Optimum Nutrition and PV Sindhu want consumers to priortise protein-rich diet

New Delhi: On World Protein Day, Optimum Nutrition, a sports nutrition brand, announced the launch of Project Protein Thali, an initiative aimed at educating Indian adults on protein sufficiency.

This project seeks to educate consumers to rethink daily meal compositions and prioritise a protein-rich diet.

According to  Optimum Nutrition, India faces a significant protein gap, with 73% of the population deficient in protein and over 90% unaware of their daily protein requirements. This deficiency can lead to muscle loss.

Project Protein Thali is designed with an aim to bridge this knowledge gap and encourage behavioural change by incorporating protein in daily meals, leading to muscle gain and fast recovery after a workout or fitness activity, said   Optimum Nutrition in a statement.

Project Protein Thali is focused on introducing one small change to alter the nutritional composition of everyday meals. The initiative "Swap the Serve" advocates replacing a portion of carbohydrates with protein.

PV Sindhu, Brand Ambassador, Optimum Nutrition, said, “Throughout my athlete journey, I have always felt the need to get expert guidance on the diet for peak performance. A well-structured diet is not just important—it's a game changer for any athlete, and protein plays a vital role in enhancing recovery. Recognising the power of protein, I joined forces with Optimum Nutrition to effortlessly integrate it into my daily diet. Now, I’m eager to share my insights and experiences with fellow athletes through "Project Protein Thali," a campaign designed to empower others to harness the incredible benefits of protein.”

Sumit Mathur, General Manager, South Asia, Glanbia Performance Nutrition, said, “We realised that protein portion in meals is important but is still not a habit for many Indians and, in fact, among many sports and fitness enthusiasts. We have made it very simple. We just picked up the ‘Indian Thali’, which represents quintessential daily meals, and transformed it into the Protein Thali.  All you need to do is Swap the Serve! With this initiative, we aim to inspire a movement towards making Indian diets protein-inclusive.”

Optimum Nutrition activated Project Protein Thali at the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS), where daily meals for the athletes featured the Protein Thali, including Optimum Nutrition's Gold Standard 100% Whey.