Global superstar Priyanka Chopra Jonas, despite achieving massive success in both Bollywood and Hollywood, remains deeply connected to her Indian middle-class roots through one simple food habit that she cannot abandon.
The Achaar Confession
During an earlier conversation with East India Comedy, the Heads of State actress revealed her enduring love for traditional Indian pickles. When asked about middle-class habits she hasn't been able to discard, Chopra immediately responded: "Achaar with all my food. I have achaar with sandwiches also."
This candid admission, made in November 2025, shows how the actress maintains her desi girl identity despite her international fame and luxurious lifestyle.
Nutritional Benefits of Achaar
According to Reema Kinjalkar, a nutritionist at Urban Platter, pickles offer numerous health advantages that might surprise many people. Pickles are low in calories and provide multiple health benefits including reducing inflammation, boosting immunity, regulating gut function, and improving nutrient absorption.
Kinjalkar explained that pickles not only enhance food flavor but also aid digestion while providing essential minerals and vitamins necessary for overall health.
Gut Health Powerhouse
The most significant benefit of achaar lies in its impact on digestive health. "They provide the body with healthy bacteria, which makes it easy to produce vitamins like B12, while ensuring your gut is not colonised by pathogens or the bad bacteria," Kinjalkar added.
The nutritionist further elaborated that pickles create acidic fermentation by-products in the body that lower the intestine's pH level, making it difficult for harmful bacteria to survive. The good bacteria in achaar secrete anti-microbial proteins that eliminate bad bacteria and boost body immunity.
In today's fast-paced lifestyle dominated by packaged and processed foods, homemade achaar helps restore gut microbiota diversity and strength. "The 'live' bacteria in homemade achaar help restore the diversity and strength of the gut microbiota, accelerate fat burning and increase insulin sensitivity," she emphasized.
Deepalakshmi, a registered dietitian at Shree Balaji Medical Centre in Chennai, highlighted how various ingredients in pickles enhance their functionality. Mustard oil, commonly used as a base in most pickles, acts as a natural preservative while providing healthy fats with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits.
Traditional digestive spices like saunf (fennel seeds), dhania (coriander seeds), and jeera (cumin seeds) help ease bloating and stimulate digestive enzymes. Chili brings capsaicin that enhances metabolism and supports circulation, while chaat masala adds tangy flavor.
Consumption Guidelines
Despite the benefits, Deepalakshmi cautioned about moderation since pickles contain high salt content. For most healthy individuals, 1-2 teaspoons of achaar, consumed 3-4 times weekly, represents an ideal amount to enjoy its advantages.
She recommended pairing achaar with meals like dal, rice, or roti rather than eating it on an empty stomach. Proper storage in clean glass jars under refrigeration after fermentation is crucial, and pickles should be discarded if mold appears or unpleasant odors develop.
When prepared hygienically and consumed mindfully, Deepalakshmi confirmed that pickles become a probiotic-rich, digestion-friendly addition that naturally supports gut health while adding wholesome zing to everyday meals.
The nutritionists emphasized consulting healthcare practitioners before making significant dietary changes, reminding everyone that traditional foods like achaar, when consumed properly, can contribute meaningfully to maintaining health while keeping cultural connections alive.
