Whey Too Much Protein Fixation
From protein coffee to whey chips and high-protein yoghurt and bars, people’s obsession with protein has reached new heights, experts warn against indiscriminate use of protein
There was a time when “protein” in India meant a tub of whey powder on a gym enthusiast’s kitchen shelf. Today, it could be hiding almost anywhere. Your morning coffee can come with extra protein. So can yoghurt, cereal and bread. There are protein bars for the afternoon slump, protein chips for evening cravings and protein cookies for those who want dessert with a side of virtue. Even familiar Indian snacks from makhana and namkeen to dosa mixes now come in ‘HIGH PROTEIN’ packs.
Walk through a supermarket or scroll through a quick-commerce app and it becomes clear that protein is no longer just a nutrient. It is a selling point. India, it seems, is being “proteinified.”
From Gym to Grocery
But somewhere between nutritional science and supermarket marketing, protein has also acquired a powerful health halo. Put the word on a packet, and an ordinary snack can suddenly look like a responsible lifestyle choice. A bag of chips is no longer simply chips. It is called ‘protein chips’. A chocolate-nut bar is marketed as a ‘high protein bar.’ Even coffee hasn’t escaped the protein eclipse.
“Awareness has improved, which is a good thing because protein is essential for building muscle and staying healthy. But social media has also created unnecessary anxiety. Some people think every meal must be loaded with protein or they're doing something wrong. In reality, most recreational exercisers don't need bodybuilder-level protein intakes,” fitness Coach Ajay Solanki says.
Healthy Fact File
For most healthy adults, the numbers are less dramatic than social media might suggest. Indian dietary guidance puts protein requirements for healthy adults at roughly 0.83 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. That works out to about 50 grams for a person weighing 60 kg, although individual requirements vary according to age, activity levels and physiological conditions.
Athletes, highly active people, older adults and those with certain nutritional needs may require different amounts. But more protein does not automatically mean more muscle.
The 2024 dietary guidelines from the Indian Council of Medical Research National Institute of Nutrition cautioned against indiscriminate use of protein supplements and emphasised obtaining nutrients through a diverse diet.
Food For Thought
Nutritionist Vaishnavi Pen believes that while India does face a protein gap, consumers shouldn't mistake protein-fortified foods for a complete nutritional solution. “There is no doubt that many Indians, particularly women, older adults and adolescents, could improve their protein intake. But the solution isn't necessarily buying protein cookies or protein chips. The first step should be improving everyday meals with dal, pulses, dairy, eggs, soy or lean meat. A balanced diet will always outperform a single fortified product."
The Health Halo
This does not mean protein-enriched products are inherently bad. The problem begins when one nutritional virtue distracts from everything else inside the packet.
A product can contain extra protein and still be high in sodium, saturated fat, sugar or calories. Adding protein does not magically transform an ultra-processed snack into dal, eggs, curd, fish, paneer or beans.
This is where reading the back of the packet becomes more important than believing the front. FSSAI regulates nutrition claims and specifies conditions that foods
must meet to use claims such as “source of protein” and “high protein”. But for consumers confronted by increasingly bold front-of-pack promises, the larger question remains: does highlighting one nutrient make us overlook the rest? In other words, “contains protein” and “healthy” are not synonyms.
The Price of Protein
There is also an economic dimension to the trend. Proteinification allows brands to take familiar foods, reformulate or reposition them, and move them into a premium wellness category. Consumers are no longer buying only a snack; they are buying the idea that the snack is helping them meet a health goal.
That proposition is especially powerful among urban consumers balancing long working hours with gym memberships, step counts and nutrition apps. A protein bar requires no soaking of chana, no boiling of eggs and no preparation of dal.
Convenience has become part of the nutrition equation. Consumer Arohi Tejpal, Bengaluru, says, “I buy protein yoghurt, bars and even protein coffee because they seem like healthier options. Earlier I never checked nutrition labels, but now I automatically compare protein content.”
A Balanced Approach
India does not lack traditional protein sources. Dal, chana, rajma, soy, peanuts, curd, milk, paneer, eggs, fish and meat can all contribute to daily intake. Combining cereals with pulses rice with dal, for instance, can also improve the overall protein quality of a meal. The irony is difficult to miss: while traditional diets already contain numerous ways of eating protein, modern food culture is repackaging the nutrient and selling it back in increasingly novel forms.
Few years ago, supermarket shelves screamed “low fat”. Then came “sugar-free”, “multigrain”, “natural” and “gluten-free”. Today, ‘high protein’ is the buzzword.
Perhaps the smartest response is neither to worship protein nor dismiss it. Look beyond the number on the front. Check how much protein a serving actually provides. Look at the ingredient list, sugar, sodium and overall nutritional profile. Consider what the product is replacing in your diet. Because the healthiest question may not be, “How much protein does this have?” It may simply be: “Is this actually good food?