Healthy Food - Does it Mean Anything?

Everyone talks about eating healthy, but between diet trends, food fads, and age-old home wisdom, the term “healthy” can mean anything… or nothing. This survey takes a playful yet probing look at how we define, choose, and believe in what we call ‘healthy food.’

Step 1 of 4

Section 1: What Does “Healthy Food” Even Mean to You?

This section uncovers popular perceptions—often a spicy mix of WhatsApp forwards, celebrity diets, and grandma’s advice!

Q1: When you hear “healthy food,” what’s the first image that pops into your head?

A salad with no oil, no spice, and no fun.

Daal, roti, sabzi—like what maa served at lunch.

Depends—what are we comparing it with?

Section 1: What Does “Healthy Food” Even Mean to You?

This section uncovers popular perceptions—often a spicy mix of WhatsApp forwards, celebrity diets, and grandma’s advice!

Q2: Do you think the same food can be healthy for one person and unhealthy for another?

Nope, healthy is healthy. What’s good for one is good for all.

Maybe… like my dadi thrives on ghee, but I get acne.

100% yes. Food health depends on the person, time, and context.

Section 1: What Does “Healthy Food” Even Mean to You?

This section uncovers popular perceptions—often a spicy mix of WhatsApp forwards, celebrity diets, and grandma’s advice!

Q3: What makes food “unhealthy” in your opinion?

Too much oil, sugar, and salt.

The chemicals and processing, more than taste or fat.

It’s all about quantity. Even healthy food can harm in excess.

Section 1: What Does “Healthy Food” Even Mean to You?

This section uncovers popular perceptions—often a spicy mix of WhatsApp forwards, celebrity diets, and grandma’s advice!

Q4: Have you ever labeled something unhealthy just because it didn’t “look” right?

Yes, if it’s not shiny or packaged well, I avoid it.

Maybe, but I’m open to learning.

Never. I trust my nose and instinct more.

Section 2: What Happens at the Farm – Can Health Be Grown?

Dive straight into the heart of the matter. Where health truly begins: the farm. We're asking not just what is grown, but how it’s grown and whether that really affects how “healthy” your food is. Spoiler: it does. Hugely.

Q5: Do you think all food, when freshly harvested from the farm, is naturally healthy?

Yes! Nature doesn’t make junk.

Not really. If it’s grown in bad soil with chemicals, it’s already compromised.

Depends on who grew it and how.

Section 2: What Happens at the Farm – Can Health Be Grown?

Q6: Can farmers make food healthier through how they grow it?

Come on, food is food. You can’t grow protein magically.

Yes, like using compost, growing diverse crops, avoiding chemicals.

I think storage, harvesting time, and sun exposure matter too.

Section 2: What Happens at the Farm – Can Health Be Grown?

Q7: Ever thought that “healthy farming” can make even a boring vegetable more nutritious?

Ummm... a karela is still a karela.

Yes, I’ve tasted organic lauki that didn’t make me cry.

Yes. Fertile soil = happy plant = better food.

Section 2: What Happens at the Farm – Can Health Be Grown?

Q8: If given a choice, would you buy a “visibly ordinary” vegetable from a local farmer or a glossy supermarket one with sticker labels?

Glossy one. I trust packaging more than claims.

Depends. Who grew it and what story comes with it?

Local and ordinary, every single time.

Section 3: Coarse vs. Fine – Are Grains Guilty or Glorious?

Bajra battles maida, ragi throws shade at rice, and nutritionists make you feel guilty about parathas on a Sunday. But seriously, this is where misinformation, food snobbery, and half-baked health advice collide in your kitchen. Let’s break it down, survey-style – cheeky, chatty, and full of atta-flour wisdom.

Q9: When you hear “coarse grains” like millets, jowar, bajra — what’s the first image in your head?

Old people, rustic villages, and dry roti you need to gulp with buttermilk.

Superfood! Fibre, iron, slow carbs, and planet-friendly vibes.

It’s food. If made well, it’s tasty. If not, it’s cement.

Section 3: Coarse vs. Fine – Are Grains Guilty or Glorious?

Q10: What do you think is the biggest nutritional difference between fine and coarse grains?

Fibre. Coarse grains make you go to the loo like clockwork.

Minerals and micronutrients – iron, zinc, B12 etc.

