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IFBA sees palm oil, A1/A2 ghee and protein supplements are marketing gimmicks
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Tuesday, 18 November, 2025, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Nandita Vijayasimha, Bengaluru
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Misinformation around processed foods and ingredients such as palm oil, A1/A2 ghee, and protein supplements continues to influence public perception, hence to bring in awareness, the Indian Food and Beverage Association (IFBA) reveals that many of these are sales tactics and give a wrong impression.
Deepak Jolly, chairperson, IFBA, in an interaction with FnB News said palm oil can be a valuable addition to a healthy diet, as any other edible oil provided that it is consumed within RDA as published by ICMR-NIN.? The A1 and A2 claims refer to type of protein found in milk, since ghee consists of 99.9% fat, the reference A1 ghee and A2 ghee are mere marketing gimmicks.
Multiple studies have found that when palm oil is consumed in reasonable amounts as part of a balanced diet, it doesn’t significantly affect their cholesterol levels differently than other cooking oils. One review published in Advances in Nutrition looked at decades of research examining randomised controlled trials from 1975 all the way through 2018. The researchers compared palmolein a liquid form of palm oil against other oils like coconut, olive, canola, sunflower, peanut, soybean, and even lard. What they found across nine different studies involving over 1,000 people indicated no meaningful differences in any of the key cardiovascular markers whether it was total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides or the ratio between them.
Therefore, when consumed as part of a healthy diet, palmolein appears to affect one’s lipid profile similar to oils like olive or canola oil. It doesn’t seem to increase cardiovascular risk in healthy adults.
IFBA has been actively advocating through its various consumer awareness initiatives, which includes science led articles by renowned nutritionists and dietitians opining that health issues aren't solely caused by specific food groups, but rather by an imbalance in overall diet and lifestyle. Multiple factors contribute to non-communicable diseases, including genetics, environment, and stress. Dietary diversity is essential for good health, which includes pulses and cereals, fruits and vegetables, dairy products and so on in controlled portions as per the RDA’s and Dietary Guidelines published by ICMR-NIN that has categorised nutrient requirements on the basis of gender, age and work type. This approach promotes a healthier relationship with food and leads to better health outcomes.
Protein supplements originate from natural sources like milk, soy, and pea, offering a high-quality and convenient protein supply. They help bridge crucial dietary gaps, particularly in India where protein deficiency is widespread and diets can be low in quality protein. ??As part of consumer awareness initiatives IFBA has published a report on protein and protein supplements for a ‘Healthy Us’ to dispel myths around consumption of protein supplements and enhance protein intake for a healthy population, said Jolly.
Echoing the sentiment ‘Innovation is the key and Technology is the game changer’ expressed by Avinash Joshi, Secretary, MoFPI, at the World Food Day celebration jointly by IFBA and NIFTEM-K on October 16, 2025, Jolly said cross-sector partnerships are vital to promote science-led, inclusive communication, especially among youth to combat food myths. By this approach, scientific information from academia helps industry to innovate and offer nutritious foods to meet ever-changing demands of consumers and a facilitating regulatory framework is a key enabler to enhance compliance, said Jolly.
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