Deep breaths. We were just figuring out our relationship with fibre. Now we’re worrying about protein. It’s in everything: Chips, water, coffee, a McDonald’s burger. Weight-training gymmers are obsessed about consuming 50 grams a day, or 40, or whatever magic number Reddit is throwing up this week. Those on GLP-1 (who are eating less) are adding more protein to their plates to preserve muscle mass during weight loss.
Like pistachios at the peak of the Dubai Chocolate craze, demand for protein additives is so high, it’s making global markets jittery. In the US, some manufacturers have already sold their supplies for the full year. In India, brands such as Only What’s Needed, have put explainers on their website, tracking the rocketing cost of whey (from ₹1,475 in July 2025 to ₹3,700 in June 2026), and its impact on whey powder prices.
Most whey is a by-product of the cheese-making process and was traditionally dumped into fields as fertiliser. India is the world’s largest milk producer. We shouldn’t be having a shortage, right? Not quite, because our dairy industry is geared towards milk, not cheese. So, India is feeling the squeeze too.
Deep breaths again. Because much of the chatter around protein is murky. Here are five fibs you don’t want to flex.
Everyone needs the same amount of protein
Every Reel and post has some magic mantra: Hit 100 grams every day. Eat 2% of your body weight in protein. Eat 30 grams per meal… None of it is backed by science, no matter what gym-bro influencers say. “Protein requirement is not a universal fixed number,” says Dr Anshuman Kaushal, director at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram. It varies with body size, age, physical activity, health, pregnancy, calorie intake, and your health goals. A healthy, relatively sedentary adult needs a minimum daily requirement of 0.8g to 0.83g per kg of body weight, he says. That’s barely 48g to 50g for a 60kg adult. Even if you’re strength-training, you don’t need more than 1.2g to 1.6g per kilo of your body weight. Old folks, who are losing muscle mass, need just a little more.
So, despite the shortage, you don’t need heaped scoops of whey powder. “The most damaging lie is: The more protein you eat, the more muscle you will build,” Dr Kaushal says.
All proteins are created equal
The source matters more than we realise. Animal proteins and soy are generally easier for the body to digest and use. “Proteins from eggs, milk, curd, paneer, fish, poultry, meat and soy generally provide essential amino acids in favourable proportions,” Dr Kaushal says. Plant proteins are good sources, but vegetarians may need to up the quantity, include a wider variety, and plan meals better to get the same benefits as meat-eaters.
Adding protein to something makes it healthy
“In many cases, it’s a marketing gimmick,” says Revant Himatsingka, aka @FoodPharmer. His suggestion: Look at the protein-to-calorie ratio and avoid anything that is calorie-dense. Protein chips, murukku, energy bars… “It’s all still junk,” he says. The label is doing more heavy lifting than the protein.
Everyone in India is protein deficient
The protein boom imagines India as a nation collectively wasting away for want of whey. “Claims suggesting that almost everyone is protein deficient are exaggerated and are often used to sell powders, bars and supplements,” says Dr Kaushal. Unless you’ve been on a restrictive diet, have low appetite, are hospitalised, underweight or battling chronic disease, it’s unlikely that you need an extra protein boost.
It’s healthier to add peas, peanuts and curd to poha; dal, sprouts or curd to upma; turn toast into an egg or paneer sandwich; swap biscuits for roasted chana; or simply make that serving of dal larger and thicker to up your intake without buying whey powder.
To get enough protein, eat meat
If your Instagram feed is to be believed, vegetarians have two choices: Start eating chicken or make peace with protein inadequacy. Himatsingka says the most persistent lie online is “that you have to be a meat-eater to get enough protein.” Tofu, soy chunks, Greek yogurt, tempeh and paneer can all serve as primary protein sources.
Indians have been playing protein matchmaker for generations. Cereals such as wheat and rice are lower in lysine, while pulses are lower in methionine. Eaten across the day, the two complement each other and help the body process protein better —think dal-rice, rajma-rice, roti with chana or dal, khichdi with curd, or idli-dosa made with rice and urad dal. They don’t even need to all land on your plate together; a varied diet through the day generally does the job. But if you do eat meat, stick to it. You already have the more convenient alternative.
From HT Brunch, August 15, 2026
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