Protein is one thing we need to focus on more in India. Our diets are mostly made up of carbohydrates and fats. We don’t get enough protein. According to a study by ICMR–INDIAB, many Indians don’t eat enough protein. This shows we need to improve the protein in our diet. While protein is important, its growing popularity has fueled a wave of high-protein trends across the internet, with many people becoming increasingly obsessed with it. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Mitushi Ajmera, lifestyle coach and author of Fearless Diet, shared whether protein-packed products are a necessity or not.

Mitushi highlighted that the protein trend has become a big marketing tool. While protein is important, not every food needs protein. Adding protein to junk foods like chips or namkeens doesn’t make them healthy. It’s like trying to make something bad look good. A high-protein label can’t make up for many calories, sodium, unhealthy fats, or poor nutrition.

Mitushi suggests that the best way is to focus on foods that are naturally high in protein, such as milk, curd, paneer, eggs, dals, legumes, soy products, fish, and lean meat. Protein-enriched foods such as flours, breads, and dairy products can also help bridge India’s protein gap.

“Protein needs vary from person to person. For adults, aiming for around 1 g of protein per kilogram of body weight is a good target. Active people may need more protein depending on their goals,” said Mitushi. High-protein products may be helpful for vegetarians and vegans who don’t have protein sources. Non-vegetarians who eat lean animal protein may not need extra fortified products.

“Don’t judge a product by its high-protein claim and check the nutrition label,” advises Mitushi. A simple way to evaluate a product is to see how many calories you get for each gram of protein and check the amounts of added sugar, sodium, and saturated fat. Protein-rich foods are valuable when they improve our diet, not when they just make processed foods look healthier.