Calories. Coarse grains are “lighter,” right?

Section 3: Coarse vs. Fine – Are Grains Guilty or Glorious?

Q11: Why do you think fine grains became more popular over the years?

Because they cook faster and look prettier.

Marketing and colonial hangover. Millets were seen as poor people’s food.

My mom just cooked it, I never questioned.

Section 3: Coarse vs. Fine – Are Grains Guilty or Glorious?

Q12: Have you ever had a millet dish that actually made you go “YUMMM”?

Nope. It felt like chewing on cardboard.

Yes! Foxtail millet khichdi with ghee. I was surprised!

Not sure. I might’ve eaten one at a wedding buffet but didn’t know what it was.

Section 4: Acid, Alkaline & Ash Gourd Gossip – The Forgotten Chemistry of Food?

We stir the pot on pH, potions, and petha (ash gourd). Because when someone tells you “this food is too acidic” or “that one is cooling,” you can’t help but wonder. Is it ancient wisdom, Insta-health trend, or real science? Let’s dive in, one quirky question at a time.

Q13: Have you ever heard someone say, “This food is too acidic” or “This food is cooling” and actually believed it?

Yes, especially from elders — and sometimes I feel it’s true.

Nope, sounds like mumbo-jumbo. Food is food.

I don’t know what it means, but I nod anyway at weddings.

Section 4: Acid, Alkaline & Ash Gourd Gossip – The Forgotten Chemistry of Food?

Q14: Do you know what “alkaline food” actually means?

Something that balances your body’s pH levels.

Something that tastes bitter or bland.

Uhhh… isn’t that just bottled water hype?

Section 4: Acid, Alkaline & Ash Gourd Gossip – The Forgotten Chemistry of Food?

Q15: Ash gourd (petha/safed kaddu/ Loki / Torai) is...

A boring, watery veggie only yogis and ailing uncles eat.

Surprisingly useful! Good in juices, sambhar, and even desserts.

No clue, I always confuse it with bottle gourd.

Section 4: Acid, Alkaline & Ash Gourd Gossip – The Forgotten Chemistry of Food?

Q16: “Bitter = Healthy” – Agree or Nah?

True! Bitter stuff like karela, neem, methi – all great for health.

False! I need tasty + healthy, not trauma in every bite.

I think balance is key – all tastes in moderation.

Section 4: Acid, Alkaline & Ash Gourd Gossip – The Forgotten Chemistry of Food?

Q17: Do you actively seek out “cooling” or “heating” foods in certain seasons (like gourd in summer, sesame in winter)?

Yes! My body feels it. Food needs to sync with seasons.

Not really. I eat what’s tasty and available.

What does “cooling” even mean — like, from the fridge?

Section 5: Who Taught You to Eat Healthy? – Nani, Netflix, or Nutritionist?

who’s been whispering (or shouting!) in our ears about what’s healthy. Spoiler: it could be your Nani with ghee-laced wisdom, a glammed-up influencer munching on kale, or that poster outside a gym saying “No pain, no protein.”

Q18: Where did your earliest ideas of "healthy eating" come from?

My family – especially parents, grandparents, or elders at home.

School and textbooks. Remember that "balanced diet" triangle?

Social media, celebs, diet trends. It’s hard to ignore them!

Section 5: Who Taught You to Eat Healthy? – Nani, Netflix, or Nutritionist?

Q19: When someone says “superfood,” what comes to your mind first?

Things like amla, turmeric, ghee — stuff I’ve seen at home forever.

Chia seeds, quinoa, avocados — all that global glam stuff.

It’s just a marketing label. Eat real food, not taglines.

Section 5: Who Taught You to Eat Healthy? – Nani, Netflix, or Nutritionist?

Q20: If you want to eat healthy today, whose advice do you follow most?

Family traditions – what my elders believed in.

Internet experts – I do my own research.

I mix both. A little of daadi, a little of data.

Section 5: Who Taught You to Eat Healthy? – Nani, Netflix, or Nutritionist?

Q21: Do you think we still have enough real food wisdom in our families, or is it fading?

It’s fading, and fast. We’re losing recipes and rituals.

Some of it remains, but it needs updating with modern science.

Honestly, I never paid attention to what nani said... now I kind of wish I had.

