What Meats are High in Protein?
Chicken breasts are always preferred because it consists of lean muscle-building protein. There are other meats that are high in protein that make it to the list which are:
- Pork Tenderloin
- Shrimp
- Tilapia fish
- Scallops
- Tuna fish
- Lean ground beef
You go to a weight loss center and the first thing they do is give you a forever-ever Indian diet to lose weight? Look closely and you might notice that it is not a non-veg diet for weight loss.
Your best bet at eating non-veg during weight loss is fish and that too in the steamed or broiled format. Sometimes if the dietitian has been gracious, a boiled chicken also features somewhere.
So what will you do in such a case? Accept this Indian weight loss diet and secretly dream about fried buckets? Or really go out there on your cheat day and indulge in a fried leg piece?
Although that second thing would still be looked down while on a diet, no one says that you have to convert into a vegetarian. Non-veg diet for weight loss can help you too, even with the inclusion of the much ‘taboo’ meat.
Worried about whether you should include meat in your diet during weight loss. You can always ask a Possible nutritionist for FREE! Just click and get started!
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What Does Early History Say on Non-Vegetarian Foods? [1]
Before we debate whether the inclusion of nonveg during weight loss, let us first look back on the history.
Humans began as hunter-gatherers foraging for food and as early settlers, they consumed a diet that was a mix of meat and plant sources.
Rewind 10,000 years before the era of agricultural revolution which made plant cultivation really easy.
Back then, early humans relied on hunting, fishing, gathering of wild plant foods and animal source foods.
Researchers pegged the energy source in the diet of these early humans from animal foods anywhere between 45 to 65%.
Their plant-based foods meant to shoot, leaves, flowers, roots and tubers, nuts, seeds and berries.
Cereals such as rice, wheat and even legumes such as dals, pulses are the blessing of the agricultural revolution.
So imagine a plate and you will picture rice or wheat to be the central ingredient followed by subji and a dal.
For the early humans, meat or fish formed the central food with some plant or fruit or leaves as accompaniment. This means the early humans consumed a primarily non-veg diet.
“Early humans consumed a mix of meat and plant-source foods. Cereals such as rice, wheat, dals, pulses etc became central to the human diet only after the agricultural revolution.”
Agricultural Revolution and the Change in the Nutritional Status
Come the agricultural revolution, the humans shifted their diet from being meat-based to cereal based.
Wheat, rice and maize were the main ingredients in the diet which provided energy. Along with it, there was a deterioration of the nutritional status.
The erstwhile Indian protein diet got replaced with a carb-centred diet.
Why did the nutritional status change, would you ask?
Well, the cereal-centric foods with less or no meat inclusion made diets to be deficient in major nutrients like iron and zinc.
Also, the choice of foods in a typical Indian non-vegetarian diet meant not enough variation.
This meant most of the foods were deficient in other nutrients such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E [1].
Leave alone the micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), let’s take up the case of protein sufficiency.
A recent multi-city survey titled The Protein Consumption in the Diet of Adult Indians Survey conducted by IMRB found that 91% of vegetarians were deficient in protein.
Surprisingly, even 88% of non-vegetarians were deficient in this vital macronutrient [2].
“Almost 91% of vegetarians were shown to be deficient in protein. Surprisingly even 88% non-vegetarians were deficient in protein. That could be due to less consumption of meat and lean meat.”
Blame this on the Indian non-vegetarians who eat meat only on special occasions!
Why So Much Hype Against Meat? [3]
Why so much resistance against adopting an Indian non veg diet plan for weight loss?
That is because meat is associated with high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, heart disease and obesity.
All this because of the saturated fat presence. Since ages, this has been the diet wisdom to protect against heart disease.
Know your disease-risk diet agents: There are 2 agents in the diet implicated for increased disease risk. They are:
1. Saturated fats
present in red meat, non-veg foods, dairy products like cheese and butter.
2. Trans fat
which is artificially produced by industries. Amply present in baked goods like cakes, biscuits, chips, most packaged goods and ready-to-eat foods.
That is because trans fat increases the shelf life of the products.
Is beef a good source of protein?
It is one of the most common questions that people ask. Well, to let you know steak is high in protein as well as high in saturated fat. Steak is rich in protein which is needed to repair tissues, helps to build lean muscle mass, give structure to skin and provides energy. However, it should be consumed in moderate quantity.
However, if a recent study published in the British Medical Journal has to be believed, then saturated fats from foods did not weigh heavily on the heart disease risk as previously thought.
Instead, they blame industrially produced trans fat to be the main villain behind all these health troubles.
According to the study, industrial trans fat was associated with 34% increase in death rates; 28% rise in death due to heart disease; and 21% increased the risk of being diagnosed with heart disease.
Mind you, all these with only trans fat. Saturated fat from non-vegetarian diet and dairy products do not feature here!
