After Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Nayanthara was slammed by Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips, known as The Liver Doc, on social media for promoting hibiscus tea. Dr. Philips often debunks alternative medicine theories with scientific evidence.
What Nayanthara wrote
In a now-deleted Instagram post, Nayanthara wrote about the benefits of hibiscus tea, crediting the meal plan created by nutritionist Munmun Ganeriwal. She wrote, “This has to be my most favourite Tea, And the most exciting one in the meal plan curated by the genius @munmun.ganeriwal. It has long been used in Ayurveda. It is high in antioxidants and is helpful in diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart related ailments. It is very cooling for the system hence it is great for those who have acne, heat boils on skin etc.
“Hibiscus tea is great for the monsoon season as it is rich in vitamins and keeps our immune system in equilibrium. It has antibacterial effects that protects from seasonal infection/ illness. P.S. anyone who needs the recipe can check with @munmun.ganeriwal. Stay healthy. Stay happy. (sic)”
What Liver Doc wrote
The Liver Doc addressed her claims with a detailed rebuttal. Taking to X, he criticised Nayanthara for “misleading her 8.7 million followers,” stating, “If she had stopped at hibiscus tea is kind of tasty, that would have been ok. But no, they have to go ahead and blow their health-illiteracy trumpet and also claim that hibiscus tea is helpful in diabetes, high blood pressure, acne, antibacterial and protects against the flu. Well, none of the above claims have been proven.”
He clarified that Nayanthara's post appeared to be “an advertisement for her ‘celebrity nutritionist’ who has a masters in science degree in diet and nutrition who describes herself as ‘the only gut microbiome specialist in the world who combines traditional Indian foods, ancient Indian yogic practices and Ayurveda principles with gut microbiota study to understand and fight obesity and other diseases’.” He called it “absolute BS, bordering on quackery.”
He urged caution regarding the daily consumption of hibiscus tea, specifying the difference between Hibiscus Sabdariffa (Roselle) and Hibiscus Macranthus, the latter associated with male fertility in understudied rat studies. “The influenza does not clear this aspect,” he said, debunking each of Nayanthara's claims with scientific data and sarcastically noting, “the claim from ‘Dr.’ Nayanthara is false.”
He also raised concerns about the prolonged use of hibiscus tea, particularly for individuals in reproductive age groups, due to insufficient evidence on its safety. “Better to be safe than sorry,” he cautioned.
He also criticised the Ayurvedic concept of hot and cold foods, calling it an “absurd and unscientific theory,” and advised people to follow the guidance of “real doctors” to improve their health.
When Live Doc called out Samantha
Earlier, Samantha endorsed nebulising hydrogen peroxide and distilled water as an alternative treatment for viral infections in a social media post. The Liver Doc responded by calling her “health and science illiterate” and stated that she could’ve been jailed for making such claims in a “rational and progressive society.”