RFK Jr adviser says traditional Indian food habits can help fight ultra-processed foods | Health and Wellness News
3 min readMay 16, 2026 08:04 AM IST As India grapples with rising consumption of ultra-processed foods and lifestyle-related diseases, its traditional food practices could hold important lessons for better health, according to Calley Means, senior adviser on food and nutrition to US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Means, a leading voice in the Make America Healthy Again movement, said India’s long-standing emphasis on home-cooked meals, fresh ingredients, fasting and mindful living offers a strong counterpoint to the highly processed diets that now dominate many parts of the world. “Unfortunately, these eating patterns have spread globally, including to countries that historically had much healthier food traditions,” Means said during a virtual interaction with reporters and incoming fellows of the Health Coverage Fellowship at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “The message we are trying to promote is not about pushing one dietary philosophy. It is actually very simple: eat real food.” Responding to a query from The Indian Express on traditional Indian diets, Means said India’s food culture offers …
