Underutilized high protein crops in India and pathways for scaling their contribution to protein security

Abstract

Underutilized high-protein crops hold significant promise for improving dietary quality, climate resilience, and livelihood diversification in India, yet their integration into mainstream food systems remains limited. This review synthesizes current evidence on their potential to address persistent protein deficits and support sustainable dietary transitions. A targeted search of scientific literature identified species with ≥15% protein content, encompassing agronomic performance, nutritional composition, traditional and modern culinary applications, and commercial innovation. Twenty-eight crops across legumes, protein-rich leafy greens, and edible seeds or pods were identified. Evidence from culinary documentation, online market visibility, and product innovation indicates that while some of these 28 species have achieved integration across food cultures, research, and emerging markets, many remain confined to localized traditions or experimental trials. Synthesis of agronomic, nutritional, and market findings reveals systemic bottlenecks, including weak seed systems, regulatory ambiguity, and limited protein quality data. A multi-pathway framework is proposed, linking product development, culinary promotion, ingredient supply chains, public nutrition programs, education, and research–policy integration to scale promising species through culturally grounded and economically viable strategies. Key research priorities include amino-acid profiling, digestibility and sensory optimization, and regulatory standardization. Collectively, these pathways position underutilized legumes and leafy vegetables as practical levers to close India’s protein gap while advancing sustainable consumption and production under Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2 and 12.