In today’s world we all are struggling to stay fit, healthy
and beautiful. We eat sufficient carbs and fat in our diet but somewhere our protein intake is adversely hampered due to
our bad food choices and food habits.
Protein in our diet
is responsible for our body’s growth, muscle building, healthy hair and skin,
stamina, endurance etc. Proteins obtain from animal sources like egg, milk and
flesh are of good quality whereas proteins obtain from plant sources like
cereal, pulses and nuts are of moderate quality that means animal proteins when
taken in diet are better utilized by our body as compared to plant proteins.
But does this mean that people who are vegan, vegetarian or those who eat meat
less frequently only have moderate quality protein in their diet throughout
their life which can result into impaired growth and wellbeing? The answer is
No.
Protein quality of a diet can be increased to maximum by
blending one protein to the other protein, this could be easily explained by an
example of “Rajma Chaawal”- Rajma or kidney beans is a pulse having a moderate
quality protein and rice is a cereal which also have moderate quality protein
but when eaten together as rajma chawal they both complement each other and
become a source of good quality protein.
Some more combination of food which complements each other
are listed below:
1. Cereal + Pulse: Dal-chawal, soya chaap
roll, chhole chawal, peanut butter and bread, Rajama chawal, Dal baati, Dal
roti, etc.
2. Cereal + Milk/
Paneer/Curd: Kheer,
Kadhi chawal, Paneer masala oats, Paneer paratha, Curd rice, Raita with
paratha, Milk porridge, etc.
3. Cereal + Egg/ Chicken/
Fish: Biryani,
Bread-omllette, Egg paratha, Chicken roll, Fish rice, etc.
4. Pulses + Sesame seed/
Almonds: Lentil
soup topped with alomonds, Tofu salad garnished with sesame seed, Hummus with
sesame seeds, etc.
5. Nuts + Vegetables: Broccoli salad with
almonds, Vegetable soup garnished by sesame and flax seed, etc.
Include this food combination in your meals and ensure that
you get sufficient good quality protein in your diet.
