India and the great fitness risk A nation with a protein deficiency of 80%, India as a nation is at a risk when it comes to malnutrition and other health problems related to this deficiency. Protein being the building blocks of the body the deficiency of protein can manifest itself in many ways. Also, it is important to consume protein after a workout, this is because during the exercise session, an individual is effectively breaking his/her muscles down. And this recovery is made faster by consuming protein or supplements containing the same.
According to a recent report by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), rural households were consuming 56.5g protein in 2011-12, down from 60.2g in 1993-94, while urban households were consuming 55.7g, down from 57.2g in 1993-94. In contrast, the national daily intake of protein in Japan was 69.1g in 2015; the figures for USA are even higher. Numbers aside, even the quality of protein consumed by Indians is not the highest. Taking the above mentioned factors into consideration, India as a nation is protein deficient.
Why this deficiency? The Indian Diet What determines the quality of protein in any diet? This is determined by the amount of amino acids present in the same. From the diet point of view, the Indian diet is not very meat-intensive, even those who consume nonvegetarian food, don’t do it on a daily basis. Eggs, fish and meat make up for just 7% of protein intake in rural households and 9% in urban households. Also, ours is a wheat and rice intensive nation, where we don’t consume millets and pulses in our daily diet, which results in such deficiency. Polishing our grains and pulses with modern methods leads to loss in nutritional value in the product, thereby adding to this problem. In rural and urban households, cereals account for 58 per cent and 49 per cent of total protein intake respectively. Pulses are viewed as the main source of protein in a vegetarian diet, but even eating this in huge quantities is not enough to suffice this deficiency. And now with the rising prices of pulses, this consumption has come down even further.
External Factors Over the years the quality of protein has also declined due to external factors, for example intensification of agriculture has impacted soil health. Large parts of the agricultural soil in India are deficient in zinc, boron and iron (study by Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal).
Climate change has also reduced the protein, zinc and iron content in plants, hampering the quality of crops, therefore affecting vegetarian sources of protein. Food Expenditure Consumer expenditure on food is another element which adds to the overall protein deficiency in the country. In urban areas, beverages, refreshments and processed foods account for the highest monthly expenditure (Rs 236), while the same position is occupied by cereals (Rs 154) in rural households. Therefore, change in food habits is a must to curb this deficiency. Awareness If we look at numbers, then 25% of Indians lack awareness about protein and 12% consume protein as per their weight requirements. With such alarming numbers, the need to consume protein correctly and spreading awareness about the same is a must. This lack of awareness is also about good quality sources of protein. When it comes to pregnant women, this requirement is heightened by almost 20g per day in the third trimester, compared to an adult woman. How to get the right protein? Food sources are one way of getting your daily source of protein, but since the same is not completed by food, supplementing is another good option. Ideally, protein should be at least 25% of an individual’s plate and should be included in major meals like breakfast, lunch and dinner with judicious choice of protein snacks in between. Supplementing with proteins A large chunk of people believe that supplementing with protein is only meant for individuals who go to the gym or do any form of exercise. While it is true to a certain extent, the matter of the fact is, protein is a must for everyone and if the same is not completed by the diet, then supplementing is important.
Fitness is the key to a healthy lifestyle, hence even if you don’t perform hard-core exercises, consuming some sort of protein supplement will beneficial and help in controlling the protein deficiency, which the Indian diet has.