How protein defeated other macronutrients in the arena of health

Do you remember the macronutrient chart and diagrams from classes 5-9? I bet it might be hard to remember since it has been a long time. But, hopefully you (and I) do know about the 5 macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. Water is often added nowadays as a part of the syllabus, too, but I remember when I was studying, water hadn't been added to the list yet. Roughage was included instead. What is worth to our notice is that all these macronutrients were listed from highest to lowest based on their importance. Carbohydrates topped the list because they were considered the most important and the best way for your body to intake its calories and generate ATP. Protein came a close second and was labelled as the building block of the body. Fats, being lipids, were considered another source of vital energy-storing nutrients. Vitamins and minerals came last because they were minor nutrients which aided in the optimal functioning of the body. It was these nutrients that helped the body to fight off various diseases and illnesses.

Image taken from ResearchGate

Fitness and diet industry

The aim for the population to stay fit and healthy has been the world’s governments’ aim for time. This had been going on in the USA since the 1950s, but soared in popularity during the 70s and 80s. However, here is the spin you didn't know about. Sugar, ever since industries discovered it and modified it into its purest form, as addictive as cocaine, has been lobbied to be added to all forms of processed food, which made it a bad turn for carbs. You see, carbohydrates are made up of simple sugars and fibres that happen to naturally occur in the source. But as the fibres were mostly stripped down to appeal to the masses, in products like bread, their essential building block became just glucose/sucrose/fructose, aka sugar, and carbs began getting a bad reputation. Hence, not only was the processed food bad and junk, but so were carbohydrates. This is where protein, with its "basic-building block for muscles" tag, began its journey to overtake and ultimately replace carbohydrates in the macronutrient race.

The rise of Protein

Protein came into the picture pretty early in the fitness arena. Before it became popular among vegans, vegetarians and the general population, protein masked with steroids had been quietly sitting in the corner with the bodybuilders and athletes. While I’m not quite sure when this started; a western influence in the beginning; it seems like around 2022*, protein began entering the Indian markets quietly. The creeping in was slow but steady. Businesses, mostly those that had a reputation in fitness to begin with, began moving slowly towards the direction of advertising protein in their products.

ProteinX ad from 2022

Horlicks protein-enhanced powder static ad from 2018

Max Protein ad roping in Mandira Bedi

This wasn't an overnight change. Protein, through social media, began thrusting its way as the new miracle component of food. Influencers and celebrities were first, and since money was poured in liberally, it is now (at the time of writing) an estimated 24 billion dollar industry, globally.

Slowly, the protein advertising increased, and protein began being listed along with its percentage and grams inside the product. Protein intake began to become trendy and was no longer limited to fitness enthusiasts. Everybody became protein-deficient, specifically in India, where carbs reigned for a long time, and all diets were carb-centric. Protein, deemed as a necessity and not just an afterthought, was encouraged in the form of snacks the most, which has probably become the second-most popular way of protein consumption behind naturally protein-rich sources.

                                          All images taken from the respective company websites

Protein became so important that FASSAI reformulated the amount of protein to be taken in by an average Indian's meal during the day in 2022. You can read it here. But I feel that the benchmark was set when Amul, one of the biggest brands in India, began changing the marketing of its dairy products from a rich source of calcium or probiotics to a rich source of protein and made an entirely new line of products rich in protein. 

New ads from Amul

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6lc2ZWiaKZ/?hl=en

I suspect in the coming years, false marketing around protein will be rampant, and we’ll be seeing a rise in high-protein and low-calorie snacks filling the supermarket aisles since the masses have decided that protein is the new macronutrient that needs our sole attention.

*subject to change since the article has been written in accordance with the author's knowledge about the current trends in protein.

Author's note:- Every image is taken to exercise the right of free speech by commenting on the new protein trend, and with no intention to plagiarise the copyrighted images. All image rights are with their respective owners.