Chandigarh 20 march 2025 (Punjab Khabarnama Bureau): It’s a good idea to have something more nutritious than a single piece of buttered toast or a cup of coffee to start your day. But should you have poha for breakfast? Sure, it is quick, easy, and filling (not to mention yummy), but according to Ameera Shah, executive chairperson and director of Metropolis Healthcare, ‘poha is not healthy’. In a March 18 episode of Figuring Out With Raj Shamani, she explained the not-so-healthy aspects of poha.
‘Poha is pure rice, hence pure sugar’
While poha is a gluten-free option, since it is made from rice flakes, it can cause a spike in blood sugar levels. Ameera said, “You know poha is supposedly a very healthy breakfast in India. That is something I have never understood. It is all rice flakes, how does poha become healthy? It is pure rice. Rice is pure carbohydrates. Carbs, when they break down in your body, are pure sugar.”
She added, “So actually when you are eating poha for breakfast, you eat rice dal for lunch, you eat a samosa or vada pav in the evening and at night again you eat rice or pasta, it is carbs only. And this is spiking your blood sugar constantly, and those are the things that actually potentially cause you more harm.”
Summary: A doctor claims poha, a popular breakfast dish, is “pure rice” and not as healthy as perceived, sparking debate over its nutritional value.