Weight loss might be an easy achievement for some and a difficult one for some others. Depending on your body type and rate of metabolism, the speed of shedding weight varies from person to person. However, generally people would lament that losing weight might not be as simple as it seems. Indeed there are a number of factors that influence how fast or slowly you lose weight, among which the quality of your diet is one of the most important ones. To follow a healthy diet, one must make sure they include all the important macro- and micro-nutrients in their daily diet and eat all their meals at the right time, to maintain a healthy weight. Protein is one of the most important nutrients for an ideal weight loss diet and it should also be a part of any healthy breakfast recipe.
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Protein For Weight Loss
Protein is a nutrient that is satiating in nature and is also important for maintaining muscle mass, while you are shedding weight. However, this protein must come from the right dietary sources as well. Just mindlessly loading up on red meats like bacon, mutton etc. may not be a very good idea as these are also loaded with cholesterol and saturated fats. Therefore, lean proteins from poultry, fish and plant-based proteins may be recommended for weight loss. One of the best and most widely used plant-based protein in India comes from gram flour or chickpea flour or besan. Another commonly consumed source of high quality protein is paneer or cottage cheese.
We're here to tell you about a breakfast recipe that combines both these proteins in a high-power weight loss friendly dish- paneer besan chilla. But first let's look at the nutritional profiles of these two ingredients.
Also Read: Start Your Morning Right With These 6 High Protein Breakfast Ideas
Gram Flour (Besan) Nutrition
Besan or gram flour is commonly used to prepare a number of dishes and snacks in India. The flour is vegan, gluten-free and loaded with protein. A 100 gm portion of gram flour contains 22 gm of protein and 11 gm of fibre (as per data by United States Department of Agriculture). The same portion also contains zero cholesterol and good amounts of potassium, iron, Vitamin B-6 and magnesium. This makes besan a great choice for a healthy diet.
Also Read: High-Protein Diet: 5 Easy Tips For Beginners To Make Breakfast Protein-Rich
Protein-rich breakfast: Besan or chickpea flour
Cottage Cheese (Paneer) Nutrition
Cottage cheese or paneer is also a great protein-rich option as it contains 11 gm of protein per 100 gm portion (as per USDA data). It is also very low in calories (just 98 calories per 100 gm cheese) and is objectively delicious. It is very versatile, due to its mild flavour and can be used in any vegetarian preparation to make it more protein-rich. It is also rich in calcium, sodium and potassium. Added to your breakfast, paneer makes for a healthy and filling ingredient.
Also Read: Make Paneer (Cottage Cheese) at Home: Simple Tricks and Tips
Protein-rich breakfast: Cottage cheese or paneerTake a look at the paneer besan chilla recipe that may help you load up on protein and shed kilos faster:
Ingredients:
1 Cup Besan
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 Onion, chopped
1/2 Cup Paneer, grated
1 Tomato
2 Green Chillies
1/2 tsp Ajwain
1/2 Cup Coriander Leaves
1 Cup Water
Also Read: On A Diet? 5 Healthy Protein-Rich Paneer Snacks You Can Try
Cottage cheese or paneer is also a great protein-rich option
Preparation Method of Paneer Besan Chilla:
1. Take besan, salt, black pepper, onion, grated paneer, tomato, green chillies, ajwain and coriander leaves in a bowl. Mix all the ingredient together.
2. Add water to this mixture to get a more liquid consistency of the batter. Add sufficient water to make your chilla batter runny, but make sure you don't make it too dilute.
3. Take a non-stick pan, put it on a low-medium flame and add some ghee or butter to it. Carefully place some chilla batter on the pan and cook it until it turn golden brown and crisp.
4. Flip the chilla carefully after a few minutes and then toast it on the other side. Add more ghee/oil if necessary.
5. Place some grated cottage cheese, finely chopped coriander leaves, salt and pepper filling inside the chilla, fold it and cook for sometime.
6. Remove from heat and serve hot with tomato sauce or coriander chutney.
For the full recipe with step-by-step images and video, click here.
Side Effects Of Excess Protein
There are benefits of protein aplenty, but before you start making every meal protein-rich you must understand that excess of anything could do more harm than good. It needs to be understood that a healthy, balanced diet is key to good health. Arbitrarily cutting down on a major nutrient to make room for another is not a sustainable way to go about any diet. If you wish to make your diet more protein-rich, do not start neglecting other nutrients. It is always a good idea to consult a nutritionist before making any major alteration to your diet. Here are some common side effects that are associated with excess intake of protein.
• May affect your kidney and water. Your kidneys have to work extra to get rid of all the surplus nitrogen.
• It may make you feel dehydrated, parched and thirsty. Too much of protein leads to extra nitrogen in body. To get rid of it our body used more fluids to flush it out of the system.
• It may cause difficulty in digestion, which could lead to nausea and irritability
• Over-consumption of protein may end up adding to your weight, instead of cutting it down.
Therefore, it is a good idea to practice moderation. Paneer is an incredible ingredient to make a gamut of dishes. But make sure you prepare it well, and consume it in controlled portions.
(This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.)