Vegetarianism and Protein

The Benefits, the Challenges, and the Solutions

- Dr. Venkatraman Hegde

By paying attention to protein intake, vegetarians can enjoy the full benefits of their diet-better health, stronger immunity, and sharper mental focus-without the drawbacks of deficiency.

Vegetarianism is often praised for its positive effects on both the body and mind. A plant-based diet can lower the risk of chronic diseases, improve digestion, and promote overall well-being. However, like any lifestyle choice, it comes with its own challenges. The most important concern for vegetarians is ensuring adequate protein intake.

While non-vegetarians can easily meet their protein needs through meat, fish, and eggs, vegetarians have to plan their meals more carefully to get protein in both the right quantity and quality.

• Why Protein Is Essential

Protein is one of the body's most crucial building blocks. It plays a role in:

• Muscle growth and repair
• Supplying energy to cells
• Wound healing and tissue repair
• Proper functioning of organs
• Supporting immunity and enzyme activity

Protein is made up of smaller units called amino acids. Out of the 20 amino acids, our body can naturally produce 11, but the remaining 9 are known as essential amino acids because they must come from food.