Protein Demystified

As per last stats more than 80% of the Indian population are Protein Deficient. For Vegetarians it is even harder to meet the basic requirements!
But here are the problems most of the Individuals face when they try to increase their Protein.

And no one is talking about this problem.

Gassiness
Feeling of Constipation
Feeling Heavy

MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON PROTEIN:

Which are rich Protein Food Sources?
What should be my Protein Intake per day?
How can I meet my Protein Requirements being a Vegetarian?
How much Protein do I need?
Is Protein for Weight Loss or Muscle Gain?
Here is the WHAT, WHICH, WHY and HOW MUCH of
Protein!!

What does Protein do in the Body?

Raw Material for Hormones
As a transporter for carrying nutrients and likes to various parts of
the body.
Makes enzymes that perform multiple functions in the body
Building Immune Cells, Muscles and its Repair

How Much Of Protein Do You Need?

However, this needs further customization based on:

Body type, Age, Weight, Digestion, Health condition, Health Goal and the Type of Activity.
For individuals with gut related issues, this formula doesn’t apply because of the suboptimal digestion in the body.

The question no one is answering though is; "Is the protein you are eating getting absorbed in the first place?"
And the simple answer is to let the gut adjust. All you have to do is listen, take action.
For the ones who have major gut related issues, consult a Qualified Dietitian to get to the root cause.

How to take Protein for maximal Digestion and Absorption?

4 Thumb rules:

Distribute the Protein:

Do not try to include all the Protein at one go. Instead divide it in each meals for maximum absorption
Weekly 20% :

If you have been eating less protein and decide to increase it. Let the body slowly adapt to avoid gassiness and bloating.

Example. If you have been having 25 gms of Protein, increase it to 30 gms for a week and then increase again. This allows the gut to adjust to the increasing protein by improving the enzyme count and the gut biota..
Increase Water intake:

Protein has the tendency of absorbing a lot of water while it digests. Hence, add enough water to prevent the side effect of constipation.
Spice Support:

A lot of individuals complain of constant gassiness by light increase of lentils specifically.The presence of oligosaccharides (like raffinose) in lentils can leave you gassy. There is a certain method that you can adapt whenever you use them:

1. 1. Soak the lentils for atleast 6-8 hours.
  2. Rince it really well before cooking and after cooking( wherever applicable)
  3. Use spices like asafoetida, jeera, ajwain and mustard in the cooking
  4. Use digestive enzymes that helps in easier breakdown of these oligosaccharides.

Plant Protein or a Whey Protein - Which Protein Supplement to Pick?

This is how I go about to make that decision for my client:

Are you suffering from hormonal imbalances?
Are you lactose Intolerant?
Do you have digestive issues like gassiness and bloating with lentils?
Are there any autoimmune condition, inflammation or allergies you might be
suffering from?

How about Whey?

If you have any one of the above conditions. I would choose the following kind of whey:

01

Whey Isolate or Hydrolysed over Whey
Concentrate (especially
if i have lactose intolerance or in general bloating)

02

Grass Fed Whey (especially if you are wary about your hormones)

03

Switch to Plant Protein if Whey of any kind hasn't suited you!

How about Plant Protein?

You might want to pick the one that has Digestive Enzymes (especially if
you have issue of gassiness)
Check a Supplement that has minimal ingredients. Less is good.
BCAA added is a bonus

Tip: For Any Supplement: Always check if they are Third Party Tested. This confirms the purity and authenticity of the product.

Here is a ready reckoner of some Prominent Protein Sources for the sake of reference and calculation:

Food Source	Quantity	Protein (gms)
Milk/ Yogurt	200 ml	4.7
Paneer	50 gms	10
Tofu	50 gms	6
Eggs	1 Whole	6
Nuts/Seeds	10 gms	1-2.5
Dals/ Pulses	1 cup (240 ml) thick	6
Millets	1 X 6 inches diameter or 3/4 cup cooked millets	2

With the help of the above table, you will know where you stand currently. And you can easily make modifications to your current diet.

For more ideas on protein rice recipes, our Instagram has some Protein rich Recipe Swaps that you can readily accommodate and increase your overall protein intake.. Here are some High Protein Rice Recipes for Vegetarians that you can try too!!

Naina Singhania

Registered Dietitian | Functional Nutritionist | Diabetes Reversal Expert | Gut and Hormone Health Management

About Naina: Naina is a Registered Dietitian of India practicing since 2013. She works in the field of Weight Management, Diabetes Reversals and Women’s Health (PCOS, Infertility). She lives in Mumbai and caters to clients worldwide. Her approach is a combination of Ayurvedic Analysis along with scientific base in Functional Nutrition allows her to get into the root cause of the problem and provide customised solutions to her clients.