Key Insights From the Webinar
1. Protein Is About More Than Muscle
Protein is essential for much more than building muscle.
It contributes to tissue repair, immune function and metabolic regulation. This makes adequate protein important across different stages of life, not just for people who exercise regularly.
The quality and quantity of protein both matter. However, your overall diet matters too.
A protein rich food that also provides fibre, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial compounds can contribute differently to your diet compared with a protein source that provides mostly protein.
2. Plant Protein Comes With a Bonus: Fibre
This is one of the biggest differences between many plant and animal protein sources.
Foods such as dals, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds and soy can provide protein along with fibre. Animal protein sources generally do not provide fibre.
And fibre is important for much more than digestion.
During the webinar, Shilpa discussed how soluble fibre can support satiety, blood glucose management and cholesterol management. Fibre also interacts with the gut microbiome and can contribute to the production of beneficial compounds such as butyrate.
This is why looking only at the protein number may not tell you the whole story.
The food package matters.
A food that provides protein along with fibre and other nutrients can offer benefits beyond its protein content.
3. But Isn't Animal Protein More Digestible?
Animal proteins are generally considered highly digestible and provide all the essential amino acids in good proportions.
Plant proteins can differ in their amino acid profile and digestibility. However, this does not mean plant protein cannot be useful.
The way plant foods are prepared can make a difference.
The webinar discussed methods such as:
- Roasting
- Germination
- Fermentation
- Boiling
- Pressure cooking
- Extrusion
These methods can improve the digestibility of certain plant proteins and reduce some of the compounds that can interfere with nutrient absorption.
So, instead of asking whether plant protein is "good" or "bad", it is more useful to ask how the food is prepared and how it fits into the overall diet.
4. What Does Research Say About Plant Protein and Metabolic Health?
The studies discussed during the session found associations between replacing a portion of animal protein with plant protein and lower risks of type 2 diabetes and overall mortality.
However, these findings are based on observational evidence. They show an association rather than proving that plant protein alone causes these outcomes.
The bigger takeaway is still relevant for everyday eating:
Protein source, food quality and the overall dietary pattern all matter.
Choosing more pulses, legumes, nuts, seeds and other plant foods can be one way of adding variety to your protein intake while also increasing fibre.
5. Your Protein Choice Can Also Affect Your Gut
We often think about protein and gut health as two separate topics.
But they can overlap.
Many plant protein sources naturally come with fibre and other compounds that interact with the gut microbiome. Increasing the variety of plant foods in your diet can therefore contribute to greater dietary fibre diversity.
For someone trying to improve their overall eating pattern, this makes a simple combination particularly useful:
Protein + Fibre + Variety
You do not necessarily need to completely change your diet to achieve this. Small additions to familiar meals can help.
Why Is Getting Enough Protein Still Difficult for Indians?
Indian meals can often be built around rice, roti, poha, idli, dosa or other carbohydrate rich staples, with smaller portions of protein.
This does not mean these foods are unhealthy. The challenge is that protein can sometimes become the side character instead of the main supporting nutrient.
For vegetarians in particular, getting adequate protein can require a little more planning.
The recommended protein intake for a healthy adult is often discussed around 0.8 g per kg body weight per day, although individual requirements can vary depending on age, activity, health status and other factors.
A busy lifestyle can make it even harder to consistently include protein at every meal.
That is where practical food based solutions can help.
You Don't Have to Completely Change Your Diet
If you eat meat or eggs, you do not necessarily have to stop eating them to include more plant protein.
Similarly, if you follow a vegetarian diet, you do not need to depend only on protein shakes.
You can simply build more protein into familiar meals.
Think about:
- Dal with roti
- Chana or rajma with rice
- Paneer or tofu in a meal
- Curd with breakfast or lunch
- Nuts and seeds as part of snacks
- Soy based foods
- Protein enriched versions of familiar foods
The goal is not to make your plate complicated.
It is to make protein easier to include consistently.
