People Shake It Off With Liquid Meals
From astronaut food to Instagram smoothies, people are leading a ‘liquid life’ by sipping and drinking their meals, experts warn of health concerns
By : Anushree Chaurasia
Update: 2025-06-08 16:54 GMT
If you are one of those people who has ditched meals and switched over to smoothies, soups, shots and shakes to get into shape, then think twice. In a world obsessed with optimization, liquid meals fit neatly into a lifestyle that values internal performance over external indulgence. But not everyone is sold. Experts have a word of caution.
Drinkable Diets
From mushroom lattes to gut shots and adaptogen cocktails, the culture around liquid nutrition is booming. Luxury broths tout benefits from collagen-boosting to cortisol-balancing. Hyper-nutritious shakes promise a day’s worth of vitamins in a single gulp. On TikTok, Gen Z’s fridge tours show shelves lined with herbal tonics and glass bottles of vibrantly coloured liquids instead of leftovers.
Chef Reetu Uday Kugaji, a culinary expert and consultant, offers a pointed critique, “This is not eating, it’s simply supplementing.” She emphasizes that food in India is not just about fuel — it’s about flavour, memory, and sacred rituals. “In Indian culture,” she explains, “meals are spiritual. Food is offered to deities before it touches our plates. You can’t bottle that sacredness.”
According to her, liquid diets erase sensory experiences fundamental to Indian cuisine. “Where’s the crunch of papad, the aroma of ghee, or the sound of sizzling tadka? We’re losing the warmth of maa ke haath ka khana to a sterile, lab-to-tumbler culture.”
Shakes & Shapes
In the 1950s, astronauts sipped their meals from tubes, and in the 2010s, Silicon Valley’s Soylent promised a tech-bro utopia of efficiency in a bottle. Fast forward to 2025, and liquid meals are back — not as futuristic gimmicks, but as aspirational wellness essentials. Today’s nutrient-packed shakes, broths, and tinctures are luxuriously branded, shared on Instagram, and positioned at the intersection of biohacking, spirituality, and aesthetics. People are not just sipping for survival anymore — they’re sipping for purity, purpose, and productivity.
Tradition vs. Trend
India has a long-standing tradition of healing liquids: kadha, kanji, rasam, and haldi doodh. But as Chef Reetu points out, “These were always part of a balanced diet — not replacements for it.” They were made with intention, guided by Ayurveda, and passed down through generations.
She cautions that today’s commodified wellness shots often mimic traditional recipes without the soul. “We’ve prepared paya soup and haldi doodh for centuries. But now it’s sold back to us at triple the price, rebranded as a ‘superfood.’ We’re losing authenticity and emotional depth.”
Liquid Nutrition Anxiety
Karishmma Chawla, a functional medicine nutritionist, takes a more nuanced view. For her, liquid meals have value — but only as clinical tools. “As a gut expert, I use liquid nutrition with precision, not as a trend,” she says. She explains that elemental diets can calm inflammation and support gut healing — when used thoughtfully. “Bone broth is great for collagen, but a smoothie isn’t a substitute for a meal. Your microbiome thrives on variety — fibre, plant colours, fermented foods. Liquid nutrition is the bridge, not the destination.”
Loss of Food Stories
Behind every Indian meal is a story — of seasons, family, festivals, and intention. As Chef Reetu laments, “When you puree and package everything, you lose the story of the ingredient. A bottle of broth can’t recreate the joy of a hand-cooked meal.” Meals in India are often tied to astrology, body types (doshas), and local harvests. Replacing that with generic green blends risks erasing centuries of cultural and culinary knowledge.
Rooted in Rituals
Chef Reetu shares a traditional recipe to highlight how healing and nourishment can coexist without losing tradition. Her Gajar Ki Kanji, a probiotic winter drink, embodies balance and culture. (See box)
Sip Mindfully
Liquid life isn’t inherently flawed. Functional nutrition has its place — especially in healing. Having a nutritious drink as your meal is not the problem having it as the only meal is. Not only is this entire trend and culture deeply rooted in the ideologies of eating disorders. A healthy body houses a healthy soul and mind.
Food For Thought
Gajar Ki Kanji (Carrot Fermented Drink)
(Serves 8 | Prep Time: 5 mins | Fermentation: 3–5 days)
Ingredients:
• 4 carrots, 1 beetroot (cut into batons)
• 4 tsp salt, 2 tsp black salt
• 2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp asafoetida
• 8 tsp coarsely ground
yellow mustard seeds
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• 3 litre filtered, boiled, lukewarm water
• Muslin cloth (to seal jar)
Method:
1. Mix carrots and beetroot with spices in a sterilized jar.
2. Add lukewarm water, seal with muslin cloth. Place in sunlight for 3–5 days, shaking daily.
3. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving, along with a few carrot pieces.
