Health benefits of poultry protein and tips to include it in your diet

Protein is available from various dietary sources like dairy, lentils, egg, poultry, nuts, seeds and millets hence, it is very important to be aware of the importance of eating healthy and incorporating proteins in one’s diet. Here's all you need to know about poultry protein

Protein which is an essential part of our healthy diet, is deficient in most Indians since the Indian Market Research Bureau suggests that protein deficiency in Indians is more than 80%, and as per the recent National Sample Survey, India has a declining per capita protein consumption in both urban and rural areas. Protein is available from various dietary sources like dairy, lentils, egg, poultry, nuts and seeds and also millets which why it is very important is to make aware to the public the importance of eating healthy and incorporating proteins in one’s diet.

There is a need to create awareness on the importance of protein on our health, how much to take, the sources of protein in our diet and it is important to understand the quality of protein when we include them in our diets. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Ritika Samaddar, Chief Dietician at Max Healthcare in New Delhi's Saket, advised, “Quality of protein can be defined by its bio availability and its amino acid profile. Poultry like chicken, duck, turkey and eggs are the best source of bioavailable proteins and are termed as complete proteins since all the dietary essential amino acids are abundantly present in them. Complete protein sources like chicken, turkey, duck and egg are high on quantity and quality and 100% digested.”

She revealed, “They are packed with the goodness of healthy proteins, fats and micronutrient, and its high protein content makes it a great immunity boosting food. Besides being an excellent source of protein, they are also loaded with micronutrients like Vitamin B12, Zinc, Iron, copper. Also being low in calories per serving, which is why a diet rich in protein like chicken and turkey helps in weight management. Poultry contains amino acid tryptophan, which is linked to higher levels of serotonin (the feel- good hormone), which is important for good mood.”

Calling the composition of poultry fat as favourable, she highlighted, “It includes significant amounts of monounsaturated fatty acids (good fat) and only a third of total fat is made up of saturated fatty acids, hence good for heart health. Poultry meat is an important component of a healthy and well-balanced diet due to its nutritional richness with moderate energy content, highly digestible proteins of good nutritional quality, healthy fats, B-group vitamins and minerals.”