Are Indian kids getting enough protein?

Protein is a major building block for muscles and it is especially important for growing kids. Children aged 4 to 13 need about 20 to 35 gms of protein a day. The reason that children need relatively more protein than adults is because of the protein requirement for growth. Children are growing and accumulating extra lean tissue so the amount of protein in their bodies is increasing as they get bigger. Protein and its components function as hormones , enzymes and transporters of other nutrients.

The quality of protein is extremely important as well. Animal protein is known to be the best source as it contains all the essential amino acids. They are more easily digestible and considered a higher quality than plant sources of protein. A child's diet should include nuts , milk, eggs, chicken , fish , meat. Soy and quinoa are also complete protein alternatives. It important that you vary that type of protein that your child is eating, even if it is plant source. Grains and legumes should be in sufficient variety.

It is a well known fact that Indian kids on an average consume lesser protein in comparison to their western counter parts.

Kids are given a lot of food items which are high in carbohydrates and low in protein like paranthas, sandwiches, instant noodles, pasta. But are these foods actually going to help our child's growth and health.

Rice : The rice we eat is mostly polished and all it has is carbs. The protein levels are almost negligible.It doesn’t help with muscle growth or repair.

Rotis : We eat a lot of rotis either with a little bit of curry/gravy or Pickle. Rotis also contain lot of carbs and fiber too but the protein content again is very less. Same goes with stuffed Paranthas

Dal/lentils : Dal and lentils are protein rich and are suppose to help with our protein needs but we eat more rice/roti with lesser dal (or) they are overcooked where they lose a portion of the nutrients.

Vegetables: Indian dishes have a lot of vegetables but usually they are overcooked in masalas in most cases or they are deep fried. When vegetables are cooked in gravy they are consumed less amounts than when they are sauted or stir fried.

Sandwiches: Sandwiches are usually made of potato filling or vegetables with various sauces.

So how do we ensure that the protein intake of our kids is sufficient? We need to ensure that they don't fill their tummies with only carbs.

a) Ensure that kids are getting sufficient nuts and seeds during the day- Soak 2-3 almonds overnight and peel the skin and give it to your child with a spoon of honey. Pumpkin seeds and melon seeds are a great source of protein and good fat. A great source of protein is peanut butter. My son simply loves peanut butter and jam sandwiches. Look for a brand which has no added refined sugar. The Alpino's peanut butter (available online) is a great brand to feed your little ones. My son prefers the crunchy texture to the creamy texture of this brand. 

b) Lean meats like chicken and fish are a great source of protein.

c) Egg is a great source of protein , vitamin D and iron.

d) Soya is high in protein, (nutrela and nutrine nuggets taste quiet divine)

f) Kidney beans, black eyed peas , black chickpeas and white chickpeas provide wholesome protein.