India, May 19 -- The Food and Agriculture Organization (2024) estimates that the hidden cost of the conventional global food system is US$ 12.7 trillion. In India, this hidden cost amounts to $1.3 trillion, with 73 per cent of it attributed to health-related issues. Globally, the double burden of malnutrition - co-existence of under-nutrition with obesity, is evident across all age groups (FAO et al., 2024).

Studies highlight serious concerns in Indian diets. The typical Indian food plate is dominated by carbohydrate-rich foods, which constitute 70-75 per cent of intake, with insufficient protein, fibre, and vitamins consumption (Kumar et al., 2025). Poor nutrition education, unhealthy dietary habits, inaccessibility of nutrient rich foo...