Search Results for: protein

September 11, 2022 By Urvi Gohil 1 Comment

Healthy Eating: Protein Tikkis

Some people believe that it is difficult for a vegetarian to meet their daily requirement of protein. Well, if you’re a vegetarian who has been facing this issue, we have a fun recipe for you! Try these special Protein Tikkis. As these Protein Tikkis are made using soya chunks, your daily protein intake is guaranteed. What’s more? They absolutely delicious and healthy as well! Give it a try!

What You Will Need

Soya Chunks – 1 cup
Chilly Ginger Garlic Paste – 2 tbsp
Finely Chopped Onion – 1 medium sized
Semolina – 2 tbsp
Finely Chopped Coriander – ½ cup
Chat Powder – ¼ tsp
Finely Chopped Carrot – 2 tbsp
Salt as per taste
Garam masala – ¼ tsp

How to Prepare Protein Tikkis

Soak 1 cup of soya chunks in hot water for an hour.
After an hour, squeeze excess water from the soya chunks and keep them aside.
In a mixer/blender add the soaked soya chunks, 2 tbsp of chilly garlic paste and salt to make a smooth mixture.
Remove it in a big bowl and add onion, carrot, coriander, semolina, chat masala and garam masala. Give this a quick shake and mix well.
Using your palms make flat small tikkis and refrigerate them for 10 minutes.
On a pan, brush some oil and place the tikkis on it. Once golden brown, turn it up and cook well on other side too.
Your hot, tasty protein tikkis are ready to eat with some green chutney

Highlights of the Protein Tikkis

Soya bean is known to have higher biological value protein which is well absorbed.
It is extremely satiating in a small portion size.
You can have it as a side dish or as a main meal with some salad.

Do try these healthy and delicious Protein Tikkis! Which recipe would you like to see us prepare next? Leave your suggestions in the comments below!

You can also check out more healthy recipes on our Healthy Reads or you can get these delicious recipes directly from your GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalised health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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July 23, 2022 By Mrinali Dwivedi Leave a Comment

Healthy Eating: Protein Papdi Chaat

Chaats refer to a lip smacking delicacy made by bringing together a range of rustic masalas and chutneys. Isn’t there something about Indian Chaats that makes our mouth water instantly, just by thinking about them? For the longest time we have associated a plate of chat dripping with curd and chutneys to an unhealthy indulgence. But what if I were to tell you that chaats can be really beneficial to your health? Let’s try this healthy Protein Papdi Chaat recipe.

What You Will Need

For the papdi

Wheat flour – 1 cup
Soya flour – 1 cup
Rava (semolina) – 1 cup
Besan (chana flour) – 1 cup
Ajwain (carom seeds) – 1 tsp
Regular spices according to taste preference such as haldi, lal mirch powder, dhaniya powder and salt
Oil – 1 tbsp

For assembling the chaat

Boiled chana – ½ cup
Boiled corn – ½ cup
Boiled potato (finely diced) – ½ cup
Tomato (finely diced) – ½ cup
Onion (finely diced) – ½ cup
Cucumber (finely diced) – ½ cup
Carrot (finely grated) – ½ cup
Pomegranate seeds – ½ cup
Dry roasted peanuts and chana – ½ cup
Curd – ½ cup
Tamarind dates chutney – 1 tbsp
Coriander mint chutney – 1 tbsp
Chaat masala – 2 pinches

How To Prepare

Knead a stiff dough of the papdi ingredients (all flours, all spices and a teaspoon of oil).
Roll this dough into a big flat thin sheet and cut diamond shapes with a shankar para cutter or knife. You can also cut it into small discs with a cookie cutter.
Brush these diamonds or discs of dough with the remaining oil and bake for 12 minutes at 1800c. Your protein rich papdi is ready. Store in an airtight jar.
While making the chaat, break some of these papdi roughly with your hand into a bowl.
Assemble all the other ingredients of the chaat into this bowl.
Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves and chaat masala and serve immediately.

Benefits of the Protein Papdi Chaat

This Protein Papdi Chaat is wholesome, delicious and can aid weight loss
Can prove to be a very sumptuous meal addition to your healthy yet tasty diet
The fresh ingredients and mix of spices make it super rich in vitamins, minerals and essential digestive properties.
It is rich in fiber and protein, both of which induce a feeling of fullness and prevent overeating or resorting to fried and sugary preparations that are fattening.

We hope you enjoy this Protein Papdi Chaat recipe! Do try it out and share your experience in the comments below or share it on social media, tagging GOQii. For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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May 27, 2022 By Luke Coutinho 16 Comments

Sattu: Your Natural, Inexpensive, High Quality Protein Drink

There has never been a single talk session that I have done and left without learning something new from the state, country or participants. On a trip to Kolkata, I learnt about this amazing drink made of roasted gram flour or what is popularly called in Northern India as “Sattu”. One of the participants in my session enlightened me about a drink made from ‘Sattu’ that the locals drink, that keeps them high on energy and healthy through the hot summer months.

I learnt of the health benefits of this drink that has been famous to states in the North of India for generations and used as a natural cure for several diseases as well as a high value, nutrient dense staple food. I picked up several packets of Sattu to bring back with me. What got my interest levels up were the keywords – Protein, Calcium, Fiber, Iron and Magnesium. Sattu has it all.

For many of you who don’t know me, I have the reputation of ripping a product apart, studying and researching on it in detail, testing it in labs for authenticity and nutritional values and then sharing it with everyone I can after using it myself.

