The importance of protein cannot be over stated. It is an essential macronutrient that forms the building blocks of life. Yet, our typical Indian meal is woefully deficient in protein. Protein is not only deficient in Indians but also often overlooked. As per survey run by the Indian Market Research Bureau in 2017, 9 out of 10 Indians are deficient in protein in their diet while more than 93% are unaware of the daily protein requirements. What is further alarming is about 65% of non-vegetarian Indians are also deficient in protein. Protein is also often misinterpreted to be taken only for body builders as 85% of people surveyed believed it leads to weight gain. India has the lowest average protein consumption in Asian countries & other developed countries.
Loss of muscle mass is one of the first signs of protein in deficiency leading to increased risk of bone fractures. Less Protein intake during early years impact the growth parameters and have lifelong implications. An average adult requires about one gram per kg of body weight of protein as per recommended by the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research). This can vary with age and requirements as for athletes, older people and pregnant women. Unfortunately, Indian diets have more carbohydrates as it is cereal based which has poor digestibility and quality of protein. It is often said vegetarians food lack protein but it is not true, proteins in them are not as easily bio-available for absorption as for non-vegetarian food. So, it is generally recommended for them to have more protein rich foods which doesn’t happen.(do check out our blog on. Hemp seeds are 100% natural rich source of complete plant protein loaded with 20 amino acids, out of which 9 are essential amino acids that the body doesn’t produce and can only be derived from food.
The hemp seed protein primarily contains edestin and albumin. Both high storage proteins have all 9 essential amino acids (which our body can’t produce) and are easily digested, resulting in efficient nutrient absorption. Hemp has a similar amino acid profile to soy and egg white protein and is therefore considered a high-quality protein. Plant based complete protein sources are scarce in nature, making hemp seeds a very valuable addition to vegan or vegetarian diets (in-fact any diet).