When you hear the word protein, what comes to your mind first? Is it muscle, weight control, or energy boosting? Do you wonder what foods contain high protein? Today, protein is the buzz word of the nutrition world and sells nutritious products like hotcakes. But how much do you make yourself aware of protein and the quantity you truly need?
Essentially, protein is one of the rare things that has various meanings to various people and each one is a positive one. To make this easy, the dietary need of protein in our day’s nutrition depends largely on our age and life-stages. Simply put, a gram of protein per kilogram of your weight is what you need. If you are at an average of 75 kilograms, then you need 75 grams of protein per day, to get your protein fill sorted out.
Now, why do we need protein? I don’t want to build muscle, I don’t need protein. I am already fit, why do I need to have protein in my meals? No, these are not the only reasons. Protein is one of the essential macronutrients that are required for healthy functioning in our bodies. It supports the growth and repair of essential tissues & red blood cells, apart from being essential to hormone production.
At Gouri’s Goodies, we began our product line in order to make honestly, delicious snack items for those that are trying to rid themselves of the guilt from consuming shelved-processed-snacks. In this process, our team researched each element, each vitamin, and nutrient, along with its requirement amounts in each piece. This brought about our products like the Dates & Chia Energy Bars, Palm Jaggery & Honey Energy Bars, our Millet Cereals, our Ragi Rhythm Cereal, and many more.
As the lockdown began, I began working on a protein pack, because when we sit at home, we do not realize the quantities we consume. We end up snacking and munching beyond measure. In order to contain this, I formulated proportions of products that when consumed in a routine, give you the protein fill you need, to be coupled with your daily meals, in order to complete your protein intake for the day. As devilish as I am when it comes to tasting my creations and re-inventing them into various other meals, I did so with this too.
So, while I began having fun with my products as ingredients, here’s what we came up with eventually: A snack for every time of the day. And here’s how we did it:
For breakfast, I once tried a few spoons of the Hearty Haldi Mix from my Gouri’s Goodies Cereal Mixes, mixed into a generous bowl of Greek Yogurt. This was an absolute delight. It took me back to the days where I used to go grab a bag of Laxminarayn Namkeen and have it with curd. This is the healthier, nutritious and my favorite alternative.
For a 12PM snack, and I really do need this one after hustling about all morning to cook; I enjoyed a few Palm Jaggery & Honey minis – my energy boost, a sweet indulgence. I couldn’t help myself at lunchtime, and ended up adding a few spoons of the Magic Millet & Apricot Mix to my vegetable salad that same day.
I had a revelation. The cereal mixes can be used as salad toppings too! So in the evening, I decided to make a bhel, amid the rains and the brilliant weather! A fresh bhel with lemon and seasoning, all you need is a few spoons of the Happy Millet & Apricot Cereal, and voila! A tasty, crunchy, fresh and tasty bhel to satisfy your evening cravings!
There are some people that just cannot end the day without a sweet indulgence. I am those people. I am the one that needs a dessert before bedtime. I cannot function without one. And my go-to every night for this is the Dark Chocolate Orange Energy Bar – oh the taste, the texture, the balance of sweet and nutrition; it is a burst of freshness and decadence!
And this day of snacking, alongside my main meals which usually comprise of a type of meat, lentils, and legumes usually brings my protein content up by almost 30 grams; just by snacking! Can you believe it?
I couldn’t for sure. I began to read more into the essentiality of protein in our lives, and found that they are actually one of the most important building blocks for our bodies. They help our hair, skin, nails and cell structures. Sure is a powerful nutrient to have on our sides!
The best ways, I have gathered, is by making sure each meal has at least 20 grams of protein in it, so that snacking can take care of the rest. I also recommend consuming this in whole food forms – skip the powders. Go natural. No time is like now, to go organic.
But always remember, before and after workout, a protein snack is important – prepare for the intensity, and repair after the intensity. The only way to stay fit; maximize the effect of your exercise.
Written By Gouri Gupta
Week 41, October ’20
