Shalini Passi’s secret diet for that skin, hair, teeth: A shot of ghee and goat curd

Celery juice, beetroot juice, goat curd, kala chana ka paani… Shalini Passi—the standout star from the Netflix series ‘Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives’—follows a diet that’s as distinctive as the personality she brings to the reality show.
An art collector, philanthropist, socialite, social-media sensation, and now a reality TV star, 49-year-old Passi is all over the Internet for her ostentatious personality that goes beyond her elaborate and vivid sartorial sense. She has emerged as the poster girl of self-love, so much so that she doesn’t even hold grudges against other people because it eventually affects her skin. No wonder she takes her diet seriously. There’s barely any solid food in her daily diet; several juices and soups dominate the day, in fact.
When India Today Digital visited her palatial Delhi home, spread across 20,000 square feet, Passi was sipping kala chana paani from a mug… with a straw, of course.
“I usually start my day with ghee. I drink a shot of ghee. Then, I have almonds and walnuts,” she tells Ananya Bhattacharya, Editor, Features, India Today Digital, in an exclusive interview.
This is followed by beetroot juice mixed with amla and ginger.
“I also have celery juice, red juice, and sprout juice, which is basically sprouted seeds pulped without straining,” she says. Chewing two bowls of sprouts can be quite a task, right? To overcome that, she came up with the idea of juicing it all up.
The juice spree continues as she also drinks capsicum juice, made using different bell peppers. Avocado, a health powerhouse, is also a part of Shalini Passi’s diet.
Watch the full interview here:
Later in the day, Passi treats herself to a ragi or jowar chilla (earlier she used to have a roti, but it was too dry).
From 4 to 6 pm every day, she works out – one hour of dance followed by an hour of Pilates and weight training. She takes fresh fruit as her pre-workout meal.
The food scene in the evenings involves a lot of vegetables, but everything in the form of soup.
“I repeat the same vegetables but in soup form, unstrained and thick. This includes spinach and broccoli soup, tomato and capsicum soup, and soups made from vegetables like bhindi (lady finger), lotus stem, peas, and leek,” she tells India Today.
On days when she is not visiting the temple (which she does around 9 pm on a regular basis), Passi eats egg, fish, or chicken for protein.
Then there’s (yes, sounds exotic) goat curd. It’s a staple of Passi’s diet. She has it every day and even takes it with her when travelling to places where it might not be available.
“I have goat curd every day. I want my bones and teeth to be strong,” Passi tells us.
It was for the health of her teeth that she switched to drinking juices and soups with a straw – you saw that on the show too!
“My dentist even asked me once if I’d started chewing paan because my teeth were so stained from the beetroot juice [I was having],” Passi shares.
Passi is so particular about her diet that she takes her own vegetables when travelling to Mumbai.
“Even the lemons don’t taste good there,” Passi quips.
Alcohol is a complete no-no for Passi, but you might see her with a glass of champagne at parties.
“I don’t drink alcohol, but if I’m at a party, I’ll keep a glass of champagne to avoid being repeatedly offered drinks,” she says.
In Passi’s words, she is on a natural high and doesn’t need anything else to feel better. How the day after having alcohol feels – is another reason she detests drinking.
“I feel naturally energised and don’t crave sugar or carbs. When travelling, though, I might treat myself to a favourite cake or dessert,” Passi says.
Is it easy for Passi to follow this restrictive diet? Yes, because she gave up that “taste of the food” bit to be able to focus on work. In Passi’s words: “Sometimes, food becomes a hindrance. For me, food is for sustenance, not for taste.”
Well, welcome to the world of Shalini Passi.
Watch the full interview with Shalini Passi here.