Obesity

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133.   Meat, Chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, milk and dairy products have complete protein needed by the body. But these are not the best sources as the liver finds it harder to digest all that fat as well as the antibiotics and other chemical hormones used in raising and fattening of animals. These chemical hormones along with excess fat in meats can trigger weight gain. If you are non-vegetarian, avoid red meat and go for lean meat such as turkey / chicken and oily fish. Also choose low fat dairy products – so you get the protein and not the fat. Plant foods like wholegrains, beans, legumes, sprouted grains / seeds, nuts in moderation and green leafy vegetables are cheaper and healthier sources of protein. Plant-based proteins are easy to breakdown in the body but they are incomplete proteins. To create a complete protein from plant sources, combine foods from at least two of the following three groups at a single meal.

           Legumes including dry beans, peas, soyabeans, tofu, peanuts, peanut butter.

Grains including wholegrains (barley, oats, rice, wheat, rye), corn, pasta.

Nuts, Seeds including almonds, pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds.

134.   A dieting protein deficiency can have a profound effect on the body; wasting of body tissues, fatty liver, diminished immune response, weakness, loss of vigour, and a host of other metabolic and physiologic complications.

135.   Although protein is vital for our health and well-being, eating too much is not good for you as the body cannot store the protein it does not immediately need. Instead the liver converts excess protein into glucose and toxins, which increase your risk of poor health and weight gain. High protein diets, suggested by some nutritionists e.g. Atkins Diet, should be avoided as they put a strain on your liver and kidneys and contribute to artery diseases and bone loss. The key to good health is to choose lean protein sources, or those rich in healthy fats (such as fish, nuts and soya), to avoid starchy or sugary foods and those high in saturated fat.