Soha Ali Khan eats coconut oil-soaked khajur on an empty stomach: Is it a good practice?

It has been six years since Soha Ali Khan “embraced breakfast”. Before that, she does not recall having the said meal. Speaking candidly about her fitness and diet routines, Soha told Curly Tales, “Now, when I wake up, I have a khajur or date that has been soaked overnight in coconut oil.”

Adding, the actor said: “Half an hour later, I have chia pudding with some seasonal fruit, and then I am supposed to go to the gym. If I feel hungry, then I sneak in a dosa.”

Soha, 45, who is a fitness freak, feels her body has changed ever since she has touched the 40s. “In my early 40s, I felt things that had not happened before. For example, I weighed the same for 25 years ever since I turned 18, and now, I am suddenly 2 kilos more, and maybe, that is just my body changing out of a certain age. I felt that I needed to look after myself a little bit. I needed to give extra attention to my body.”

Taking a cue, we reached out to experts to know whether coconut oil-soaked khajur or date, when had on an empty stomach, is good for the body.

 

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Dr Vinoda Kumari, deputy chief medical officer, Jindal Naturecure Institute said that it’s not customary to soak a date or khajur in coconut oil for an entire night. “It might not be a good idea for several reasons. First of all, although dates are naturally sweet and abundant in nutrients, soaking them in coconut oil — a lipid that is high in saturated calories — will greatly increase their calorie content and change their nutritional makeup, which might result in weight gain if taken in excess,” said Dr Kumari.

Further, soaking dates in coconut oil doesn’t always intensify its health benefits. “MCTs, or medium-chain triglycerides, are a kind of fat that has been shown to promote energy levels and brain function. Furthermore, if saturated fat intake is out of balance with other healthy fats, such as those present in coconut oil, it may raise the risk of heart disease,” said Dr Kumari.

Soaking dates in coconut oil may dilute the nutrient content of the dates themselves, urged integrative nutritionist and gut health coach Payal Kothari. “Dates are naturally rich in fibre, vitamins, and minerals, which are beneficial for gut health,” said Kothari.

In general, according to Dr Kumari, it’s not advised to mix dates with coconut oil in this manner and instead to enjoy them individually as part of a balanced diet. “For general health and well-being, it is preferable to use whole, unprocessed foods and use coconut oil sparingly in cooking or as a flavour enhancer,” said Dr Kumari.

Dry dates if soaked in water are easy to digest, and help absorb maximum nutrition from dates, added Dr Kumari.

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