How WhatsApp Is the New Kitchen Guru (And That’s a Problem)
Ritika | Sep 01, 2025, 15:30 IST
( Image credit : Timeslife )
Highlight of the story: From turmeric cures for cancer to “don’t eat noodles, they stay in your stomach for months,” WhatsApp forwards have quietly invaded our kitchens. This article explores how misinformation travels through messages, how it shapes what we eat, and why our parents, grandparents, and even we ourselves fall for it. It’s not just about food, it’s about trust, love, fear, and the way technology sneaks into our dinner plates.
One day I was sitting at my dining table, happily admiring my cooking skills as I made a bowl of Maggi for myself and was about to take the first bite of a noodle I was so fond of when suddenly my mom entered, dramatically, with her face concerned and the phone in her hand lit with a WhatsApp picture and a message accusing my favourite snack to be made of plastic. “Don’t eat that,” she warns. “I just read that noodles have plastic in them. Someone’s child ate it and had to go to the hospital.”
Sounds familiar? If you grew up in an Indian household (or honestly anywhere with WhatsApp), you’ve probably been fed food choices garnished with forwarded “facts.” These forwards don’t just change what ends up on our plates; they shape the way we think about health, illness, and love.
This is what I call the WhatsApp Forward Diet: 'the uninvited guest at every Indian kitchen table.'
Before we laugh at our parents for believing “turmeric in warm water cures everything from flu to heartbreak,” let’s pause. Why do forwards spread so easily, especially around food?
Trust Factor: Most forwards don’t come from strangers. They originate from your mother's sister, your neighbor, or your colony group. And if the origin is from someone you trust, the message seems credible, even when it isn't.Fear Factor: Messages are written under the guise of urgency, "forward this before it gets deleted," "doctors don't want you to know this thing." Fear makes us act without checking.Hope Factor: Food is tied to healing and care. To hear a forward proclaim, "papaya leaves cure dengue," is to receive a free miracle that might just save a loved one.So, the reason why misinformation spreads is not that people are “stupid”. It actually spreads because it hits emotions harder than facts ever do.
Here are some “recipes” that have been circulating in the Forward Diet for years:
Noodles are plastic: Remember the viral video of someone burning a noodle strand with a lighter? It was shared as “proof” that Maggi is made of plastic. In reality, starch burns like that, too. But households banned Maggi overnight.Bananas after milk are poisonous: Shared in health groups, this forward scared countless people away from banana shakes. In truth, Ayurveda warns of indigestion, but it’s far from “poison.”Red Fanta = pure cancer: A viral image claimed a man in Kerala got cancer after drinking too much Fanta. Zero medical proof, yet sales dipped in some places.Papaya leaves cure dengue: Families across India forced bitter papaya leaf juice down patients’ throats. While papaya helps in immunity, it’s not a cure.Microwave food = cancer: Forwards say microwaving “kills nutrients and adds radiation.” Science disagrees. Microwaving is often gentler than boiling.Turmeric and hot water cure everything: While haldi is a powerful anti-inflammatory, the WhatsApp version elevates it to “instant cancer cure.”Notice the trend? Every forward is either trying to ban a food out of fear or promote a food as a miracle. And families rewire diets accordingly.
Not everyone is equally vulnerable to food misinformation. Let’s break it down:
1. Parents and Grandparents: They grew up trusting word-of-mouth wisdom. WhatsApp forwards feel like digital “gossip of the mohalla.” Plus, their protective instinct makes them act quickly, especially if the forward is about kids’ health.
2. Young Mothers: Parenting groups on WhatsApp are breeding grounds for myths. “Don’t give your baby packaged food, it’s full of hormones” spreads faster than any verified advice.
3. Middle-aged Adults: This group is terrified of lifestyle diseases. So forwards about “eating garlic to reduce cholesterol” or “soaked almonds reversing diabetes” hook them instantly.
4. Teenagers and Young Adults: While they often mock the forwards, TikTok/Reels versions of the same misinformation reach them, too. “Detox juices,” “lemon water melts fat”, are all modern forms of the same myths.
In short, misinformation adapts to its audience like a clever salesman.
1. The Oil Ban: A family in Delhi stopped using refined oil after a viral message claimed “refined oil is slow poison.” They switched to ghee-only cooking, which spiked cholesterol levels in the father. A doctor later traced the habit back to “something my cousin forwarded.”
2. The Maggi Breakup: Back in 2015, remember when Maggi was accused of containing lead? WhatsApp forwards back then played a major role in adding fuel to the fire by amplifying the panic amongst people. Hostellers cried. Kids sulked. Sales dropped by 80%. For months, Indian kitchens felt empty without that 2-minute snack.
3. The Lemon Water Fad: A friend of mine swore by “hot lemon water every morning melts belly fat.” She drank it religiously for a year. No transformation, just acidity. When I asked why she kept at it, she said, “Because my aunt forwards it daily. It must work.”