Section 5: Who Taught You to Eat Healthy? – Nani, Netflix, or Nutritionist?

Q22: Do you think AI, apps, and tech tools can help you eat healthier?

Yes! I use them already – calorie counters, diet plans, etc.

Maybe for ideas, but I still trust my gut (literally).

No app can match my mom’s paratha logic.

Section 6: Healthy or Hype – Can You Spot the Real from the Reel?

This section is all about decoding the “health halo” when food looks the part but might just be pretending. Social media is bursting with “gluten-free,” “sugarless,” “zero-fat,” and “natural” buzzwords but are they all saints? Let’s find out...

Q23: What’s your reaction when you see a product labeled “All Natural”?

Oooh nice, I feel better choosing it.

I pause. “Natural” can mean anything.

Doesn’t matter to me. I check ingredients or just eat what I like.

Section 6: Healthy or Hype – Can You Spot the Real from the Reel?

Q24: How do you feel about “low-fat” products?

I buy them often. Less fat = healthier, right?

I look for what fat is used, not just how much.

I prefer full-fat and eat moderately.

Section 6: Healthy or Hype – Can You Spot the Real from the Reel?

Q25: What’s your vibe on “detox drinks,” “fat burners,” or “super cleanses”?

I’ve tried a few. They feel effective – even psychologically.

I’m skeptical. Detox is what kidneys and liver already do!

I stick to warm water and homemade kadha, thank you.

Section 6: Healthy or Hype – Can You Spot the Real from the Reel?

Q26: Do you think food that’s “Instagrammable” is also healthy?

Totally! All those grain bowls and smoothies look so clean.

Not always. Healthy food isn’t always pretty, and vice versa.

I trust my tongue more than filters.

Section 6: Healthy or Hype – Can You Spot the Real from the Reel?

Q27: When someone tells you they’re “eating clean,” what do you think they mean?

No oil, no sugar, no spice – just boiled food and discipline.

More whole foods, fewer packaged things.

It’s vague. “Clean” is not a standard — it’s a feeling!

Section 7: What’s Next for Healthy Eating – Are We Learning or Just Looping?

designed to nudge people into self-reflection on their food journey without sounding preachy. This section explores whether consumers are genuinely evolving in their eating habits or simply swinging between trends and temptations.

Q28: Are your healthy food choices more consistent now than they were five years ago?

Yes, I’ve made long-term changes and stuck to them.

Sort of… I try, then fall off the wagon, then try again.

I’ve stopped trying. Too much information, too little clarity.

Section 7: What’s Next for Healthy Eating – Are We Learning or Just Looping?

Q29: What’s your biggest source of inspiration (or pressure) for eating healthy today?

Health scares or doctor advice

Friends, influencers, and social media trends

Family traditions and common sense food wisdom

Review

Section 1: What Does “Healthy Food” Even Mean to You?

Question :
Q1: When you hear “healthy food,” what’s the first image that pops into your head?

A salad with no oil, no spice, and no fun.

Daal, roti, sabzi—like what maa served at lunch.

Depends—what are we comparing it with?

Your Answer:

Section 1: What Does “Healthy Food” Even Mean to You?

Question :
Q2: Do you think the same food can be healthy for one person and unhealthy for another?

Nope, healthy is healthy. What’s good for one is good for all.

Maybe… like my dadi thrives on ghee, but I get acne.

100% yes. Food health depends on the person, time, and context.

Your Answer:

Section 1: What Does “Healthy Food” Even Mean to You?

Question :
Q3: What makes food “unhealthy” in your opinion?

Too much oil, sugar, and salt.

The chemicals and processing, more than taste or fat.

It’s all about quantity. Even healthy food can harm in excess.

Your Answer:

Section 1: What Does “Healthy Food” Even Mean to You?

Question :
Q4: Have you ever labeled something unhealthy just because it didn’t “look” right?

Yes, if it’s not shiny or packaged well, I avoid it.

Maybe, but I’m open to learning.

Never. I trust my nose and instinct more.

Your Answer:

Section 2: What Happens at the Farm – Can Health Be Grown?

Question :
Q5: Do you think all food, when freshly harvested from the farm, is naturally healthy?

Yes! Nature doesn’t make junk.

Not really. If it’s grown in bad soil with chemicals, it’s already compromised.

Depends on who grew it and how.

