Have you ever come across meal in pills where meals can be taken in pills or tablets form? Ever since health practitioners or medical professionals prescribed patients or common people to consume pills for the proper supply of certain nutrients or vitamins, this unknowingly led to the development and popularity of meal in pills. Nowadays, some people completely shifted from the intake of traditional meals to meal in pills. The demand for meal replacement pills in India appears to be growing, driven by increasing health consciousness and busy lifestyles. Also, food technology took a big leap by innovating 3D meal replacement pills or meal-in pills to cater to personalised nutrient-rich pills. No matter how far innovation goes, meal-in pills or meal-replacement pills cannot replace traditional foods fully especially in India.
Mayuri Aavula, a nutritionist and Founder of TruDiet, Hyderabad, said, “Honestly, meal in pills is like our latest AI tool chat GPT. The idea that certain vitamins or nutrients can be effectively delivered through pills or tablets rather than meals or cooked food has contributed to the development and popularity of meal-in-pills or meal replacement pills. As a nutritionist considering current trends and advancements in food technology, it’s unlikely that meal-in-pills will completely replace traditional food meals within the next 10 years, especially in a diverse and culturally rich country like India. Many Indians have strong emotional and social connections to traditional meals, which may not easily be replaced by meal-in-pills. While meal-in-pills can be nutritionally formulated, there may be concerns about long-term health impacts, digestion, and absorption of nutrients compared to whole foods.”
She also said that despite having some advantages like nutrient precision, portion control, specialised diets etc, meal in pills have huge side effects or disadvantages, especially when consumed regularly. Regular consumption could lead to nutrient imbalances or deficiencies if essential nutrients are not properly balanced.
Sujatha Stephen, a nutritionist said, “Meal-in-a-pill is not a substitute for a healthy diet and should be used under medical supervision. Moreover, 3D meal replacement pills are a newer concept that uses 3D printing technology to create personalised, nutrient-rich pills. However, the disadvantages of meal in pills are an unnatural eating experience, limited calorie intake, nutrient deficiencies, potential health risks and high cost.”
