, and ginger.

Breakfast

As a strong believer in the importance of breakfast, Shilpa never skips this meal. Her morning meal is usually quick, simple, and high in fiber. Options include:

A bowl of oats or muesli mixed with fresh fruits like apples and mangoes, and almond milk.
A smoothie made with almond milk, banana, oats, honey, and seasonal fruits.
Two eggs with whole wheat toast and avocado. She uses natural sweeteners like honey, jaggery, or coconut sugar instead of refined white sugar.

Lunch

Shilpa's lunch is her heaviest meal of the day and consists of nutritious and balanced home-cooked food. A typical plate includes:

Brown rice or a chapati made from multigrain flour.
A generous serving of dal (lentils) and a vegetable dish.
A protein source such as chicken or fish curry.
A simple salad of cucumber and carrots.
A tablespoon of ghee is always included to provide healthy fats. She also sometimes opts for a "Yogi Bowl," which is a one-bowl meal combining grains, greens, and protein.

Evening Snack

Her evening snack is designed to prevent long gaps between meals. It is kept light and nutritious, often including:

Tea with a brown bread sandwich or eggs.
A handful of roasted makhanas or walnuts and raisins.
Crackers with a low-fat hummus or avocado dip.

Dinner

Shilpa adheres to the mantra of eating dinner like a pauper. She eats her last meal early, preferably before 7:30 p.m.. The meal is light on carbohydrates and features:

Mixed vegetable or chicken soup.
Grilled or stir-fried chicken or fish with sautéed vegetables.
On some occasions, moong dal chillas with salad.

The Power of Indulgence: The Sunday Binge

Shilpa Shetty’s diet plan is not about deprivation; it's about balance. Her famous "Sunday Binge" videos on Instagram showcase her designated cheat day, where she indulges in her favorite comfort foods like cakes, kulfi, and jalebis without guilt. This practice is key to maintaining her motivation and discipline throughout the week, reminding her followers that a healthy lifestyle is sustainable and enjoyable.

Wholesome vs. Processed: A Comparison Table


Food Category	Shilpa Shetty's Wholesome Choice	Processed Alternative She Avoids
Sweeteners	Jaggery, honey, coconut sugar	White refined sugar
Grains	Brown rice, multigrain chapati, oats	White rice, white bread
Fats	Ghee, coconut oil, avocado	Refined vegetable oils, fried foods
Snacks	Roasted makhana, nuts, hummus	Packaged snacks, chips

The Importance of Lifestyle and Wellness

Shilpa Shetty's diet is not a standalone plan; it's part of a broader wellness philosophy. She emphasizes regular exercise, with a routine that combines yoga, weight training, and cardio. Adequate hydration is crucial, and she drinks 3 to 4 liters of water daily to maintain metabolism and aid detoxification. Furthermore, she highlights the importance of mental wellness through yoga, meditation, and a positive mindset.

Conclusion

By focusing on simple, wholesome, and nutrient-dense foods, Shilpa Shetty has created a sustainable eating plan that promotes health and vitality. Her diet, which is deeply rooted in Indian culinary traditions and Ayurvedic principles, proves that a healthy lifestyle can be both nourishing and enjoyable. The discipline of clean eating most of the week, combined with the psychological benefit of a planned cheat day, offers a balanced and realistic approach to wellness. For anyone looking to emulate her enduring fitness, following her lead by embracing whole foods and mindful habits is a great place to start.

To learn more about her holistic approach, you can explore her book The Great Indian Diet, which she co-authored with nutritionist Luke Coutinho.

Frequently Asked Questions

Shilpa Shetty begins her day with a glass of lukewarm water and Noni juice. She sometimes opts for an Ayurvedic detox drink with aloe vera juice, tulsi, and ginger.

Yes, Shilpa Shetty advocates for healthy fats and regularly includes a tablespoon of ghee with her lunch.

She prefers to eat an early and light dinner before 7:30 p.m. Her dinner often consists of soup, grilled protein like fish or chicken, and vegetables, with a limited intake of carbohydrates.

Yes, she dedicates one day a week, typically Sunday, to indulging in her favorite foods. This practice helps her maintain a healthy balance.

She avoids processed foods, fried items, white sugar, and refined white products like bread and rice.

No, she considers breakfast the most important meal and never skips it, opting for quick, high-fiber options like oats or eggs.

The key is a holistic and balanced approach that combines mindful eating of wholesome, traditional Indian foods with regular exercise, hydration, and mindful indulgence.