‘Sattu’ is your equivalent to a ‘WHEY PROTEIN SHAKE’. Made of roasted gram flour, this composition is one of the highest sources of vegetarian protein and a quality that is most easily absorbed by the body.

60 grams (4 tbsp) of this roasted flour will give you 19.7 grams of high quality protein along with –
Calcium and magnesium (a fantastic combination as magnesium helps calcium get better absorbed into the body). This makes it excellent for bone health and prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

Super healthy for growing children and adults!

Iron: (Iron deficiency is a leading problem and can cause severe health issues.Taking iron supplements can sometimes be too toxic to the liver and cause constipation) Natural iron is best.

Fiber: Excellent source of fiber. All of us know that fiber cleans out the colon and stomach, prevents and cures constipation and aids fat loss and energy levels.

Most of you will be thinking that ‘ Sattu’ will cause a lot of gas just like channa (garbanzo beans/chickpeas) do, in fact it’s just the opposite. Ayurveda states that in this form (sattu) people with gas will be relieved.

It aids fat and weight loss, it’s excellent for strong sexual health and is a natural colon cleanser.

For elderly people, sick people, bed ridden people, people recovering from serious diseases or surgery, sattu or roasted gram flour will build their strength and muscle mass rapidly.

I was not surprised, just overwhelmed, as once again I discover that nature has provided it all to us.We just fail to discover because we got caught up in the trap of marketing and media.

Sattu Can Be Your New Protein Shake

This is my new protein shake or better still, health drink. 4 tbsp with water OR chaas (buttermilk) sometimes I add pepper, sometimes, roasted cumin (jeera) and sometimes cinnamon. 20 grams of protein. I have one in the morning and one post work out, sometimes even another one as a mid-evening snack, because this glass of ‘Sattu’ fills you up and provides you more than sufficient protein.

You feel lighter, more toned, less bloated (some whey proteins cause temporary bloating) and you know what’s in your glass, unlike the numerous ingredients that you may not even understand on the jar of a whey protein. The person at the stall also said you can add jaggery to make it sweet. It’s an excellent summer drink, extremely cooling for the body.

It is Surprisingly Inexpensive

When compared to the amount you will pay for Whey Protein, Sattu is a much cheaper and effective alternative. In fact, you can get Sattu from the GOQii Health Store within the app for a discount using GOQii Cash. Putting the cost aside, what’s more important is that I know the quality of protein and what’s going into my glass. If you blend it, it’s better as it may tend to form lumps if not stirred well. Add some lemon to it and you can’t go wrong.

So make the change today and spread the word. The aim is to move from processed to natural! We hope this article helps you. Do share your thoughts in the comments below. For more on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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April 4, 2022 By Binita Dhara Leave a Comment

Do You Really Need Protein Supplements Before and After Your Workout?

Along with working out and staying active, it is important to take good care of what we eat before and after a workout for energy and tissue repair respectively. Primarily, the go-to in this case is protein but do you get your protein from protein supplements or from natural sources? Which works better? Let’s find out!

What’s The Difference Between Natural Protein and Protein Supplements?

You can get energy from natural sources as well as protein supplements. Normally, natural foods like fruits, nuts, eggs, chicken, pulses and cereals contain carbohydrates, proteins and good fats which help us get energy for a workout. They also repair tissues. Supplements on the other hand contain amino acids, B vitamins, caffeine, creatine and artificial sweeteners – quality differs from brand to brand.

Who Needs Supplements?

Normally, protein supplements are required for those who perform heavy workouts like athletes, wrestlers and bodybuilders. When the protein requirement is not fulfilled by natural sources, then supplementation is required. Even the amount of protein requirement depends on the person and whether they want to lose or gain weight.

On the other hand, the amount of protein consumed should also be monitored because if it is not used up during the workout, it gets stored in the body as extra calories as 1g protein contains 4 kcal. The ideal protein consumption should be 1.2 to 1.7g per kilogram of body weight or 0.5 – 0.8g per pound of body weight.

There are 3 forms of protein:

Protein Isolates: This consists of only protein (90-95%) and has carbs and fat removed from it through processing. This is mainly made up of whey protein.
Protein Concentrate: is the combination of carbohydrate and fat (20-40%) and protein (20-40%). This is mainly made up of plant sources.
Protein Hydrolysates: This is further processed and breaks the protein into amino acids which makes it more easily absorbed in the body. But it has a big disadvantage – it increases the insulin level of blood mainly which is made from whey protein.

There are many forms of protein supplements available in the market which are derived from various other sources. Comparing the above, try avoiding plant sources as they don’t provide sufficient protein for muscle growth. Whey is easily absorbed and digested whereas casein takes time to get digested but it’s good to consume before sleep as it helps in recovery of muscles and egg protein is another good option as it is easily absorbed by the body.

Taking all of this into consideration, I would like to say that though it has several benefits, protein supplements also have major demerits such as the caffeine and creatine contents which affects blood pressure, creating cardiac issues by increasing heart rate, causing diarrhoea, a disturbed sleep cycle and gut intolerances, etc.

Do note that most of these “health drinks” aren’t regulated by the FDA for safety purposes. So, before you pick a protein supplement, read the ingredients on the label and pick one that fits your requirement. Honestly, what I feel is that it is best to fulfil the protein requirement through natural foods!

We hope this article helps you make a choice! Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below! For more articles on protein, check out Healthy Reads or speak to an expert by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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