Why is Gurugram Obesity Surgeon warning against heavy dry fruit intake? Check correct daily dose of almonds & walnuts

Dry fruits, the long-celebrated nutritional powerhouse, are not actually the ultimate superfoods they've been marketed as, a Gurugram-based obesity surgeon warned.

In a viral Instagram Reel, Dr Anshuman Kaushal aka social media's The Angry Doc, warned that these “healthy snacks” are actually a “decorated calorie bomb” which is slowly killing your diet.

Dr Anshuman is a Robotic MI Obesity Surgeon at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram and a faculty examiner at the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), according to this LinkedIn profile.

The surgeon said that Indians love raiding the dry fruit box in the kitchen at night, thinking that almonds, cashews and raisins are healthy. But he warned that these nuts actually derail any progress that you make during a calorie-deficient diet.

“It's not healthy! This is a decorated calorie bomb that you're putting in your mouth, thinking it's premium,” Dr Anshuman warned. “Then you look at your stomach and say that my metabolism is slow. Metabolism isn't slow; aapkey haath thore tez hain (your hands are a bit fast).”

The doctor acknowledged that there is nutrition in dry fruits, but he said that the problem is thinking that because it's natural, it's unlimited.

“Natural doesn't mean unlimited,” he said, underscoring the importance of understanding the right dose of each nut.

Check the healthy daily dose of dry fruits, according to Dr Anshuman Kaushal:

Almonds: Five to seven per day.

The obesity surgeon said that although almonds have Vitamin E, magnesium, and LDL, 100 grams of them contain 576 calories. “Your entire lunch is in your fist.”

Walnuts: Two whole, four halves.

Dr Anshuman said walnuts have Omega-3, anti-inflammatory properties and are good for brain health, according to the data of the Nutrient Journal 2020.

Flax or chia seeds: One spoon is enough.

He said that there is enough fibre and Omega-3 required for the human body in one spoon of these seeds. “If you make chia pudding and post it on Instagram, that's not breakfast, that's a photo shoot of 400 calories,” he commented.

Raisins: Avoid

Dr Anshuman called raisins “the impostors” and said that 100 grams of them contain 65 grams of sugar. “This isn't an iron supplement; this is a sugar pill that has worn green colored clothes,” he said. “Eat spinach for iron!”

Cashews: Four to five, once in a while

He warned that cashews are high in saturated fat and are not needed by the body daily.

Dates: “Don't take energy that isn't needed”

Dr Anshuman highlighted that one Medjool date has 16 grams of sugar, and people still consume a handful, thinking of them as an energy source. “This isn't energy; this is a sugar rocket launcher that you called a superfood.”

The Fraud Wing: Sugar-coated dry fruits, honey-roasted almonds, flavoured trail mix

Dr Anshuman strictly warned against these nuts wrapped in flavour and said it is just “candy with gym clothes”. He said that although they are marketed as “natural,” they are full of refined sugar and the consumer's blind trust.

Dr Anshuman Kaushal noted an important pattern — people eat a handful of dry fruits despite knowing these facts. He said it is because of what science calls a “Health Halo effect”.

“When you think something is healthy, you forget about portion control. You eat guilt-free,” he said. “Guilt-free does not mean calorie-free.”

Dr Anshuman said the most dangerous ingredient for obesity is not sugar or fat, it's “overconfidence that you're eating healthy”.

Dr Anshuman's video serves as a wake-up call for the health-conscious people who love a handful of almonds, walnuts and other dry fruits for a quick snack.