Your Answer:

Section 2: What Happens at the Farm – Can Health Be Grown?

Question :
Q6: Can farmers make food healthier through how they grow it?

Come on, food is food. You can’t grow protein magically.

Yes, like using compost, growing diverse crops, avoiding chemicals.

I think storage, harvesting time, and sun exposure matter too.

Your Answer:

Section 2: What Happens at the Farm – Can Health Be Grown?

Question :
Q7: Ever thought that “healthy farming” can make even a boring vegetable more nutritious?

Ummm... a karela is still a karela.

Yes, I’ve tasted organic lauki that didn’t make me cry.

Yes. Fertile soil = happy plant = better food.

Your Answer:

Section 2: What Happens at the Farm – Can Health Be Grown?

Question :
Q8: If given a choice, would you buy a “visibly ordinary” vegetable from a local farmer or a glossy supermarket one with sticker labels?

Glossy one. I trust packaging more than claims.

Depends. Who grew it and what story comes with it?

Local and ordinary, every single time.

Your Answer:

Section 3: Coarse vs. Fine – Are Grains Guilty or Glorious?

Question :
Q9: When you hear “coarse grains” like millets, jowar, bajra — what’s the first image in your head?

Old people, rustic villages, and dry roti you need to gulp with buttermilk.

Superfood! Fibre, iron, slow carbs, and planet-friendly vibes.

It’s food. If made well, it’s tasty. If not, it’s cement.

Your Answer:

Section 3: Coarse vs. Fine – Are Grains Guilty or Glorious?

Question :
Q10: What do you think is the biggest nutritional difference between fine and coarse grains?

Fibre. Coarse grains make you go to the loo like clockwork.

Minerals and micronutrients – iron, zinc, B12 etc.

Calories. Coarse grains are “lighter,” right?

Your Answer:

Section 3: Coarse vs. Fine – Are Grains Guilty or Glorious?

Question :
Q11: Why do you think fine grains became more popular over the years?

Because they cook faster and look prettier.

Marketing and colonial hangover. Millets were seen as poor people’s food.

My mom just cooked it, I never questioned.

Your Answer:

Section 3: Coarse vs. Fine – Are Grains Guilty or Glorious?

Question :
Q12: Have you ever had a millet dish that actually made you go “YUMMM”?

Nope. It felt like chewing on cardboard.

Yes! Foxtail millet khichdi with ghee. I was surprised!

Not sure. I might’ve eaten one at a wedding buffet but didn’t know what it was.

Your Answer:

Section 4: Acid, Alkaline & Ash Gourd Gossip – The Forgotten Chemistry of Food?

Question :
Q13: Have you ever heard someone say, “This food is too acidic” or “This food is cooling” and actually believed it?

Yes, especially from elders — and sometimes I feel it’s true.

Nope, sounds like mumbo-jumbo. Food is food.

I don’t know what it means, but I nod anyway at weddings.

Your Answer:

Section 4: Acid, Alkaline & Ash Gourd Gossip – The Forgotten Chemistry of Food?

Question :
Q14: Do you know what “alkaline food” actually means?

Something that balances your body’s pH levels.

Something that tastes bitter or bland.

Uhhh… isn’t that just bottled water hype?

Your Answer:

Section 4: Acid, Alkaline & Ash Gourd Gossip – The Forgotten Chemistry of Food?

Question :
Q15: Ash gourd (petha/safed kaddu/ Loki / Torai) is...

A boring, watery veggie only yogis and ailing uncles eat.

Surprisingly useful! Good in juices, sambhar, and even desserts.

No clue, I always confuse it with bottle gourd.

Your Answer:

Section 4: Acid, Alkaline & Ash Gourd Gossip – The Forgotten Chemistry of Food?

Question :
Q16: “Bitter = Healthy” – Agree or Nah?

True! Bitter stuff like karela, neem, methi – all great for health.

False! I need tasty + healthy, not trauma in every bite.

I think balance is key – all tastes in moderation.

Your Answer:

Section 4: Acid, Alkaline & Ash Gourd Gossip – The Forgotten Chemistry of Food?

Question :
Q17: Do you actively seek out “cooling” or “heating” foods in certain seasons (like gourd in summer, sesame in winter)?

Yes! My body feels it. Food needs to sync with seasons.

Not really. I eat what’s tasty and available.

