Foodies from around the world troop to India for its varied arts and traditions, music and movies, its multifarious cuisines from the simple to the sublime. And who would not visit the birthplace of the spiciest cuisines on the planet? Still, it’s probably fair to say that before the affluence growth in India led to rising numbers of lifestyle diseases such as obesity and diabetes, food, in its abundance, was never a source of worry for most. Now Indians are waking up to the idea that healthier foods and not just hunger-soothing meals might be a better bet, especially for fat burning and efficient energy generation. Enter the ketogenic diet: a whole new world of lifted mood, intense energy and incredible focus. Last week, Keto India, a company founded to promote a ketogenic lifestyle in the country, made an appearance on Shark Tank India, the local version of the popular ‘Dragons’ Den’-style show, hosted by the Mark Cuban of India. The startup was applauded for its innovative products and its vision to bring keto success to the subcontinent.

Keto India’s Shark Tank Pitch

During a recent episode of Shark Tank India – one of the many regional adaptations of the hit US reality TV show Dragon’s Den – the sibling founders of Keto India, a Mumbai-based diet business that produces low-carb, sweet- and sugar-free treats, snacks and meal replacements for the ketogenic (keto) diet, introduced their start-up to a panel of investors. Passionate keto evangelists, both had lost significant weight and experienced soaring energy levels after going keto for health and aesthetic reasons. It wasn’t just an obsession among themselves, they argued – as they made their sales pitch, they pointed out that the popularity of the diet had seen their products fly off the shelves and garner continued interest from new followers. Here was a dietary lifestyle that boasted intense wellness pandering and was known for the delicious indulgence of products that eschewed ‘junk’ carbs while catering to the sweet tooth and taste buds.

The Sharks were immediately fascinated by Keto India’s pitch and the possibilities of the ketogenic diet in India. The founders’ mission to spread awareness about keto and make it accessible to a larger swath of people also captivated them. The investors saw that, as a country, Indians were becoming increasingly more mainstream and health-conscious consumers, and felt that the upcoming trend – and market demand – aligned perfectly with Keto India’s expansion strategy and offerings. After a back-and-forth battle of negotiation, a deal was inked, and Keto India secured their funding for bringing their products to more customers all over the subcontinent.

The Keto Lifestyle in India

However, as it is yet to take hold in the West, it is still a newbie in India. The Keto diet is known for being ‘high fat, moderate protein and very low carb’, which essentially works towards putting your body in a state of ketosis, where your body functions by burning fat as its source of fuel, rather than using carbohydrates. This metabolic process of ketosis could not only result in weight loss, but is also known to be extremely beneficial for your energy levels and blood sugar control. For people who grew up on plates of rice or roti as Indian staples, following a keto lifestyle might seem too restrictive and hard to do in India – or simply too much of an everyday chore. This is where Keto India wants to change that narrative and make Keto India look more appetising and feasible to Indians.

Perhaps one of the biggest hurdles Keto India faces is the education aspect of helping people understand and implement the diet. Many Indians are convinced of the mantra that fat and cholesterol are bad, and that you can’t have a healthy diet without carbohydrates. A high-fat diet ‘will result in heart disease’, Panikkar says. Yet the science indicates that the opposite is true: the keto diet leads to a lower risk of heart disease by reducing inflammation and lowering triglycerides, or blood fats, which are primarily generated from carbohydrate consumption. It’s about helping people understand the science of keto so that they can make their own decisions for themselves.

Bringing Ketogenic Success to the Subcontinent

With the backing of Shark Tank’s producers and investors, as well as an increasing legion of ketoish enthusiasts, Keto India is poised to help bring the ketogenic diet to the subcontinent through new products, an expanded distribution network and partnerships with healthcare professionals committed to improving community health. If the future of food in India is tasty and convenient keto options that provide affordable nourishment for millions of people, then Keto India is well on its way to making the leap. The prevalence of lifestyle diseases in India means people would need an intervention to help undo what years of adverse nutrition and unhealthy lifestyles have done – the keto magic-bullet could just do the trick.

So, the hope is that Keto India’s success in the marketplace and encouragement of others to try the keto lifestyle will result in a more healthy, happy India, one dish at a time. Hema, who has continuing access to the Instagram consultations, had another reason to be glad about the blog’s success and the quality of the keto food on offer: ‘Now, my friends who were initially wary of my carb-free diet wants to visit Keto India too. Finally, I have friends to hang out with!’ With a chef-designed menu that emphasises traditional Indian flavours and keeps things interesting, Keto India proves that keto food does not need to be boring or bland – and that with the right set of mind, encouragement and tools, going keto and staying keto can be a win.

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