Are you among the 90% who don’t know the body’s daily protein requirement? | Health

In today’s day and age, thanks to the proliferation of the internet, we are all aware of the importance of protein in our diet, but despite this, we regularly come across statements such as:

• Almost 80% of our Indian population does not meet their daily protein requirement and 90% of Indian population does not know their daily protein requirement.
• 9 out of 10 people do not meet their daily protein requirements.
• Almost 1 in 4 Indians is obese, according to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) data.

This might make us wonder what the problem is, and although we know protein is important, the lack of knowledge about the significance of protein outside of muscle building, misconceptions about what foods contain protein or how much protein must be consumed are some of the major reasons for the same. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Azhar Ali Sayed, founder of Healthtech StartUp and health and wellness coach, pointed out, “Protein does a lot more than building muscle, but unfortunately, understanding of protein’s role is limited only to its ability to to build muscle. “

Stating that protein is directly or indirectly involved in almost every function of the human body, he shared, “Less protein means protein deficiency. Major health problems, low energy levels, fatigue, weakness and frequent illness are common symptoms of protein deficiency. Protein helps brain function, boosts metabolism, injury recovery, keeps different parts of the body healthy, and even keeps the body fuller for longer.”

Now that we know how beneficial protein is, let’s look at how much protein we eat and what foods are needed to stay fit and healthy. Azhar Ali Sayed said: “Although this would vary from person to person depending on age, gender, activity levels and clinical conditions, for the general population, body weight (kg) 1.4 to 2.2 g of protein for men and body weight (kg). ) 1 to 1.6 g of protein is a good range. It should be noted that all proteins are not equal, bioavailability and amino acid profile vary, making some sources better than others.”

He explained: “Proteins are a group of amino acids, and amino acids are further divided into essential amino acids and non-essential amino acids. There are 9 essential amino acids that our bodies can’t synthesize on their own, so checking your plate for complete protein sources is top tip. What are the best sources of complete protein? And how much protein can we get from them? These are things that many are not aware of. Especially for vegetarians and vegans, it becomes a challenge to meet their daily protein requirements.”

The health expert has listed 10 foods with their protein content to help you meet your daily protein requirements:

1. 100g of meat, approx. 20 to 24 g of protein

2. 100 g of Paneer is approx. 24 g of protein

3. 3 whole eggs will give approx. 18g protein

4. 100g Piece of Soya 52g Protein

5. 100g Soya, White gives approx. 38 g of protein

6. 100g soybeans, brown yes approx. 35 g of protein

7. 30g Hemp seeds give you approx. 10 g

8. 30g Pistachio gives you approx. 7 g of protein

9. 30g of watermelon seeds gives you approx. 10 g of protein

10. 1 glass of cow’s milk gives approx. 10 g of protein

Azhar Ali Sayed suggested, “Mix and match the combinations from the list above to successfully meet your daily protein requirements. This 1 diet change can help you on your weight loss journey, make you feel full of energy, keep your blood sugar stable, help you recover faster and keep you away from weakness and frequent illness .”