Rajinikanth’s reported advice to avoid “white foods” after 40 has resurfaced, prompting questions about whether everyday ingredients should be removed from the diet.
The nutritional answer is more specific than the colour-based rule suggests. Rice, milk, curd, sugar and salt have different functions and nutritional profiles. Healthy-eating guidance does not group them together as foods everyone should stop consuming at a particular birthday.
What has been reported about his diet?
In a Cinema Vikatan interview covered by The Indian Express, actor Mirnaa described Rajinikanth’s disciplined exercise routine.
Her comments about his food came with an important qualification: she said she had not personally seen what he ate and was repeating what she had heard on set. The account should therefore not be presented as a verified daily meal plan.
His daughter Soundarya subsequently offered her interpretation, suggesting that moderation was the underlying message. She also acknowledged that dietary preferences differ between individuals.
Food colour is not a nutritional category
The World Health Organization recommends a varied diet that meets nutritional needs. Its guidance includes grains, pulses, vegetables, fruit and appropriate sources of protein.
Whole grains are encouraged as carbohydrate sources, but that does not make every serving of white rice unsuitable. The amount eaten and the rest of the meal remain relevant.
For example, rice served alongside vegetables and pulses represents a different meal from a large portion eaten with few accompanying foods.
Milk and curd are different from added sugar
Dairy foods can contribute nutrients, including protein and calcium. Removing them requires attention to how those nutrients will be obtained elsewhere.
Even lactose intolerance does not automatically require avoiding every dairy product. The US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases notes that tolerance varies and some people find yoghurt easier to manage than other milk products.
There is no general reason to classify dairy and added sugar as nutritionally equivalent simply because both can look white.
Salt and free sugars deserve specific limits
WHO recommends that adults consume less than 5 grams of salt daily, equivalent to less than 2 grams of sodium. This includes salt across the diet, not just what is added at the table. Sodium is essential, but excessive intake raises blood pressure and cardiovascular risk.
For free sugars, WHO recommends less than 10% of daily energy intake, with a reduction to 5% or less potentially providing additional benefits. Free sugars include added sugars and those in honey, syrups and fruit juice; they are not the same as every naturally occurring sugar in food.
There is no universal dietary switch at 40
Healthy eating matters before and after 40. WHO’s recommendations do not support eating without limits beforehand and adopting blanket exclusions afterwards.
A more useful approach is to consider nutritional needs, portions, food variety and any diagnosed condition. Personalised restrictions may be appropriate for some people, but a celebrity’s reported routine cannot establish what everyone else needs.
Rajinikanth’s habits can prompt a conversation about discipline. The evidence supports assessing foods by their nutritional role and the overall eating pattern—not their colour.