What does “cooling” even mean — like, from the fridge?

Your Answer:

Section 5: Who Taught You to Eat Healthy? – Nani, Netflix, or Nutritionist?

Question :
Q18: Where did your earliest ideas of "healthy eating" come from?

My family – especially parents, grandparents, or elders at home.

School and textbooks. Remember that "balanced diet" triangle?

Social media, celebs, diet trends. It’s hard to ignore them!

Your Answer:

Section 5: Who Taught You to Eat Healthy? – Nani, Netflix, or Nutritionist?

Question :
Q19: When someone says “superfood,” what comes to your mind first?

Things like amla, turmeric, ghee — stuff I’ve seen at home forever.

Chia seeds, quinoa, avocados — all that global glam stuff.

It’s just a marketing label. Eat real food, not taglines.

Your Answer:

Section 5: Who Taught You to Eat Healthy? – Nani, Netflix, or Nutritionist?

Question :
Q20: If you want to eat healthy today, whose advice do you follow most?

Family traditions – what my elders believed in.

Internet experts – I do my own research.

I mix both. A little of daadi, a little of data.

Your Answer:

Section 5: Who Taught You to Eat Healthy? – Nani, Netflix, or Nutritionist?

Question :
Q21: Do you think we still have enough real food wisdom in our families, or is it fading?

It’s fading, and fast. We’re losing recipes and rituals.

Some of it remains, but it needs updating with modern science.

Honestly, I never paid attention to what nani said... now I kind of wish I had.

Your Answer:

Section 5: Who Taught You to Eat Healthy? – Nani, Netflix, or Nutritionist?

Question :
Q22: Do you think AI, apps, and tech tools can help you eat healthier?

Yes! I use them already – calorie counters, diet plans, etc.

Maybe for ideas, but I still trust my gut (literally).

No app can match my mom’s paratha logic.

Your Answer:

Section 6: Healthy or Hype – Can You Spot the Real from the Reel?

Question :
Q23: What’s your reaction when you see a product labeled “All Natural”?

Oooh nice, I feel better choosing it.

I pause. “Natural” can mean anything.

Doesn’t matter to me. I check ingredients or just eat what I like.

Your Answer:

Section 6: Healthy or Hype – Can You Spot the Real from the Reel?

Question :
Q24: How do you feel about “low-fat” products?

I buy them often. Less fat = healthier, right?

I look for what fat is used, not just how much.

I prefer full-fat and eat moderately.

Your Answer:

Section 6: Healthy or Hype – Can You Spot the Real from the Reel?

Question :
Q25: What’s your vibe on “detox drinks,” “fat burners,” or “super cleanses”?

I’ve tried a few. They feel effective – even psychologically.

I’m skeptical. Detox is what kidneys and liver already do!

I stick to warm water and homemade kadha, thank you.

Your Answer:

Section 6: Healthy or Hype – Can You Spot the Real from the Reel?

Question :
Q26: Do you think food that’s “Instagrammable” is also healthy?

Totally! All those grain bowls and smoothies look so clean.

Not always. Healthy food isn’t always pretty, and vice versa.

I trust my tongue more than filters.

Your Answer:

Section 6: Healthy or Hype – Can You Spot the Real from the Reel?

Question :
Q27: When someone tells you they’re “eating clean,” what do you think they mean?

No oil, no sugar, no spice – just boiled food and discipline.

More whole foods, fewer packaged things.

It’s vague. “Clean” is not a standard — it’s a feeling!

Your Answer:

Section 7: What’s Next for Healthy Eating – Are We Learning or Just Looping?

Question :
Q28: Are your healthy food choices more consistent now than they were five years ago?

Yes, I’ve made long-term changes and stuck to them.

Sort of… I try, then fall off the wagon, then try again.

I’ve stopped trying. Too much information, too little clarity.

Your Answer:

Section 7: What’s Next for Healthy Eating – Are We Learning or Just Looping?

Question :
Q29: What’s your biggest source of inspiration (or pressure) for eating healthy today?

Health scares or doctor advice

Friends, influencers, and social media trends

Family traditions and common sense food wisdom

Your Answer:

Labels shout “healthy,” but reality often whispers otherwise. Let’s decode the truth before your next ‘guilt-free’ bite fools both your taste buds and your brain.