Inside India’s $1.5 billion protein fetish

<p>Protein is having a moment in India. Once reserved for gym-goers and bodybuilders, it’s now showing up in everyday foods like idli, rotis, chips, lassi, even kulfi. And consumers are buying in.</p><p>Behind this craze is a $1.5 billion strategy that’s reshaping how India eats. Food brands saw a gap in a country where nearly two out of three households are protein deficient. And they turned it into a goldmine. Now, protein is everywhere, and the market is only getting bigger.</p><p>But here’s the twist: while the labels scream '50g protein' and 'fuel for champions,' reality is far more complicated. Many of these products include additives, sugar, and misleading serving sizes. Some even contain toxic substances. Meanwhile, your body can’t store excess protein—it just turns it into fat.</p><p>So is this really a health revolution? Or just clever packaging?</p><p><strong><em>Tell us what you thought of this episode. You can text us your feedback on WhatsApp at +918971108379<br /></em></strong><br /></p><p><strong><em>Daybreak is produced from the newsroom of The Ken, India’s first subscriber-only business news platform. Subscribe for more exclusive, deeply-reported, and analytical business stories.</em></strong></p><p>Want to attend The Ken's next event on health, fitness and wellness? Buy tickets <a href="https://the-ken.com/event/achieving-vitality-new-visions-for-health-fitness-and-wellness/"><strong><em>here.</em></strong></a><strong><em> Here's your chance to help us shape the conversation: </em></strong><a href="https://theken.typeform.com/to/bZhqWl2g">https://theken.typeform.com/to/bZhqWl2g</a><strong><em><br /></em></strong><br /></p>