Protein Deficiency - Remedies

Protein is essential in our diet as it carries out an important function of repair and maintenance of body cells and tissues. A deficiency of protein can lead to impaired growth in children and general deterioration in adults. A balanced diet should provide 15-20% of our daily calories from protein.

Ways to detect protein deficiency:

Weight loss

Anaemia (Iron deficiency)

Swollen Abdomen

Greying of hair

Slow healing of wounds

Decreased resistance to diseases

Muscular pain

Overall retarded growth

Protein packed ingredients which will help to raise protein levels are:

• Milk and its products: Dairy products like curds, milk, paneer and buttermilk are the richest sources of protein.
• Dals and Pulses: Dals and pulses like moong dal, rajma, soyabean, toovar dal etc. are extremely good sources of protein. Consume atleast 2 cups of any of the cooked dals or pulses to cure protein deficiency quickly. These dals if consumed in combination with cereals like wheat, bajra, jowar, ragi rtc. Make a complete protein in  itself. IDli and Khichdi are the most common dishes made with a combination of rice and dal.
• Nuts and oilseeds: Apart from milk and milk products, cereals and pulses, nuts and oilseeds like cashew nuts (kaju), almonds (badam), sesame seeds (til) and groundnuts etc. are also a good source of protein. You can make a positive lifestyle change by replacing unhealthy snacks with a fistful of nuts. However, remember that nuts and oilseeds have saturated fatty acids and should be had in moderate quantities. Also remember that nuts should be enjoyed plain and not roasted and/or salted.
• Sprouts: Sprouts are extremely good sources of protein. Sprouting not only makes the digestion easy but also increases the nutrient content.
• Meat and its products: Meat and its products are excellent sources of proteins. But beware of their fat content too. Choose lean meat.
• Eggs: King of food protein is egg. A medium egg has around 6 g of protein of the highest biological value, meaning it comes complete with all 20 amino acids in the most digestible form. An omelette is a good way to start the day and is a good recovery snack too.
• Fish and seafood: Fish and seafood are good sources of protein and are typically low in fat. While slightly higher in fat than other varieties, salmon packs in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Though the word "protein" usually brings up images of meat and dairy products; fruits and vegetables can also be good sources of protein; they are lower in saturated fat and higher in dietary fiber than animal sources and when eaten regularly, help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers.

Plant proteins, unlike animal proteins, only contain some of the nine essential amino acids that we cannot make ourselves, so they must be combined with other protein foods in order to ensure adequate intake.

Soy: Soybeans are the No. 1 source of vegetable protein, and are a complete protein, meaning they contain all of the essential amino acids. Each cup of cooked soybeans offers 29 g protein.

Beans: Beans pack a punch of protein. White beans and lentils contain about 19 g protein per cup, providing many essential amino acids such as isoleucine and lysine. Black beans contain 15.2 g per cup, while kidney, lima, black-eyed, navy and pinto beans contain about 14 g per cup.

Broccoli: Broccoli contains an abundant amount of protein. Its protein content is 34 percent of its dry matter, offering 4.6g of protein per cup of cooked broccoli.

Spinach: Known for its excellent nutrient profile, spinach is also a good source of protein. Cooked spinach contains 5.3 g of protein per cup, while frozen or canned, drained spinach contains slightly more at 6 g per cup.

Other Vegetables: Corn, artichokes and potatoes are other vegetables that contain a decent amount of protein. Corn provides about 5 g per cup. Artichokes might take a while to cook, but are worth it – a medium artichoke contains about 4.2 g of protein per cup. A potato with its skin provides about 5 g of protein; removing the skin drops its protein content by 2 g. Sweet potatoes have about 3 g of protein per potato.

Fruits: Fruits, on the whole, contain less protein than vegetables and legumes. Fresh strawberries are 7.5 percent protein, watermelons and bananas are 6.4 and 5.1 percent protein, respectively. Other fruits contain less than 5 percent protein.

Protein intake can be enhanced in the following ways:

1. Have small and frequent meals equally distributed throughout the day as protein deficient individuals are often seen to have lower appetite.
2. Have dals and pulses for both the major meals of the day.
3. Consume 2-3 glasses of milk in any form to overcome protein deficiency.
4. Include plenty of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet as protein deficiency is usually accompanied by other nutrient deficiencies too.

            Post by Faiz Lahori