“Trans fat are the main culprit rather than saturated fat. Study finds they contributed to 34% increase in death rates; 28% rise in death due to heart disease; and 21% increased risk of being diagnosed with heart disease.”
What are the Benefits of Meat?
So what are the health benefits of eating a non-vegetarian diet replete in meat? Let’s delve into that:
Good quality nutrients
Meat, chicken and fish are the source of some heavy duty nutrients. Although there could be ample sources of protein around, meat is one of the best sources of it.
Best because it has all the 9 essential amino acids that have to be consumed from the diet.
Is chicken good for you to lose weight?
Grilled chicken is very effective to any weight loss meal plan, due to its rich protein content. Eating chicken breast without its skin will help you to burn extra fat so, always choose grilled chicken over fried chicken. A 4-ounce roasted chicken breast gives you more than 35 grams of protein.
In addition to it, meat is a really great source of B vitamins and essential minerals such as iron, zinc among others. We rate it the best because it is really bioavailable.
Think about it, the animal has already processed the plant to make the nutrients bio available.
B complex vitamins are important in every aspect of life, be it good digestion; supple skin; good mental health; good sleep; increased energy and vigor in life.
Some reasons to have a nonveg diet to lose weight. Now you get it why agricultural revolution brought about a change in the nutritional status?
If you are still confused about adding meat to your diet. You can watch the video given below
But hey, vegetarians amongst us needn’t fret. We have a list of 10 complete vegetarian sources of protein. Include them in your Indian diet plan for weight loss.
Helps in diabetes management
Studies have shown protein and fat help keeps you feel full and your blood sugar stable.
Where else will you find a better quality protein and fat but meat.
Consuming a well-prepared meat dish will not only keep you up and running without your blood sugars dipping or hunger knocking on your mind, but it will also nourish you well.
So the next time you are hungry, do not hesitate to reach out for a chicken sandwich or fish fillet. If you are not hungry, you do not snack unnecessarily.
Hence ask your dietician to chart out a nonveg diet plan to lose weight sensibly.
Keeps your mind sharp and smart
You would know that we are protein from head to toe. That means even the smaller details of life such as the enzyme, hormones are protein.
Hormones and enzymes are little messengers that control the very being of you.
One such important messengers are neurotransmitters which control mental performance, sleep pattern, intelligence and emotional states.
Meat with its complete protein makes ideal fodder for neurotransmitter genesis and thus mental well-being.
If a University from Graz has to be believed, vegetarians are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, eating disorders among others. Some more reason to go on a nonvegetarian diet.
Good muscles
This one is a no-brainer but here we won’t just highlight the protein benefits of meat but will speak about the minerals that help muscle building.
Remember, meat is rich in muscle friendly minerals such as zinc which helps in muscle building and iron that helps you go on in the gym tirelessly.
Just the thing ardent body builders are looking for. Well, most of them already gorge on meat, all you need is to just ask.
Muscles are also one of the most active tissues in the body keeping the metabolism burning strong.
When a nonveg diet plan helps meet your weight loss goals then you need to use it to your advantage.
For the others, we always have the good old whey to bank upon to build good muscles. We let you know about the benefits of whey and the workout exercises for weight loss and importantly for that envious body.
Energetic you
Admit it, you need that cup of joe or tea to keep you going through a slow day or even to keep you up.
What if we tell you that meat helps in the slow release of energy throughout the day due to the fat and protein?
A lesser known fact found by studies is the role of orexin cells of the brain. These cells are directly linked to energy expenditure and your ability to stay awake.
And what stimulates these cells are amino acids. I hope you get the meat connection now! And an energetic you will simply love the Indian nonveg diet plan for weight loss
So Does it Mean Go All Out on Meat?
We never said that. The lessons that our ancestors taught is to adopt a mixed diet that has a correct balance of meat and plant foods.
After all, meat does not supply you with fiber, a much deficient and neglected nutrient. Similarly, the researchers who found that it is trans fat which is the culprit had a disclaimer to offer.
“For years everyone has been advised to cut out fats. Trans-fats have no health benefits and pose a significant risk for heart disease, but the case for saturated fat is less clear.
That said, we aren’t advocating an increase of the allowance for saturated fats in dietary guidelines, as we don’t see evidence that higher limits would be specifically beneficial to health,” said the researcher [3].
The Final Verdict
We do not shun consumption of meat during weight loss. In fact, if prepared well, it can help you with your weight goals.
Try opting for a non veg diet plan during weight loss and you should be well taken care of in terms of protein.
But hey, that doesn’t negate the saturated fat content in them. So be careful, ask your nutritionist to carefully allocate the meat portions in your diet.
We leave you with this carefully crafted Indian diet plan for weight loss with a month-long diet schedule to get you going. Follow it diligently along with a workout routine and you should be set!
Recommended read: 5 foods to include in the diet for weight loss
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