These aren’t just funny incidents. They show how deeply forwards sit in our kitchens, our habits, and even our health outcomes.
If you think about it, most of these messages are shared not out of malice but out of care.
A grandmother forwards “drink ajwain water for cough” because she wants her grandson to be healthy.
A father shares, “Avoid Coke, it causes kidney failure,” because he fears losing his child to bad habits.
An uncle pushes “soaked raisins cure anemia” because he wants to help without expensive medicines.
So, while the facts may be wrong, the emotion is right. That’s why scolding our parents for believing forwards never works, it feels like scolding their love.
The WhatsApp Forward Diet isn’t harmless. It has real consequences:
Delayed Medical Care: People try papaya leaves for dengue instead of going to a hospital.Nutritional Imbalance: Fear-based bans (like “don’t eat tomatoes, they cause kidney stones”) cut essential nutrients from diets.Emotional Stress: Constant messages about “poison in packaged food” create guilt every time someone eats something “unhealthy.”Public Panic: Maggi ban is the biggest example, misinformation amplified fear far beyond science.What starts as “just a forward” can end up shaping entire food cultures.
So what do we do? The goal isn’t to mock or fight with loved ones, but to shift the recipe of information in our kitchens.
Pause Before Sharing: If a message says “forward to 10 people,” it’s probably fake.Check the Source: Does the message cite WHO, ICMR, or a proper medical journal, or just “scientists say”?Talk with Kindness: Instead of saying “Stop believing this crap,” say, “Let’s check together. If it’s true, it’s helpful. If not, at least we know.”Encourage Digital Literacy: Teaching parents how to Google “Is papaya leaves a dengue cure site:.gov” empowers them.Celebrate Real Wisdom: Distinguish between genuine traditional remedies (like haldi doodh for colds) and exaggerated ones. Respect builds trust.
The WhatsApp Forward Diet is here to stay because it isn’t just about food; it’s about family, care, fear, and love. Our mothers, fathers, and grandparents forward those messages not to mislead us, but to protect us. The problem is, misinformation sneaks in dressed as care.
The challenge isn’t to delete these messages from their phones but to replace them with better ones. Imagine a future where the same energy of sharing becomes about recipes, verified health tips, and food joy, not fear.
So the next time your mom tells you not to eat Maggi because “it has plastic,” don’t laugh. Sit with her, search together, and gently remind her: “Facts ka masala dalke forward karo, mom. That’s the recipe I’ll actually eat.”
Explore the latest trends and tips in Health & Fitness, Spiritual, Travel, Life Hacks, Trending, Fashion & Beauty, and Relationships at Times Life!
Sounds familiar? If you grew up in an Indian household (or honestly anywhere with WhatsApp), you’ve probably been fed food choices garnished with forwarded “facts.” These forwards don’t just change what ends up on our plates; they shape the way we think about health, illness, and love.
This is what I call the WhatsApp Forward Diet: 'the uninvited guest at every Indian kitchen table.'
1. The Anatomy of a Forward: Why We Believe So Easily
Whatsapp application
( Image credit : Pixabay )
Before we laugh at our parents for believing “turmeric in warm water cures everything from flu to heartbreak,” let’s pause. Why do forwards spread so easily, especially around food?
Trust Factor: Most forwards don’t come from strangers. They originate from your mother's sister, your neighbor, or your colony group. And if the origin is from someone you trust, the message seems credible, even when it isn't.Fear Factor: Messages are written under the guise of urgency, "forward this before it gets deleted," "doctors don't want you to know this thing." Fear makes us act without checking.Hope Factor: Food is tied to healing and care. To hear a forward proclaim, "papaya leaves cure dengue," is to receive a free miracle that might just save a loved one.So, the reason why misinformation spreads is not that people are “stupid”. It actually spreads because it hits emotions harder than facts ever do.
2. A Kitchen Full of Rumors: The Most Common WhatsApp Food Myths
Woman looking at a WhatsA
( Image credit : Unsplash )
Here are some “recipes” that have been circulating in the Forward Diet for years:
Noodles are plastic: Remember the viral video of someone burning a noodle strand with a lighter? It was shared as “proof” that Maggi is made of plastic. In reality, starch burns like that, too. But households banned Maggi overnight.Bananas after milk are poisonous: Shared in health groups, this forward scared countless people away from banana shakes. In truth, Ayurveda warns of indigestion, but it’s far from “poison.”Red Fanta = pure cancer: A viral image claimed a man in Kerala got cancer after drinking too much Fanta. Zero medical proof, yet sales dipped in some places.Papaya leaves cure dengue: Families across India forced bitter papaya leaf juice down patients’ throats. While papaya helps in immunity, it’s not a cure.Microwave food = cancer: Forwards say microwaving “kills nutrients and adds radiation.” Science disagrees. Microwaving is often gentler than boiling.Turmeric and hot water cure everything: While haldi is a powerful anti-inflammatory, the WhatsApp version elevates it to “instant cancer cure.”Notice the trend? Every forward is either trying to ban a food out of fear or promote a food as a miracle. And families rewire diets accordingly.
