This story is brought to you in association with Protinex
We never doubt our home cooked food. But are they always good enough for a healthy body? Maybe not.
As we get more and more conscious about our health, the focus has shifted towards what we are giving our body in terms of food and nutrition. A healthy diet is one that has the right proportion of all nutrients, such as, carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
What Are You Eating And What’s Missing In It
It’s a common belief that the only source of protein in one’s diet is non-vegetarian food. However, there are various vegetarian sources of proteins such as including milk, pulses, dals, and soybean. If you have a non-vegetarian diet you can rely on eggs, fish, and chicken for your protein needs. A good mix of these protein-rich food items in your daily meal is an easy way to meet your body’s Protein demands. An egg or two in the breakfast, a portion of chicken/fish for lunch and dinner, and a glass of milk before you go to sleep at night can be a good start to a healthy protein-rich diet.
A recent survey, PRODIGY (Protein Consumption in Diet of Adult Indians: A General Consumer Survey), points out the striking protein deficiency in the average Indian diet. Amongst the people who participated in the survey, 41% were vegetarians and the remaining 59% were non-vegetarians. The protein deficit was a whopping 91% amongst the first group and a marginally lower 85% in the second group. This confirms the protein deficiency in Indian population.
Dr.Anju Sood, a leading nutritionist from Bangalore, attributes these disappointing figures to the increased consumption of processed foods that are inherently low in protein and high in simple sugars and fats. She predicts that if dietary trends do not change, very soon we are poised to become a hub for metabolic syndrome and lifestyle-generated problems.
Understanding Protein And Its Importance
Protein is an important nutrient, and all the hype around its intake is well justified.
Proteins are made up of several amino acids and are an integral part of every cell in the human body. It builds as well as repairs body tissues and is required for the synthesis of the chemicals, enzymes, and hormones in your body and also supports growth in children. Unlike fat and carbohydrates, proteins cannot be stored in the body and need to be replenished regularly.
What Happens When Your Diet Is Protein Deficient?
- The initial effect will be seen in the form of muscle loss and generalized weakness.
- It’s the building block for cells and tissues. Lack of protein will also result in weakening of the immune system leading to an increased incidence of illnesses as the body fails to synthesize a sufficient number of disease-curbing antibodies.
- If you are suffering from any symptoms such as a change in hair texture, weak nails, skin dryness, irritability, etc. you may want to evaluate your protein intake.
Do you know how much protein you actually consume in your daily diet? You can now easily calculate whether you are eating enough of it or do you need more. Click below to find out!
Bridging The Nutritional Gap
The protein requirement of a healthy Indian adult male and female is 1.0g of protein per kg body weight. For vegetarians, plant sources such as pulses, dals, pulses, whole grains, soy, nuts, and dairy products are great sources. Non-vegetarians can rely on animal protein sources such as eggs, chicken, lean meat, and fish.
But what happens if you are consuming enough of the above foods but are still not getting enough?
Additional supplements make for a reliable source to bridge the gaps in your diet. The market today has some high-quality and trusted brands of protein supplements. If you are eating enough healthy food but still not meeting your protein targets, it may be wise for you to add India’s most prescribed and trusted nutritional supplement, Protinex, to your diet to eliminate your protein woes.
This story is brought to you in association with Protinex