Show Me The 'Whey': What Data Says On India's Protein Consumption

Everyone is suddenly trying to measure protein intake — what it is versus what it should be, what protein supplements to take, and what protein rich foods to consume. After Amul introduced an entire range of protein rich products including water, this week saw McDonald's introduce a protein slice in its burgers.

On an aggregate basis, a recent study by the Ministry of Statistics shows a modest uptick in India's protein consumption.

A marginal increase in the per capita per day intake of calorie as well as protein is observed from the period 2009-10 to 2023-24 at an all-India level in rural and urban areas, according to the findings of a study on the nutritional intake in India.

Average daily per capita per day protein intake rose to about 61.8 grams in rural India and 63.4 grams in urban India in 2023-24. Average daily per consumer per day intake – a unit used to measure energy requirement, pegs protein intake at 66.6 grams for rural areas and 69.9 grams for urban areas.

The worldwide average protein intake is approximately 78 grams per capita per day, according to a 2015 study by the National Institute of Health.

Cereals continue to be the most important source of protein among the five food groups, with a share of about 46-47% for rural India and about 39% for urban India in both the periods.

To be sure, discrepancies remain. A recent study by scientists at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and the Center for Economic and Social Studies (CESS) highlights that more than two-thirds of households surveyed across India's semi-arid tropics consume less protein than recommended despite sufficient availability of protein sources such as legumes, dairy, and livestock products.

• The average per capita per day calorie intake in rural India was 2,233 Kcal and 2,212 Kcal in rural India 2022-23 and 2023-24, respectively, while the corresponding figures for the two years in urban India were 2250 Kcal and 2240 Kcal, respectively.

• An increase in average per capita per day and per consumer unit per day calorie intake is observed for the bottom five fractile classes in rural India and for the bottom six fractile classes for urban in 2023-24 from 2022-23.

• The difference between the bottom 5% of population ranked by per capita expenditure level, and the top 5% of population in per capita calorie intake has narrowed significantly in 2023-24 in rural as well as urban India.

• A wide variation both in average per capita per day calorie intake and average per consumer unit per day calorie intake is observed among the major states in 2022-23 as well as in 2023-24.

• With an increase in the Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure, the average calorie intake also increases in rural as well as urban India.