Can consuming stale chapatis for days give you chubby cheeks?

Hyderabad: An Instagram post claims that consuming stale chapatis soaked in milk daily will bless you with chubby cheeks.

The post focuses on the weight-gaining properties of breakfast or diet that include stale chapatis soaked in milk. It should be noted that it’s not necessary for your cheeks to get fuller with weight gain.

If you want to gain weight, you have to eat healthy. Choose and plan your diet with nutrient-dense foods and beverages, like nuts, dried fruit, high fat dairy products, meat, and shakes. To gain weight safely and healthily, focus on eating more nutrient-dense foods and living an overall healthy lifestyle that involves exercising, getting enough sleep, and reducing stress.

Is it safe to have stale chapatis every day? Would you get the apt results?

Fact Check

NewsMeter found the claim to be misleading.

We contacted nutritionist Sujatha Stephen RD, chief nutritionist at Yashoda Hospitals with over 20 years of experience in the field, to debunk the claim.

She said, “No, there are no clinical studies on this. We can’t say if you will get chubby cheeks but you might get ill if you eat stale rotis for days.”

She further added, “It is said that eating stale food which is kept for more than 12 hours can lead to diarrhoea, food poisoning, acidity, and many other problems. Not only this, it is also said reheating stale food may be fatal for health in some cases. To gain weight, one should eat a healthy diet with good amount of protein, and getting good sleep will help in getting chubby cheeks.”

Although consuming stale chapatis soaked in milk sometimes have certain benefits and may help prevent constipation and ensure digestion, it’s not for everyone. People with a sensitive gut and with gluten intolerance will have side effects. Further, they should not be kept for more than 24 hours. Also, the temperature the rotis are stored at is also important.