A post by an Indian woman on X received a lot of backlash after she shared a picture of a plate of food that she described as a "protein full diet." The platter had a generous quantity of sprouts, a peeled banana, two apple slices, two dates, two walnut pieces, and four almonds.
Many drew attention to the fact that the lunch was more carbohydrate-based than protein-based, despite the claim Dr Sheetal Yadav made. In just three days, Yadav's post received over 700 quotation posts and over four million views, attracting the attention of the international and Indian fitness and nutrition communities.
Swedish doctor Andreas Eenfeldt, founder and CEO of Diet Doctor, brought attention to the problem by pointing out that the meal on the plate had a significant quantity of fat and carbs but only 13 grams of protein, based on calculations made using his nutrition app. He wrote, "According to @JoinHava photo tracking, it's just 13 grams of protein and a ton of carbs and fat. It's a low-protein diet (8% of total calories)."
Using the Community Notes tool, readers on X calculated that the plate's protein content was roughly 15.3 grams, or 15% of calories, which is not high enough to be classified as a high-protein diet.
Doctor Ken D. Berry, who practises in the US, called the content "misinformation." Furthermore, an X user from Florida, Thomas Paine Band, wrote, "All that is missing is protein."
A more positive opinion on Yadav's meal's nutritional content was offered by nutritionist and fitness coach Dr Neha Chawla. Despite the fact that the meal may not be heavy in protein, she recognized that it is "far from being nutritionally deficient." In order to guarantee an adequate protein profile, Chawla emphasised that this meal can be a useful component of a diverse diet. It is also "certainly more nutritious than chole bhature," a popular but less healthy Indian meal, she added, adding that it can improve general health and contains a variety of nutrients. Her viewpoint emphasises the complexity of nutrition and the importance of a balanced approach. She argues that, even if a dish doesn't meet high-protein needs, its varied nutrient content still supports a healthy diet.