Can Plant Protein Support Muscle Building?
Yes, plant protein can contribute to meeting protein needs for muscle building.
Animal proteins are generally richer in certain essential amino acids, including branched chain amino acids. However, muscle health depends on the total protein intake, amino acid availability, resistance training, energy intake and overall diet.
For someone following a vegetarian or predominantly plant based diet, combining different plant protein sources across the day can help provide a broader range of amino acids.
The focus should therefore be on adequate protein rather than worrying about finding one perfect protein source.
What About Protein and High Uric Acid?
This was another important question raised during the webinar.
The discussion highlighted that plant protein sources such as legumes are not automatically foods that need to be avoided simply because they contain purines.
However, people with hyperuricemia or gout may have individual dietary and medical considerations. Dietary advice should therefore be personalised rather than based on eliminating entire food groups without context.
A Practical Way to Increase Protein Without Changing Your Food
One of the ideas discussed during the webinar was making familiar Indian foods more nutritionally balanced rather than asking people to completely change what they eat.
This is also where UP It was introduced.
UP It is a protein and fibre enhancer made using moong flour and peanut flour. During the webinar, Shailja explained how three scoops can provide around 20 g protein and 8 g fibre.
The idea is simple: add protein and fibre to foods you already eat.
Instead of replacing your roti, chaas, soup or other familiar foods with a completely different meal, a protein and fibre enhancer can be incorporated into everyday recipes.
The focus is not on making food feel like a "fitness meal".
It is about making everyday food work a little harder nutritionally.
The Bigger Takeaway: Protein Doesn't Have to Mean a Protein Shake
Perhaps the most practical message from the webinar was this:
You do not have to completely change the way you eat to eat better.
Protein can come from dals, beans, paneer, curd, soy, nuts, seeds, eggs, fish, meat and other foods.
Plant protein can bring fibre along with it. Animal protein can be a convenient source of high quality protein. Both can have a place in a balanced diet depending on individual preferences and needs.
The important thing is to look beyond a single nutrient and consider the whole food, the overall meal and your dietary pattern.
Expert Q&A: Quick Answers
Can I reduce non vegetarian foods and still get enough protein?
Yes. Protein needs can be met through a combination of plant and animal foods, depending on your dietary pattern and individual requirements.
Why do some people feel bloated after eating pulses?
Certain legumes can cause gas or bloating in some people. Preparation methods such as soaking, cooking and other processing methods can improve tolerance for some individuals.
Should people with high uric acid stop eating pulses?
Not necessarily. The discussion in the webinar highlighted that plant protein sources should not automatically be eliminated. Individual medical advice is important for people with gout or hyperuricemia.
Who Should Watch This Webinar?
This webinar is especially useful if you:
- Want to understand plant versus animal protein
- Follow a vegetarian or predominantly vegetarian diet
- Struggle to get enough protein through everyday meals
- Want to understand the connection between protein, fibre and metabolic health
- Experience bloating with certain protein rich foods
- Want practical ways to increase protein without relying only on shakes
Watch the Complete Webinar
Want to hear the complete discussion, including the expert Q&A?
Watch the full “Plant Protein vs Animal Protein” webinar to understand how different protein sources can fit into an everyday Indian diet.
About the Speaker
Shilpa Joshi is a Registered Dietitian and Diabetes Educator with extensive experience in nutrition and metabolic health. In this webinar, she breaks down the science behind plant and animal proteins and translates it into practical nutrition advice.
Shailja Shukla is a Nutrition and Science Communication Lead at Prolicious, working on translating nutrition science into practical, consumer friendly food and nutrition communication.
Key Takeaway
There is no need to think of protein as a choice between two extremes.
Plant protein and animal protein can both contribute to a balanced diet.
What matters is getting enough protein, choosing a variety of foods, including fibre rich options and finding practical ways to make nutritious eating sustainable.
Because healthy eating does not have to mean giving up the food you enjoy. It can simply mean making your everyday food a little more nourishing, one meal at a time.
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