Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 6 (ANI/BusinessWire India): Right To Protein, one of India’s foremost protein awareness initiatives is inviting the nation to join countries around the world to commemorate the month of April as ‘Soy Month‘ to spread awareness about protein-rich soy foods and soy-fed animal protein sources that help meet the daily protein requirements.
Globally many countries recognize April as Soy Month. A nationally celebrated Soy Month will encourage Indian citizens at large to also learn and know more about different types of protein-rich soy foods and their importance in daily meals for better nutrition and health. The month will also aim at bringing in an increased focus on adequate quantity and quality of soy for human as well as animal consumption.
Soy protein is known as a rich source of quality protein. Soy foods such as soy chunks, soybeans, soy milk, tofu, tempeh, etc., are not only a versatile source of protein to meet our daily protein requirements but also enable our body’s metabolic activities to work well. The micro and macro-nutrient contents in soybeans further help grow, repairs tissue, builds muscle and renews cells.
Moreover, soybeans are comparable to animal proteins like chicken, eggs and dairy products and help to meet the dietary demands of vegetarians, vegans, or flexitarians. Similarly, soy protein is known to be very valuable for animal nutrition. Soybean meals have been widely used in India and around the world to increase protein levels in animals for human consumption. ‘Soy-Fed’ meat and meat products that are being consumed around the world are becoming healthier and organic alternatives to other locally sold meat products.
Nmami Agarwal, Nutritionist, Founder – Nmami Life and Supporter of Right To Protein says, “As we move forward with our larger aim of protein sufficiency, an initiative such as Soy Month can play an important role, especially for vegetarians, who are yet to discover the health benefits of consuming adequate amounts of this high protein source. Soy-based foods such as soy chunks and soybeans are not new, and other foods like soy milk have already gained popularity among urban citizens. However, we still need to increase awareness at a much larger level to present soy as a viable and economic protein option.”
The key focus area for the Right To Protein initiative and its supporters throughout Soy Month will be to increase knowledge about the various soy foods that are available to people and how to include them in daily diets. Moreover, this time will also be dedicated to starting correction of prevailing misinformation and myths around soybeans that have been a barrier to adequate consumption of this protein-rich wholefood.
“For a long time, soy-based foods have not received their fair share of attention due to myths and misinformation around them. Soy foods are definitely rich in protein. In fact, soybeans contain all of the essential amino acids that are necessary for human nutrition,” says Dr Suresh Itapu, Nutraceutical Expert, Director – NutriTech India, Human Nutrition Consultant – USSEC and Supporter of the Right To Protein initiative.
“We joined the Right To Protein initiative earlier this year to increase more awareness about plant protein, especially plant-based meats. Innovative applications of soy have ushered in a growing acceptance of meat alternatives and plant protein around the world and in India. Soy Month 2021 is an opportunity for several food manufacturers to help prepare a market for new products and prepare consumers to buy in on new food trends which are hugely positive for human and planetary health.” reflects Varun Deshpande, Managing Director of Good Food Institute India (GFI India).
In addition to bringing soy-based foods to the spotlight during Soy Month, the Right To Protein initiative will also be highlighting the importance of consuming poultry foods, meat, and seafood, that are fed soybean meals to achieve better nutrition profiles and go on to become rich sources of protein foods for people to fill their protein gaps.
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