Plant based vegetarian sources of protein: How good are they

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries Government of India (MOFPI) and Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), along with the Plant Based Foods Industry Association (PBFIA) recently came together for the first Plant Based Foods Summit in New Delhi. The awareness towards the importance of protein in diet in a country with more than 40 percent vegetarian population has led the government to join hands with several private investors in showcasing the need for healthy and sustainable vegetarian sources of protein. (Image: istock)

Proteins are called the building blocks of the body and have a very important role in growth and muscle repair. Every cell of the human body contains protein and there are 10,000 varieties of protein in the body which form organs, muscles and even bone, hair and skin tissues. An average woman needs around 46 grams of protein and an average man needs around 56 grams of it. While 100 grams of fish has 22gms of protein, the same amount of meat has around 26-28 gms of it. Most Dals have around 6-7 gms of protein and even soya has around 12 grams of it per 100 gram.

As a result many new grains/foods with higher protein content have made their way to the Indian markets from around the world. Chia seeds, Hemp and the ancient Indonesian food Tempeh which is made from fermented soybeans are becoming popular in the country as most of them have double the amount of protein that the regular native grains have.

According to nutrition expert Dr.Priyanka Marakini, for vegetarians single sources of high protein play a very significant role as one serving takes care of a large part of the daily need. "Protein is a very important macronutrient that 73% of Indians are deficient in – so a good source of protein like tempeh, that is also gut-friendly, aids people to add more protein into their diet." (Image: istock)

Also Read: Foods that have 10 gms or more protein

According to Dibyendu Binda, Founder & CEO - Mighty Foods, a a new-age packaged food business that caters to busy individuals to help them meet their daily protein requirement, "It’s not a surprise that a sense of responsibility to protect the planet has been the key factor to drive consumers towards plant-based foods. These meatless options have proved to be a great alternative to animal protein because of their flavour development and high protein content. No wonder plant-based protein alternatives have made their way into the mainstream market."

Siddharth Ramasubramanian, Founder & CEO of Hello Tempayy says, "India has a rich food heritage that has stood the test of time. A lot of what Indians eaton a regular basis have their roots in lentils, grains etc. That being said, there are a few realities in India today. One, over 65% of our country is under the age of 35 years and are looking for more protein in their daily diet. This isn’t a momentary trend but rather a huge shift in consumption habits. When it comes to protein for vegetarians, the options are severely limited. We often think of just Dal and paneer. And finally, today’s consumer is seeking convenience and ease of use in the food that he/ she consumes. They are strapped on time and therefore need effective kitchen aids and food that are healthy, tasty and easy to use. We realised that Tempeh as an ingredient fits the bill and hence we at Hello Tempayy have created a ready to cook product that is clean label, packed with protein and easy to integrate into one’s daily meals. It is also easily adapted to Indian cuisine making it more widely acceptable. We have seen instant adoption as a result of this approach." (Image: istock)

With the amendment of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (Food safety and standards) announced the recognition of Hemp seeds and seed products as a food source. With this, Hemp seeds (produced from the same plant that produces Cannabis) are back on the tables in their newer avatar-as a high source of plant based proteins.

Similarly, plant based meat burgers made with soy are becoming an essential part of food menus in most restaurants and popular joints like Mcdonald and Dominos.

Nutritionists claim that the only side effect of having plant based protein can be their being highly processed-which of course will depend on case to case basis. Simple plant based vegetarian sources of protein will definitely give to the body-what it is meant to give-protein and nutrition. (Image: istock)

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