3. Who Eats These Forwards the Most? Target Audiences of Misinformation
Women looking for nutriti
( Image credit : Pexels )
Not everyone is equally vulnerable to food misinformation. Let’s break it down:
1. Parents and Grandparents: They grew up trusting word-of-mouth wisdom. WhatsApp forwards feel like digital “gossip of the mohalla.” Plus, their protective instinct makes them act quickly, especially if the forward is about kids’ health.
2. Young Mothers: Parenting groups on WhatsApp are breeding grounds for myths. “Don’t give your baby packaged food, it’s full of hormones” spreads faster than any verified advice.
3. Middle-aged Adults: This group is terrified of lifestyle diseases. So forwards about “eating garlic to reduce cholesterol” or “soaked almonds reversing diabetes” hook them instantly.
4. Teenagers and Young Adults: While they often mock the forwards, TikTok/Reels versions of the same misinformation reach them, too. “Detox juices,” “lemon water melts fat”, are all modern forms of the same myths.
In short, misinformation adapts to its audience like a clever salesman.
4. Real Stories: When Forwards Entered Our Homes
Taking a picture of food
( Image credit : Unsplash )
1. The Oil Ban: A family in Delhi stopped using refined oil after a viral message claimed “refined oil is slow poison.” They switched to ghee-only cooking, which spiked cholesterol levels in the father. A doctor later traced the habit back to “something my cousin forwarded.”
2. The Maggi Breakup: Back in 2015, remember when Maggi was accused of containing lead? WhatsApp forwards back then played a major role in adding fuel to the fire by amplifying the panic amongst people. Hostellers cried. Kids sulked. Sales dropped by 80%. For months, Indian kitchens felt empty without that 2-minute snack.
3. The Lemon Water Fad: A friend of mine swore by “hot lemon water every morning melts belly fat.” She drank it religiously for a year. No transformation, just acidity. When I asked why she kept at it, she said, “Because my aunt forwards it daily. It must work.”
These aren’t just funny incidents. They show how deeply forwards sit in our kitchens, our habits, and even our health outcomes.
5. The Emotional Recipe: Why Forwards Taste Like Love
A girl eating happily
( Image credit : Unsplash )
If you think about it, most of these messages are shared not out of malice but out of care.
A grandmother forwards “drink ajwain water for cough” because she wants her grandson to be healthy.
A father shares, “Avoid Coke, it causes kidney failure,” because he fears losing his child to bad habits.
An uncle pushes “soaked raisins cure anemia” because he wants to help without expensive medicines.
So, while the facts may be wrong, the emotion is right. That’s why scolding our parents for believing forwards never works, it feels like scolding their love.
6. The Cost of This Diet: When Misinformation Becomes Dangerous
A girl looking in phone
( Image credit : Unsplash )
The WhatsApp Forward Diet isn’t harmless. It has real consequences:
Delayed Medical Care: People try papaya leaves for dengue instead of going to a hospital.Nutritional Imbalance: Fear-based bans (like “don’t eat tomatoes, they cause kidney stones”) cut essential nutrients from diets.Emotional Stress: Constant messages about “poison in packaged food” create guilt every time someone eats something “unhealthy.”Public Panic: Maggi ban is the biggest example, misinformation amplified fear far beyond science.What starts as “just a forward” can end up shaping entire food cultures.
7. The Way Out: Cooking with Facts, Not Forwards
A husband and wife cookin
( Image credit : Unsplash )
So what do we do? The goal isn’t to mock or fight with loved ones, but to shift the recipe of information in our kitchens.
Pause Before Sharing: If a message says “forward to 10 people,” it’s probably fake.Check the Source: Does the message cite WHO, ICMR, or a proper medical journal, or just “scientists say”?Talk with Kindness: Instead of saying “Stop believing this crap,” say, “Let’s check together. If it’s true, it’s helpful. If not, at least we know.”Encourage Digital Literacy: Teaching parents how to Google “Is papaya leaves a dengue cure site:.gov” empowers them.Celebrate Real Wisdom: Distinguish between genuine traditional remedies (like haldi doodh for colds) and exaggerated ones. Respect builds trust.
Rewriting the Forward Menu
The challenge isn’t to delete these messages from their phones but to replace them with better ones. Imagine a future where the same energy of sharing becomes about recipes, verified health tips, and food joy, not fear.
So the next time your mom tells you not to eat Maggi because “it has plastic,” don’t laugh. Sit with her, search together, and gently remind her: “Facts ka masala dalke forward karo, mom. That’s the recipe I’ll actually eat.”
Explore the latest trends and tips in Health & Fitness, Spiritual, Travel, Life Hacks, Trending, Fashion & Beauty, and Relationships at Times Life!