New Delhi, May 15 -- As Gen Alpha will say, we are "obsessed" - obsessed with getting protein into everything. Soon, maybe protein-packed salt and water will come in next! Jokes apart, the single-minded focus to induct protein into our daily diets has fast moved from a nutritional fad to an all-pervasive marketing trend. The truth? With a purported 80 per cent of Indians being protein-deficient, of course, we need adequate protein, which is about 0.83 gm of protein per kilogram of body weight consumed diligently every day. Protein is finally shedding its garb of being suitable only for gym rats, athletes, and bodybuilders, and rolling right into kitchen counters. Adding protein is that secret sauce preventing chronic lifestyle diseases and ensuring a healthier, stronger old age.
This new infatuation with protein has assumed virality. Every influencer worth their dumbbells is prescribing it, shop shelves are teeming with a gazillion brands, animal protein, whey, plant - here's what ideal for women, here's what's good for men, here's what's good for both their guts - we are spoilt and confused with choice. Everyone is jumping onto the bandwagon - legacy brands, scrappy startups, nutraceutical companies - there's something for everyone because the Indian protein market is booming. As per the IMARC Group, it touched USD 912.9 million last year and is slated to grow to USD 1,578.1 million by 2034. While the larger protein market is at USD 1.62 billion in 2026, the plant-based protein segment is the golden goose that's expected to return consistent dividends, as per Mordor Intelligence. Plant-based supplements are cleaner, lighter, and more gut-friendly, making it a safer choice for health-conscious consumers who want to give a wide berth to artificial or synthetic additives. Along with the benefits of protein supplements there are also now warnings of fake powders laden with toxins and heavy metals doing the rounds.
I don't know if it happens to you but it sure happens to me - every time I travel overseas, my digestion miraculously improves. However, once back, almost anything can make me bloated or feel uncomfortable. We may suspect the sustained spraying of chemicals on our crops or long-term consumption of food with additives that may have messed up our gut microbiome. And it's not just me. Almost everyone today complains of food allergies and intolerances. The market is now flooded with gut-friendly and gut-fixing products, and that's no surprise. A healthy gut aids in digestion and improves numerous health markers including weight. Overall, this epiphany towards a clean, protein-rich diet is a positive trend. Traditionally, most Indian households have been carbs-heavy, meaning, we consume more carbohydrates through daily consumption of rice and wheat. Flipping that to increase the amount of protein whether through meat, seafood, eggs, or grains, pulses, and dairy was absolutely essential to fighting obesity, diabetes, and so on.
As much as I laud this protein age (disclaimer: I'm on it too), I can't help but baulk at the dichotomy of our existence. It feels surreal that while we are promoting protein-rich milk, wheat, and all manners of powders, a major chunk of our nation's children are reportedly malnutritioned. As we reach for that scoop of protein shake and stir it into the beverage of our choice, I wonder, how many of us spare a thought for the underserved who have decreasing access to milk and eggs, forget meat and fish, because have you seen the pinching prices? As we become protein fiends and argue the pros and cons of downing raw eggs because our trainer said so, I want you to remember that a majority of the Indian population is not even getting its basic nutrition.
67 per cent of Indian children and over half the female population are anaemic. The United Nations' 2025 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report says that even though India has progressed, there are still over 172 million people who were undernourished in 2024. Chronic undernutrition and generational poverty has also meant that 67.1 per cent of Indian children are stunted. Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand note high rates of malnutrition while a recent study published in the 'Journal of Economic Behaviour & Organisation' suggests that scheduled caste kids in north India are unhealthier than their southern counterparts. Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Odisha have made brave attempts to stem the tide of malnutrition that is overrunning almost the entire country. Recently, Gujarat was arguing over how much their percentage of malnutritioned children is - the discussion shouldn't be about how much but rather why there are any at all? Government programmes such as the POSHAN Abhiyaan, ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services), and the Mid-day Meal Programme must be effectively strengthened to enable the protein-rich diets for children. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is currently running a four-year-long trial in six states (Maharashtra, Odisha, Meghalaya, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh) to fight child malnutrition in the first three years of life.
Therefore, as we chase protein and muscle growth in our daily lives, it's pertinent to demand better health for the general populace too, where they can both afford and access nutritious, high-protein foods at affordable prices. Why should protein be the right of the rich alone?
Views expressed are personal. The writer is an author and media entrepreneur
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.