Naidu’s shift from rice to millets has sparked a statewide debate on diabetes, diet and affordability. His health routine and new nutrition push may reshape Andhra’s food culture
Naidu’s daily diet is simple: oats upma or dosa for breakfast, fruits in between, and millets with vegetables for lunch. Dinner is usually chapatis and fruits. His meals are low-calorie and nutrient-dense — tailored to manage his Type-2 diabetes.
His weekly routine is structured too. Monday to Friday is millet-based, while weekends focus on fruits and soups. Examples include ragi mudde on Wednesdays and jowar rotis on Thursdays — a plan aimed at keeping blood sugar levels stable.The CM’s platinum health ring tracks his vitals round the clock — heart rate, BP, oxygen levels, sleep and steps — and sends the data to doctors. Naidu has worn it since 2022 and says it keeps him disciplined and alert.Priced around Rs 20,000 online, the ring works like a compact smartwatch. Naidu says it helps monitor calories and stress levels, and has urged party workers to use similar devices as part of Andhra’s wider health mission. (Image credit – Amazon.in)With diabetes and hypertension rising across the state, Naidu has pushed dietary reforms: limiting monthly salt, sugar and oil intake, promoting millets and unpolished rice, and introducing food education, yoga and daily walking routines.Naidu says these efforts support his ‘Healthy, Wealthy, Happy Andhra’ vision. Tools like the Nutriful app, Ayushman Bharat health IDs and Digital Nerve Centres are helping track diets and improve health monitoring. The state is also encouraging natural farming to reduce chemical exposure.Naidu’s strict routines highlight how seriously he prioritises health, and why he wants the state to shift from rice to millets. But with millets costing nearly triple the price of rice, affordability remains a major barrier. Wider adoption will depend on making them cheaper and more accessible.
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A new debate is trending in Andhra Pradesh after Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu revealed he has stopped eating rice, claiming polished rice is linked to rising Type-2 diabetes cases. His comments at a ‘Raitanna Meekosam’ event have put the spotlight back on daily eating habits.
