Half of India’s protein comes from ‘low-quality’ cereal sources, new CEEW analysis warns

Nearly half of India’s at-home protein intake now comes from cereals such as rice, wheat, suji, and maida, according to a new, independent study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) released on 10 December.

The study ‘Understanding Trends in Dietary Diversity in India: Moving Towards Sustainable Consumption’ analysed Indian dietary trends based on the latest 2023-24 NSSO Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) dataset.

While Indians consume an adequate average of 55.6 g of protein per day at home, the study finds that cereals alone supply nearly 50 per cent of this protein despite their low-quality amino acid profile and poor digestibility.

This contribution of cereals to protein intake is far above the NIN-recommended 32 per cent, crowding out higher-quality protein sources such as pulses, dairy, eggs/fish/and meat. Protein supports the body’s growth, repair, and immune function.

The CEEW study further finds under-consumption across major food groups, such as vegetables, fruits, and pulses, and overuse in cooking oil, salt, and sugar intake.

“This study spotlights a silent crisis in India's food system: over-reliance on low-quality proteins, excess calories from cereals and oils, and stark underconsumption of diverse, nutrient-rich foods,” said Apoorve Khandelwal, Fellow, CEEW.

“These consumption gaps mirror broader inequities in access to balanced diets. At the same time, the country's heavy dependence on a narrow crop base for nutrition and income reduces its climate resilience. Diversification, from fork to farm, must be a national priority,” Khandelwal said.

The latest CEEW analysis reveals that behind these averages lies deep inequality: the richest 10 per cent of the Indian population consumes 1.5 times more protein at home than the poorest, and also has access to far more animal-based sources.

For example, milk intake among the poorest 10 per cent of the rural population is only about one-third of the recommended level, whereas it exceeds 110 per cent of the recommendation among the richest.

“While coarse grains and pulses offer superior nutrition and environmental benefits, they remain significantly under-consumed and under-provisioned in major food programmes, such as the Public Distribution System, which continue to be dominated by rice and wheat,” said Suhani Gupta, research analyst, CEEW.

“At the same time, our study shows that high-expenditure households consume nearly twice as much fat as the poorest, signalling a growing double burden of malnutrition. Addressing this requires differentiated approaches: strengthening access and demand for diverse, nutrient-rich foods, particularly for low-expenditure groups, while moderating excess and reformulating processed food environments for affluent group,” she said.