Plant protein substitutes are taking the place of eggs and meat among a health-conscious population There is no dearth in the multitude of dishes and cuisines spanning the considerable length and breadth of India, catering to every dietary requirement. Why then has there been a sudden influx of plant protein products in the Indian market in recent years?
According to the 2014 Sample Registration System Baseline Survey, two-thirds of Indians are non-vegetarian. However, the consumption rate is low compared with the rest of the world; on average, Indians consume just about five kilograms of meat per person in a year, according to a 2019 report by Our World in Data. The majority of non-vegetarians, too, do not eat meat every day, while a growing population of flexitarians eat eggs, but no meat.
Protein deficiency
“Most Indians consume vegetarian dishes daily, which means there is not much protein consumption across all age groups,” says dietitian Sowmya Bharani.
The Indian Dietetic Association in 2018 said that the country’s vegetarian diet is 84 per cent protein-deficient – a substantial figure. The Indian Council of Medical Research recommends 0.8 grams to 1g of protein per body weight kilogram, which most Indians do not meet. Unlike in western countries, where meat is the key ingredient on the plate, in India, the focus is on carbohydrates such as roti and rice, while the protein is pushed to the periphery.
“In the last few years, the athlete population has increased in the country,” says Bharani. “Never before have we seen so many people take on sports as their occupation or for the sake of fitness.” The growing population of health-conscious individuals and the need to cover the gap in protein-deficient meals have resulted in the demand for alternative protein-rich food sources and mock meat.
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