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 to 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 to bring in an increased focus on adequate quantity and quality of soy for human and animal consumption.
Soy protein is known as a rich source of quality protein. Soy foods such as soy chunks, soybeans, soy milk, tofu, tempeh are a versatile source of protein to meet our daily protein requirements and enable our body's metabolic activities to work well. The micro and macro-nutrient contents in soybeans further help grow, repair tissue, build muscle, and renew cells. Moreover, soybeans are comparable to animal proteins like chicken, eggs, and dairy products and help meet vegetarians' dietary demands, vegans, or flexitarians. Similarly, soy protein is known to be very valuable for animal nutrition. Soybean meals have been widely used in India and worldwide to increase protein levels in animals for human consumption. 'Soy-Fed' meat and meat products consumed worldwide are becoming healthier and organic alternatives to other locally sold meat products.
Nmami Agarwal, 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 economical 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 available to the 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 whole food.
"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 rich in protein. Soybeans contain all of the essential amino acids that are necessary for human nutrition," says 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 soybean applications 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.
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.
Right to Protein is India's first awareness initiative to educate citizens about the importance of adequate protein consumption for better nutrition, health, and wellbeing. #RighttoProtein initiative aspires to build knowledge of different types of protein sources amongst Indians, especially plant protein, to meet larger nutritional goals. Right to Protein aims to develop an ecosystem of professionals to drive protein awareness and debunk myths and misconceptions about protein as a critical macro-nutrient for human health and of many protein food sources. The ecosystem will improve the production and consumption quality and consistency of both plants and animal proteins.