{"id":389802,"date":"2026-03-17T15:21:12","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T15:21:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/389802\/"},"modified":"2026-03-17T15:21:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T15:21:12","slug":"is-protein-water-worth-the-hype","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/389802\/","title":{"rendered":"Is protein water worth the hype?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>For young Indians living in cities, especially those who work out, getting enough protein is always a top priority. However, your age and activity regimen determine how much protein you actually require.<\/p>\n

In order to gain muscle, people who exercise frequently or are physically active often take protein supplements. All the more because most people’s diets don’t provide enough protein.<\/p>\n

In fact, a recent study found that even though there are plenty of protein sources available, over two-thirds of households surveyed <\/a>consume less protein than is advised.<\/p>\n

Read Full Story<\/p>\n

People select protein supplements, usually in the form of powders, to make up for this shortfall, while many try to include it in their grocery carts with options such as high-protein snacks. High-protein bread, cookies, chips, and cereals are readily available and widely consumed in India.
We found a new form of protein supplementation \u2013 hydrolysed protein, also referred to as protein water.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s understand how and why it\u2019s gaining popularity, the tall claims it makes around muscle gain and how true they are.<\/p>\n

WHAT IS PROTEIN WATER?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a clear beverage made with whey isolate protein and has around 10 to 20 grams of protein per serving. Traditional protein supplements are sometimes heavy on the gut, which leads to bloating, but protein water has a negligible amount of lactose. So it is a wonderful option for people with a sensitive gut.<\/p>\n

Speaking at the India Today Conclave in Delhi, robotic GI surgeon and educator Dr Anshuman Kaushal, widely known on social media as the \u2018Angry Doc\u2019, shared how hydrolysed protein, commonly called ‘protein water’, is easy on the gut as it is predigested protein.<\/p>\n

He suggested that most of the protein should come from your diet and the rest can be supplemented.<\/p>\n

Protein water is a ready-to-drink beverage and usually has whey isolate.<\/p>\n

While many are calling it another marketing gimmick, Dr Kaushal calls it \u2018clever marketing\u2019 as, unlike traditional protein powders, protein water is easy to carry, easy to digest and offers a good amount of protein with low calories.<\/p>\n

HIGH PROTEIN, FEWER CALORIES<\/p>\n

\u201cIt can provide high protein with relatively few calories,” said Dr Kaushal. A 500 ml bottle may provide 10\u201315 grams of protein and have calories between 40 and 80, depending on the specific brand.<\/p>\n

So it\u2019s a great choice for people who are trying to lose weight without putting on extra calories. This is also a sugar-free alternative to traditional protein shakes.<\/p>\n

So, basically, protein water is higher in protein but lower in calories and helps you build muscle without unnecessary calories.<\/p>\n

WHY IS IT A POPULAR CHOICE?<\/p>\n

Protein water provides convenience and is growing in popularity as a post-workout beverage because it is pre-packaged and offers ease. It’s perfect for gym-goers who need more protein and want to rehydrate after working out.<\/p>\n

Compared to a protein powder, which requires time and effort to make the drink from scratch, it is undoubtedly simpler and is affordable too. Protein water in India generally costs between Rs 90 and Rs 150 for a single 300ml\u2013500ml bottle.<\/p>\n

Dr Kaushal explained that \u201csince it\u2019s predigested, it absorbs at a faster rate; it reduces hunger and increases fullness, and there is evidence that it absorbs at a faster rate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Studies suggest that it can quickly reduce hunger pangs and can be particularly effective in reducing appetite.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople find protein water more digestible because it contains less than 0.5 grams of fat and 0.5 grams of lactose, which milk-based shakes contain,\u201d said Swati Mohapatra, dietician at Manipal Hospital, Bhubaneshwar.<\/p>\n

While protein supplements are popular and are a go-to choice, their safety is often questioned.<\/p>\n

The Indian Council for Medical Research \u2013 National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN) in its 2024 dietary guidelines<\/a> for Indians advised against the consumption of protein supplements, emphasising instead on getting adequate protein from whole foods consumed regularly.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost people can meet their protein needs through regular foods such as eggs, dairy, pulses, nuts, and lean meats. Protein water exists primarily as a product which offers users fast and easy protein solutions,\u201d said Swati.<\/p>\n

CLAIMS VS BENEFITS<\/p>\n

While it\u2019s easy to consume and easy to digest, it is not a solution to all your problems. It\u2019s crucial to understand that drinking protein water in addition to eating a balanced diet is essential.<\/p>\n

While social media claim that protein water helps you gain muscle and lose weight quickly, this is misleading.<\/p>\n

Protein supplements can support weight management by increasing feelings of fullness. That doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that they act as a magic cure for all your weight-related issues.<\/p>\n

Protein water functions as a muscle-building product which requires strength training and proper recovery to achieve results.<\/p>\n

According to Swati Mohapatra, \u201cprotein water contributes protein to your diet, yet it neither acts as a muscle-building shortcut nor functions as a shortcut to muscle development.\u201d<\/p>\n

– Ends<\/p>\n

Published By: <\/p>\n

Nabeela Khan<\/p>\n

Published On: <\/p>\n

Mar 17, 2026 16:31 IST<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For young Indians living in cities, especially those who work out, getting enough protein is always a top…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":389803,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[277],"tags":[18,178012,135,19,17,96621,508,170,64279,178011,447],"class_list":{"0":"post-389802","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-eire","9":"tag-gut-friendly","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-ie","12":"tag-ireland","13":"tag-muscle-gain","14":"tag-nutrition","15":"tag-protein","16":"tag-protein-supplements","17":"tag-protein-water","18":"tag-water"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/116245200180169775","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/389802","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=389802"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/389802\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/389803"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=389802"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=389802"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=389802"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}