What’s on Your Plate Could Be the Problem: Karnataka Health Minister Talks Food Risks and Reform on Good Food Talks

Mumbai, 21 June 2025: Akshayakalpa Organic, India’s first certified organic dairy brand, has launched a powerful new episode of its flagship video podcast series Good Food Talks, featuring Shri Dinesh Gundu Rao, Hon’ble Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka.

‘Good Food Talks‘ is envisioned as a podcast series where thought leaders, industry experts, and health enthusiasts can express their opinions on the changing world of food and wellness. Each episode brings audiences closer to understanding how mindful consumption, local produce, and transparent food systems can shape a healthier future for all. In this episode, Shri Dinesh Gundu Rao reflects on the role of schools, government policy, and consumer action in transforming the way India eats.

The Karnataka Health Minister pointed out that increasing trends in childhood diabetes, obesity, and other non-communicable diseases are associated with changes in lifestyles and choices of foods. He therefore calls for more public education, healthier eating environments, and policies that support transparency and accountability within the food system. He also suggested that consumers should be the first to demand the change and reinforced that making a mental shift is very necessary to bring a lasting impact.

Speaking in the podcast, Shri Dinesh Gundu Rao, Hon’ble Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Karnataka, stated, “Preventive healthcare is not just a policy ambition—it has to become a people’s movement. What we eat determines how we live, and today’s youth are becoming powerful agents of that change. When children ask what’s in their food, they influence entire families. We need to empower this shift by demanding food transparency, correcting misleading advertising, and encouraging local, unprocessed, nutrient-rich diets. A healthy future starts with what we choose to put on our plates today.”

The Minister also appreciated the efforts made by CBSE schools in installing ‘sugar boards’ to make students aware of sugar levels in processed foods and urged schools across India to take similar steps. He also called for stronger regulations, such as warning labels on unhealthy food products, and flagged major risks such as food adulteration, misinformation, and misleading advertising as significant public health concerns. He added that women’s health, across all stages of life and a girl child must receive higher priority in both public and household nutrition policies.

Sharing his vision for driving awareness and supporting informed consumer choices, Shashi Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of Akshayakalpa Organic, stated, “We are proud to host leaders like Shri Gundu Rao who are willing to speak boldly about the systemic changes needed in how we view food and health. His message validates our mission—creating not just clean food, but also conscious consumers. At Akshayakalpa Organic, we believe that when people understand the source and story behind what they eat, they make choices that are better for their health, their families, and the planet.”

As India faces rising health challenges rooted in poor dietary choices and food misinformation, conversations like these offer a timely and necessary push toward awareness, responsibility, and reform. Good Food Talks continues to be a platform where science, policy, and personal experience come together to shape a healthier tomorrow. With leaders like Shri Dinesh Gundu Rao joining the dialogue, Akshayakalpa Organic reaffirms its commitment to empowering consumers to make conscious choices—for their families, their communities, and the planet.