High-protein is one of the most misused claims in food marketing. Here's the number that actually matters.
Walk into any supermarket in India today and you'll find biscuits, chips, makhana, granola bars, and even cookies with "high protein" printed on the front.
Most of them aren't.
Here's how to tell the difference — and why the claim has become almost meaningless.
What "High Protein" Actually Means
Under FSSAI regulations, a product can claim "source of protein" if at least 5% of its calories come from protein. To claim "high protein," that threshold goes up to 10% of calories.
That's a low bar. Low enough that products with 4–5g of protein per serving — barely more than a handful of peanuts — can legally call themselves high-protein.
Compare that to actual high-protein foods: chicken breast (31g per 100g), paneer (18–20g per 100g), or our fermented yeast protein (67g per 100g).
The label isn't lying, technically. But it's not telling you what you actually need to know.
The Number That Actually Matters
Forget the front of the pack. Turn it over.
Find the nutrition table. Look for one number: protein per 100g.
This is the only fair way to compare protein across products. Serving sizes are often manipulated to make the per-serving number look more impressive.
Here's a rough guide:
- Below 10g per 100g — This is a snack with some protein. It is not a protein snack.
- 10–15g per 100g — Decent. Worth considering if the ingredients are clean.
- 15–20g per 100g — Genuinely high protein. This is where our cashews and protein bites sit.
- Above 20g per 100g — Excellent. This is where our protein powder sits (67g per 100g).
The Other Number Brands Hope You Don't Check
Protein content is only part of the story. The other question worth asking: what else is in it?
A product can hit 15g of protein per 100g while also containing 20g of added sugar, palm oil, and a list of additives that fills half the label.
That's not a protein snack. That's a sugar snack with a marketing budget.
Real high-protein eating means protein-dense food that isn't quietly undermined by what surrounds it.
What to Actually Look For
When evaluating a "protein snack," run this three-point check:
1. Protein per 100g, not per serving. Serving sizes are often 20–30g for a reason.
2. Added sugar. Anything above 5g per 100g of added sugar in a "healthy" product is worth questioning.
3. Ingredient list length. More than 10–12 ingredients in a snack usually means something is being masked.
The Honest Version
Our cashews have 18g of protein per 100g. Five ingredients. Zero added sugar.
Our protein bites hit 21–30g of protein per 100g depending on the variant. Short ingredient list. Dates-sweetened. No compromise.
Our protein powder is 67g of protein per 100g. Seven ingredients. Lab tested every batch.
These are protein products. Not snacks with a protein story.
Read the back of the pack. Every time.