As artificial intelligence tools become part of our everyday routines, they are now influencing everything from travel planning to fitness routines and even what we eat. Many people are turning to AI for quick weight-loss diet plans, instant recipe ideas, and personalised nutrition guidance. But how reliable are these tech-generated suggestions? And should we trust AI with something as personal as what we eat? Here's what nutrition experts, as well as ChatGPT, have to say on this.
"Let AI Simplify Information; Let Nutritionists Personalise It"
Consultant Nutritionist Rupali Dutta believes that AI can be extremely useful - but only to a point. She says, "AI is a powerful tool for information; AI can guide, but it cannot replace clinical judgment. For personalised food choices, especially in health conditions, a nutritionist's expertise remains essential. Let AI simplify information; let nutritionists personalise it. True dietary care happens where technology meets clinical expertise."
Do We Question The Relevance Of What AI Says?
PhD Nutritionist Dr Nicheta Bhatia points out that while AI is impressive, it has limitations. She explains, "AI is undoubtedly smart and one of the fastest ways to get answers to our endless questions. But have we ever paused to think about the quality and relevance of those answers? Often, the information we receive is generic or random. Relying too heavily on such inputs can gradually limit a person's own reasoning abilities."
Advantages Of Using AI-Powered Nutrition Apps
According to Dr Bhatia, AI offers several conveniences. She says AI can reduce the time spent on meal planning. While traditional recipe searches require users to calculate calories, track ingredients, and adjust meals, "AI-powered nutrition apps can streamline all of this with built-in trackers."
These tools may be useful for:
- General dietary planning
- Basic weight management
- Simple lifestyle concerns
However, she stresses that in many situations, AI can also mislead.
When Not To Use AI For Food Choices
Nutrition advice for chronic or complex conditions cannot be automated, says Dr Bhatia.
People with serious health conditions require specialised, personalised diet counselling. These conditions include:
- Diabetes
- Cardiac disorders
- PCOD
- Long-standing acidity
- Hypothyroidism
- Cancer
These conditions involve deeper lifestyle assessments and emotional factors like stress, which AI simply cannot address.
Risks Of Using AI Without Expert Guidance
Dr Bhatia warns that nutrition is deeply personal: "Every person has a unique relationship with food - their behaviour, preferences, understanding, and acceptance vary widely."
When someone is already dealing with health problems, their nutritional needs become even more specific. The risk with AI-generated plans is that they may be too general - and potentially harmful.
Following random AI diet suggestions, she notes, may lead to:
- Muscle weakness
- Calcium deficiency
- Acidity
- Epigastric pain
- Migraines and headaches
- Fatigue
- Poor sleep
- Irritable bowel symptoms
Her conclusion is simple: Use AI as a helpful tool - not as an expert.
"Here's What I, As ChatGPT, Genuinely Think..."
Even ChatGPT agrees that it should not be the one deciding your meals.
Here is its own view: "AI is great at giving options - fast, diverse, and sometimes surprisingly creative. But I don't think I should be the one deciding what you eat. Food is deeply personal: it depends on taste, mood, culture, health, timing, and even emotions. I can analyse data, but I don't feel hunger, comfort, cravings, or satisfaction - and those matter in food choices."
ChatGPT adds: "I should help you explore, inform you, warn you when something is unhealthy, offer balanced guidance, and give you ideas you may not have considered. But the final choice should always come from you - your body, your context, your lifestyle."
As it puts it, "Think of me as a smart guide, not the eater."
