Indian diet is usually considered rich in carbs and low in protein. However, if you are a gym goer, you’ll know the important role protein plays in building and repairing your muscles. If you do not want to get protein from supplements such as whey, you can include it in your regular meals. Here are a few ways you can increase protein intake in your Indian diet.
How much protein do you need?
Firstly, you need to know how much of this nutrient you really need every day. According to nutritionist Annapurna Agrawal, you need 0.8-1g of protein per kg of your body weight. So if you are 50 kg, you need to consume between 40g to 50g of protein in a day.
Ways to eat more protein if you are a vegetarian
To get adequate protein from a vegetarian meal, you need to include some form of it in every meal. This is because vegetarian protein sources are not the best so you need to consume more of them to fulfil your requirement. Here’s what you can do.
According to nutritionist Ekta Tandon, vegetarians should include dairy products such as cheese, milk and curd in their diet. Have a glass of milk in the morning and before bed and have buttermilk or curd after lunch. Cheese can be eaten post workout or in breakfast. She also advises eating soya bean and sprouts. Other sources of protein include oats, chickpeas, quinoa, flaxseeds and legumes. Oatmeal makes for a great breakfast or snack option. You can have chickpeas as either chana chat or chhole gravy. Flaxseeds can be added to curd or even eaten plain. You can replace rice and make quinoa kheer.
When it comes to legumes, include beans, lentils, seeds, peas, etc. in your diet. Says nutritionist Neha Chandna that it is best to combine these with a cereal such as wheat or rice so that you get complete nutrition from them. Also read – vegetarian diet plan for bodybuilders.
Ways to eat more protein if you are a non-vegetarian
Non-vegetarians have a host of options when it comes to protein as animal meat and eggs are considered the best form of this nutrient. It is best to have eggs for breakfast in any form you like.
When it comes to meat, include chicken in your diet but make sure you cook it in a way that is healthy. Downing it in excess oil or butter is not the way to go about it. Tandoori or grilled chicken is a better option. Even chicken salad or gravy is healthy. Even tuna and prawns are good sources of protein. Avoid red meat as it is not very good for health, white meat such as chicken and turkey are healthy.
