What fuels a billionaire: Coca-Cola for Warren Buffett, beetroot juice for Nita Ambani
Nita Ambani swears by beetroot juice. Warren Buffett sips five cans of Coca-Cola a day. One walks 5,000 steps daily, the other prefers not to. As Buffett, 94, prepares to step down as chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway, the contrast between the Oracle of Omaha and Reliance Foundation chairperson Nita Ambani couldn't be more pronounced—one thrives on indulgence, the other on discipline.
ADVERTISEMENT For Warren Buffett, longevity tastes like Cherry Coke and McDonald's. For Nita Ambani, it's beetroot juice and yoga at dawn. Together, they offer a striking study in how two billionaires have chosen to navigate health, aging, and longevity.
Speaking at Berkshire's recent shareholder meeting, Buffett joked about sidestepping conventional health wisdom. 'I've been able to drink what I want, do what I want, and I've defied all the predictions,' he said, seated between two cans of Coke and a box of See's Candies—another Berkshire holding.
The billionaire investor gets roughly a quarter of his daily calories from Coca-Cola. His preferences extend to hot dogs, fries, popcorn, cookies, and candy, consumed with the consistency of ritual. At McDonald's, he selects his breakfast based on the stock market's performance—spending anywhere between $2.61 and $3.17, paid in coins his wife places in his car. His reasoning? 'I checked the actuarial tables,' he once said. 'The lowest death rate is among six-year-olds. So I decided to eat like a six-year-old.'Half a world away, Nita Ambani takes a markedly different approach. Her daily routine begins with beetroot juice—rich in antioxidants, nitrates, and vitamins—which she consumes once or twice a day. The beverage is just one part of a meticulous wellness regimen that includes yoga, swimming, strength training, and a strictly vegetarian, sugar-free diet.At 61, Ambani credits her discipline for her vitality. As chairperson of Reliance Foundation, she has emerged as a powerful advocate for women's health. On International Women's Day, through her digital platform Her Circle, she shared a candid message encouraging women to prioritize fitness and mindful nutrition, especially after 30. Her own formula: avoid sugar and artificial sweeteners, walk 5,000 to 7,000 steps daily, stay active, and control portions.
ADVERTISEMENT Her workouts span yoga for flexibility, aquatic exercises for joint health, and dance for cardiovascular stamina. She emphasizes daily consistency over intensity—promoting the idea that wellness is a lifelong investment.
ADVERTISEMENT While Buffett rejects fitness—claiming exercise may do more harm than good—Ambani embraces it as non-negotiable. 'Charlie and I never really exercised all that much,' Buffett said of his late business partner. 'We were carefully preserving ourselves.' He often points to the wear and tear experienced by athletes as a cautionary tale.Ambani, by contrast, views movement as central to well-being. Her regimen is a blend of structure and mindfulness, rooted in a belief that strength and energy are built over decades through daily effort. She has called on women to dedicate at least 30 minutes each day to physical activity—walking, stretching, or resistance work—and maintains that even small steps can deliver long-term gains.
ADVERTISEMENT Despite their divergent choices, both Buffett and Ambani have remained at the helm of major institutions well into their later years. Buffett, now preparing to hand over leadership after transforming a struggling textile firm into a $1.16 trillion investment empire, continues to attribute his longevity to happiness and self-indulgence. 'I'm happier when I'm drinking Coke or eating hot fudge sundaes or hot dogs,' he said in a 2023 interview.Ambani, meanwhile, has used her platform to advocate for a broader vision of empowerment—rooted in health, balance, and purpose. Through Her Circle, she encourages women across India to see fitness not as a luxury, but as an essential act of self-care.
ADVERTISEMENT From Omaha to Mumbai, these two billionaires have written their own playbooks for longevity. One is fueled by soda and sundaes, the other by smoothies and steps. And both, in their own way, have managed to beat the clock.
Also read | Warren Buffett's biggest investment isn't Apple, BofA or Coca-Cola — it's a stock hidden in plain sight
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