A granola bar or a weight loss product that uses protein as a selling point is making and expending a packet of chips or chocolate chip cookies as a healthy product.
Recently, a host of companies have created products with chocolate that claim to be healthy, advertising the amount of protein, fiber, nutrients, etc., with extra emphasis on the protein aspect.
Some examples of these products include RiteBite’s chocolate chip cookies; Yogabar’s protein enriched muesli; Raw Pressery’s cold coffee chocolate protein shake; Amul’s protein enriched buttermilk; The Whole Truth Foods’ protein enriched peanut butter etc.
Previously, athletes, bodybuilders, sportspersons, and gym enthusiasts would track their protein intake, but the scope of that is changing now. Today, people want to consume more protein as it benefits people with weight loss, appetite control, reduced cravings, increased strength, lessened fatigue, lower blood pressure, and increased metabolism.
It is generally recommended that a person eat protein in proportion to their body weight. For every kilo that a person weighs, they have to eat a gram of protein corresponding to that. For example, if an individual weighs 50 kilograms, they need to eat 50 grams of protein per day.
A person might be tempted to believe that consuming the product-such as a packet of chips-could actually contribute towards achieving their protein target for the goals. However, it’s not that straightforward.
Shashank Mehta, CEO and founder of The Whole Truth Foods, explains that Indians, and especially vegetarian Indians, struggle to get adequate protein in their diets and cites a research study that found that 80% of Indians are protein deficient, concluding that this implies that even affluent Indians struggle to get enough protein in their diets.
“This has created a market for both supplemental protein-led categories (protein bars, protein powder) and added protein in categories consumed for other reasons, like chips, cookies, etc. The addition of protein does not automatically make a category “healthy”: “Before we decide whether a particular product is positive, neutral, or negative to what it is replacing in our diet, we must consider the macro balance, the amount of sugar, salt, fat, artificial sweeteners, flavors, preservatives, and so on,” he explains.
Different protein products in India
While talking about increased protein intake, it’s hard to ignore the role that the pandemic has had to play in changing behaviour. Many consumer behaviours relating to eating healthier, building immunity, exercising, etc., all changed after the pandemic hit in 2020. People were becoming increasingly health-conscious and this led them to attempt to make healthier choices.
And now that packaged foods that have protein in them hold more significance to consumers, consuming protein from fresh food will be a major diet change in the future.
Many startups have entered the packaged snacks/food segment with a focus on quality of sourcing, natural ingredients, and offering nutrients. However, the pandemic has taken preventive health maintenance to a new level altogether.
“The willingness to take a supplement to cover up a nutrient deficiency has increased now. During the pandemic, there were multiple recommendations to take Vitamin C, Zinc supplements, etc. to increase immunity,” says Kaustuv Paliwal, SVP, HealthKart (parent company of MuscleBlaze).
Paliwal points out that while following an Indian vegetarian diet, a person is much more likely to run into a protein deficit—which can cause long-term problems like muscle atrophy.
Most of our products are in line with the fact that people want to welcome protein into their lives. We have ready-to-drink beverages, high protein shakes, and sparkling protein water too. These products are for people who want to increase their protein intake without taking a supplement for the same. “MuscleBlaze and Healthkart products are available on Amazon and Flipkart,” he explains.
Protein supplements tend to have a higher percentage of protein per gram of product, and that’s what sets them apart from natural sources of protein such as cheese, eggs, milk, tofu, paneer, etc.
It is possible to construct a balanced diet out of pulses, eggs, milk, yoghurt, etc., which can help a person meet their daily protein requirements, but existing eating habits are difficult to change. Adding a scoop of protein powder to the atta in your roti or adding a protein bar as a snack instead of biscuits can help a person reach their protein goals with little change in eating patterns. This is why external sources of protein help-they are more convenient and require you to vary from your existing habits less.