4. Consume within 3 days for optimal flavour.
From mushroom lattes to gut shots and adaptogen cocktails, the culture around liquid nutrition is booming. Luxury broths tout benefits from collagen-boosting to cortisol-balancing. Hyper-nutritious shakes promise a day’s worth of vitamins in a single gulp. On TikTok, Gen Z’s fridge tours show shelves lined with herbal tonics and glass bottles of vibrantly coloured liquids instead of leftovers.
Chef Reetu Uday Kugaji, a culinary expert and consultant, offers a pointed critique, “This is not eating, it’s simply supplementing.” She emphasizes that food in India is not just about fuel — it’s about flavour, memory, and sacred rituals. “In Indian culture,” she explains, “meals are spiritual. Food is offered to deities before it touches our plates. You can’t bottle that sacredness.”
According to her, liquid diets erase sensory experiences fundamental to Indian cuisine. “Where’s the crunch of papad, the aroma of ghee, or the sound of sizzling tadka? We’re losing the warmth of maa ke haath ka khana to a sterile, lab-to-tumbler culture.”
Shakes & Shapes
In the 1950s, astronauts sipped their meals from tubes, and in the 2010s, Silicon Valley’s Soylent promised a tech-bro utopia of efficiency in a bottle. Fast forward to 2025, and liquid meals are back — not as futuristic gimmicks, but as aspirational wellness essentials. Today’s nutrient-packed shakes, broths, and tinctures are luxuriously branded, shared on Instagram, and positioned at the intersection of biohacking, spirituality, and aesthetics. People are not just sipping for survival anymore — they’re sipping for purity, purpose, and productivity.
Tradition vs. Trend
India has a long-standing tradition of healing liquids: kadha, kanji, rasam, and haldi doodh. But as Chef Reetu points out, “These were always part of a balanced diet — not replacements for it.” They were made with intention, guided by Ayurveda, and passed down through generations.
She cautions that today’s commodified wellness shots often mimic traditional recipes without the soul. “We’ve prepared paya soup and haldi doodh for centuries. But now it’s sold back to us at triple the price, rebranded as a ‘superfood.’ We’re losing authenticity and emotional depth.”
Liquid Nutrition Anxiety
Karishmma Chawla, a functional medicine nutritionist, takes a more nuanced view. For her, liquid meals have value — but only as clinical tools. “As a gut expert, I use liquid nutrition with precision, not as a trend,” she says. She explains that elemental diets can calm inflammation and support gut healing — when used thoughtfully. “Bone broth is great for collagen, but a smoothie isn’t a substitute for a meal. Your microbiome thrives on variety — fibre, plant colours, fermented foods. Liquid nutrition is the bridge, not the destination.”
Loss of Food Stories
Behind every Indian meal is a story — of seasons, family, festivals, and intention. As Chef Reetu laments, “When you puree and package everything, you lose the story of the ingredient. A bottle of broth can’t recreate the joy of a hand-cooked meal.” Meals in India are often tied to astrology, body types (doshas), and local harvests. Replacing that with generic green blends risks erasing centuries of cultural and culinary knowledge.
Rooted in Rituals
Chef Reetu shares a traditional recipe to highlight how healing and nourishment can coexist without losing tradition. Her Gajar Ki Kanji, a probiotic winter drink, embodies balance and culture. (See box)
Sip Mindfully
Liquid life isn’t inherently flawed. Functional nutrition has its place — especially in healing. Having a nutritious drink as your meal is not the problem having it as the only meal is. Not only is this entire trend and culture deeply rooted in the ideologies of eating disorders. A healthy body houses a healthy soul and mind.
Food For Thought
Gajar Ki Kanji (Carrot Fermented Drink)
(Serves 8 | Prep Time: 5 mins | Fermentation: 3–5 days)
Ingredients:
• 4 carrots, 1 beetroot (cut into batons)
• 4 tsp salt, 2 tsp black salt
• 2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp asafoetida
• 8 tsp coarsely ground
yellow mustard seeds
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• 3 litre filtered, boiled, lukewarm water
• Muslin cloth (to seal jar)
Method:
1. Mix carrots and beetroot with spices in a sterilized jar.
2. Add lukewarm water, seal with muslin cloth. Place in sunlight for 3–5 days, shaking daily.
3. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving, along with a few carrot pieces.
4. Consume within 3 days for optimal flavour.