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India’s food security mission must move from full plates to balanced diets
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Monday, 28 September, 2026, 16 : 00 PM [IST]
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Chirag Yadava & G Sonali
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When it comes to food security in India, the country has made remarkable progress. A country which was food deficient at one point of time, has today become a food surplus country. The National Food Security Act-backed public distribution system reaches more than 800 million people with free food grains every month, making it one of the world’s largest food safety nets. The next big question for India is no more about whether Indian citizens are eating enough, it is more about whether Indians are eating right.
Food security is about spending on high-quality and nutrition dense food, which improves nutrition. Such food should also ensure price stability and affordability, so that the vulnerable segments do not suffer. For years, food security in India have been largely seen through the lens of calorie and availability, food that fills the stomach. Rice and wheat have protected millions from hunger; however, food security today is moving from hunger security to nutrition security. It is about addressing micro-nutrient deficiencies that are more diverse and nutritious across all income groups.
Body needs slow-release carbohydrates, for energy which come from whole grains, millets, pulses, fruits, vegetables and unrefined cereals. These provide glucose along with fibre, B vitamins, minerals and plant compounds. Carbohydrates should contribute around 45–75 per cent of daily energy, but primarily from whole grains, vegetables, fruits and pulses, not refined or sugary foods. Protein is significant for muscle, skin, hair, blood, enzymes, hormones, antibodies and tissue repair. For healthy Indian adults, there is a n 0.83 g protein per kg body weight per day as the RDA. That means roughly 54 g/day for a 65 kg adult man and 45.7 g/day for a 55 kg adult woman. But for people consuming cereal-heavy diets with lower protein quality, the requirement may go up to 1 g/kg/day. Protein should be combined with dal, chana, rajma, soy, milk, curd, paneer, eggs, fish, meat, nuts and seeds depending on food preference.
The body also needs fat to build cell membranes, produce hormones, support the nervous system and absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. The body cannot make omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids on its own, so they must come from food. As per reports, around 6.6 g of n-6 PUFA and 2.2 g of n-3 PUFA for essential body functions. Saturated fat and trans-fat should be limited, while nuts, seeds, oilseeds, flaxseed, walnuts and balanced cooking oils can provide essential fatty acids.
One of the most important functions of nutrition is oxygen transport. Iron is needed to make haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. Without enough iron, people may feel tired, weak, breathless, dizzy or unable to concentrate. Along with these, the body also needs folate, Vitamin B 12, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Calcium, Magnesium, Iodine, Zinc, Sodium, Potassium to mention a few.
The nutrition narrative of India is also quoting contradictory, where people are suffering from under-nutrition on one hand and obesity, diabetes, hypertension on the other. As per reports, 56.4 per cent of India’s total disease burden is linked to unhealthy diets. Unhealthy diet, coupled with sedentary lifestyle is the primary reason for hypertension, diabetes, heart diseases. Not only physical ailments, deficiencies can contribute to or worsen depressive symptoms, irritability, anxiety-like symptoms, memory loss, cognitive impairment and fatigue.
For India, the solution lies in making balanced diets affordable, accessible and culturally familiar. Nutrition cannot be promoted only through awareness campaigns. It has to be built into the food system. Families should look at adding safe nutrition supplements, which compensate for the nutrition unavailable over every meal. Nutritional supplements should also be carefully chosen, which are not just protein supplements, but helps in balancing overall diets and do not have side effects.
The country needs clean-label, locally relevant, minimally processed foods that respect Indian taste, regional diversity and daily affordability. Food entrepreneurs, nutrition brands, community-led food systems and government should collaboratively work towards providing India with a balanced diet. And nutritional supplements can play a very crucial role in building long-term food security for the country.
(Yadava is founder at Ruokamill and Sonali belongs to Sports Nutrition, ICMR-NIN at Ruokamill)
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