What if every meal were a mirror reflecting belief and belonging? In this episode, we dive into the politics simmering beneath our plates. From fab food to fad diets, we explore how food can be both a bridge that brings us together and a weapon of exclusion.

This conversation moves from the plate to the politics, from the intimacy of home kitchens to the hierarchies that shape entire cultures. Jesselina and Anahita discuss food purity, power, and the everyday practices that show how something as intrinsic as eating can reveal who we are and who we’re told to be in South Asia.

It’s layered and maybe a little hard to digest, but that’s exactly the point!

(00:31 ) Daylight Saving and the Doom Feeling

(01:27 ) Champion’s Breakfast

(03:27 ) Fad Diets or Dieticians?

(11:51 ) Are Our Healthier Choices Making Us Boring?

(16:40 ) Food Diversity in Nepal

(19:45 ) The Politics of Food Starts at Home

(26:37 ) Caste, Vegetarianism, and the Politics of Exclusion in Hinduism

(32:52 ) Dr. Ambedkar on Food as a Tool of Hierarchy

(38:58 ) Regional vs. Religious Food Practices(

44:50 ) Economic Liberalization and the Export of High Quality Food: Neocolonialism or Market Standards?

(49:23 ) The Turmeric Biopiracy Case: Neocolonialism Through Legal Standards