I love aloo bhujia. I love it sprinkled on chaat, stuffed between two slices of bread, or just as it is. I just won't eat poha unless there's a handful of aloo bhujia on top. For most Indians, aloo bhujia is often the easiest snack to reach for when hunger strikes. It is salty, spicy, crunchy, and something many of us have grown up eating.
But no desi has ever looked at a packet of aloo bhujia and thought of it as a cure for health problems. That changed after a musician's video went viral, where he credited the popular Indian snack with helping him with asthma and allergies.
Samuel Hillclimber, a musician, shared a video holding a packet of Haldiram's aloo bhujia and made a surprising claim. He said, “I cured my asthma and my allergies by using simple Indian food.”
He then pointed towards the ingredients and spoke about the spices used in the snack. He mentioned cumin, mango powder, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon powder, turmeric powder and mint leaves, saying these ingredients were “extremely medicinal” for his stomach.
“Come on, dude. This is amazing on your stomach, and it's gonna cure your asthma and your allergies,” he said in the video.
He also questioned whether people in the past needed modern technology to deal with conditions like asthma, saying, “You think we didn't have technology to cure asthma before inhalers? We did.”
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Internet Can't Keep A Straight Face
The video quickly caught the attention of Indians online, many of whom found the aloo bhujia connection unexpected. Several people joked that while Indian spices and traditional ingredients are often associated with health benefits, they never imagined a packet of namkeen would get this reputation.
One user wrote, “Imagine if he has Chyawanprash, he will become superman.” Another commented, “As an Indian, I did not know aloo bhujia cures asthma.”
Many people were simply amused by the choice of snack. Comments included, “Out of everything…. aloo bhujia,” and “Well… ALOO BHUJIA was unexpected.”
Some users joined in on the joke and suggested other foods. One person wrote, “Wait until he discovers Hyderabadi dum biryani,” while another joked, “Try Punjabi tadka, it will cure everything.”
Others brought up popular Indian remedies and snacks, mentioning everything from golgapp and samosas to chyawanprash and Hajmola.
However, some Indians also pointed out that while certain spices and herbs are traditionally valued for their properties, packaged snacks should not be considered a treatment for medical conditions.
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One user wrote, “I don't think highly processed packaged food can cure anything, brother.” Another added that Indian spices can have medicinal properties but questioned whether the same applies to a packaged snack.
Some people with asthma also shared their own experiences. One comment read, “But anyway, I have asthma, and I love aloo bhujia, but I still have asthma.”
The Truth
While the video appears to have been shared in a humorous tone, asthma currently does not have a cure. It is a condition that can often be managed with proper medical care, including prescribed treatments such as inhalers. Allergies can sometimes improve or disappear over time, but they cannot always simply be “fixed” through a particular food.
So while aloo bhujia may continue to hold its special place with chai lovers across India, its new identity as an asthma cure has definitely left the internet surprised.