Tiredness, Fatigue and mood swing seems to be common these days with most of my clients irrespective of their levels of stress. When I tell them they have a deficiency most of them deny saying they do eat a well balance diet. However their diet patterns show how their carbs consumption is more than any other vital nutrients in their diet. A recent study on one of the leading newspapers said 9 out of 10 Indians are protein deficit. Though a shocker to most, it was easily forgotten and everyone believes that we are not those 9 Indians who are deficit.
Why is protein so important?
Proteins are the building blocks of a cell. All of our organs, including the skin, are built from proteins, as are the muscles, hair and nails. Many hormones are proteins, and, the immune system, digestive system and blood all rely on proteins to work correctly. Proteins are broken down into amino acids in our body. There are 20 amino acids out of which 11 are synthesized in body while 9 are not. These 9 amino acids are called the essential amino acids and they have to be given our body through food. Hence include different kinds of food is very important in our diets.Some very important functions of proteins in our body are
- Antibody : Antibodies bind to specific foreign particles, such as viruses and bacteria, to help protect the body.
- Enzyme : Enzymes carry out almost all of the thousands of chemical reactions that take place in cells. They also assist with the formation of new molecules by reading the genetic information stored in DNA.
- Messenger : Messenger proteins, such as some types of hormones, transmit signals to coordinate biological processes between different cells, tissues, and organs.
- Structural component : These proteins provide structure and support for cells. On a larger scale, they also allow the body to move.
- Transport/storage : These proteins bind and carry atoms and small molecules within cells and throughout the body.
Before knowing we have a protein deficiency we need to know how much of protein we take in as compared to carbs.
Indian Breakfast
- Idli/dosa/ sambhar has about 5-6 gms of proteins
- Paratha and curds has about 6-7 gms of proteins
Lunch
- Rice/chapathi/dal/sambhar/rasam/vegetables has about 7-8 gms of proteins
Dinner
- Chapathi/ paratha/ragi dosa/ roti with dal/ vegetables etc about 7-8 gms of protein
This would give us about 24-28 gms of proteins which is about the 50% requirement of a person weighing 48-52 kgs. You need 1gm of protein per kg body weight. Its now easier to know how much is our deficit.
Some signs of protein deficiency include
- Splitting of hair
- Hair loss
- Brittle nails
- Reduced energy levels
- Fatigue
- Excessive sleeping
- Constipation
- Prone to infections
- Reduced hair pigmentation
- Slow wound Healing
- Muscle weakness
- Reduced blood pressure
If you have any of these symptoms you need to increase intake of proteins.Good sources of proteins include
- Lean meat
- Fish
- Eggs
- Beans
- Nuts and Seeds
- Dairy Products
One disadvantage of animal protein is also that it come with high cholesterol content. And Disadvantage of plant protein is it does’nt contain that much amount of proteins as compared to animal sources.
Even after we know about proteins some of us still have some myths without debugging which the purpose writing this article is not complete.
Myth 1
Only People who Gym require proteins
Fact: All of us need proteins and we all know why?
Myth 2
You can only assimilate 30 grams of protein at one sitting
Fact:The body has the ability to digest and assimilate much more than 30 grams of protein from a single meal.
Myth 3
Protein powder makes you fat.
Fact:Your body adds fat when you’re consuming more calories than your body needs.
Myth 4
Protein powder will give you muscles even if you don’t work out.
Fact:When it comes to adding muscle mass, there’s no quick fix. Simply ingesting additional protein isn’t going to help.
Finally to conclude the Benefits of a Protein-Enriched Diet
Consuming high-protein foods has many benefits, including:
Speeding recovery after exercise
Reducing muscle loss
Building lean muscle
Helping you maintain a healthy weight
Curbing hunger
Ofcourse protein supplements are available in various forms like soy based and whey based. Choose a your proteins wisely!!
Happy Eating!!
Visit: www.anithanarayanamurthy.com