Not a Dal moment: With prices of pulses soaring, what protein alternatives to consume

As dals/pulses become pricier in India, one can turn to legumes and beans, which too are rich in protein. (Photo: Engin Akyurt via Unsplash)

India produces 20 million tonnes per annum of pulses which is 25 per cent of the world's pulses. According to Dr Muniswamy S, senior scientist (GPB), Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Kalaburagi, Karnataka, “Pulses are the major source of proteins, ranging from 20-32 per cent.”

Importance of protein

While the daily dietary protein requirement is 0.8 gm to 1 gm per kg of body weight, only one-third of the food budget is spent on protein foods.

Nutritionist Kavita Devgan says, “Protein is essential for us.  In fact, unlike fats and carbohydrates, we need a daily supply, as it is not stored in the body and its deficiency leads to depletion of muscle mass. Unfortunately, today, many of us are at the risk of protein deficiency. With the high cost of lentils, this problem could worsen, especially for vegetarians as dals have been a mainstay of our diets across India.”

Legumes and beans

If not dals, one can turn to legumes and beans, as they too provide protein and chefs are doing just that. Chef Nitin Puri, director, culinary operations, India, Griffith Foods, writes  in his blog, "The Mighty Legumes", legumes are an excellent meat replacement and source of plant protein. Their high protein content and slow energy release, makes beans uniquely attractive to kitchens and food companies focused on health and nutrition. Chickpeas, he says, will be more widely used in coming years as meat alternatives, given their ready adaptability across the food industry.

He further suggests that overnight soaking is an easy way to prepare legumes and soaked legumes can be ground into a paste, which is loaded with protein and nutrition.

Grains as alternatives?

As the prices of dals have increased by almost 15 per cent, tur or arhar, one of the most commonly eaten dals in India cost Rs 185 per kg approx. and urad dal is priced at Rs 115 per kg approx., vegetarians are seeking alternatives.

India's biodiversity in crop cultivation, makes Muniswamy suggest, cereals like maize, rice, wheat, as they also contain up to 9 per cent proteins, while Devgan says, “Grains with higher amounts of protein like ragi, quinoa, oats, buckwheat and amaranth are further options. These deliver much more protein than regular staples like rice and wheat.”

Nina Doshi, a Gujarati cuisine expert and home chef, says, “In our cuisine, we rely on millets, too, as we come from a semi-arid background. We use a lot of besan, urad dal flour, matki flour. We also make use of a lot of sprouts.”

Versatile vegetables

Vegetables help with their protein quotient but need to be combined with other foods for a proper protein intake.

Devgan says, “Some vegetables are surprisingly good sources of protein. Peas, broccoli and spinach give 7 gm, potato, cauliflower, okra, avocado, mushrooms, and French beans give 5 gm each, and beetroot gives 4 gm.”

Jackfruits, soyabean and mushrooms have also taken centre stage in homes to compensate for protein from dals.

Dairy is good

Dairy, touted as a good protein source, also comes to the rescue. According to Devgan, dairy can be a life-saver for many vegetarians. Milk, cheese, paneer, yogurt, Greek yogurt, buttermilk are good-quality proteins.

Doshi adds, “Since curd is an integral part of our diet, we somehow balance the protein with the intake of dal and milk.”

Traditional proteins in India

Long before the quinoas came and brouhaha about vegan proteins began, traditionally, across India people have been consuming plant protein. In Karnataka, ragi mudde is popular, while in Madhya Pradesh, bhutte ki kees, rich in protein and fibre, is consumed.

Sangri is 53 per cent protein, according to KK Chaudhury, director, Arid Forest Research Institute, Jodhpur, and can be integrated in the diet in a sabzi, pickle and even kadhi.

Devgan says, “Sattu is a good source of plant protein (100 gm delivers approx. 20 gm protein). One can eat it as sattu ka parantha, sattu ki kadhi, while in Odisha, dalma, a dal dish which contains nutritious vegetables like papaya, brinjal, is high in protein. Similarly, in Uttarakhand, bhaat, a fermented soyabean saag, which is rich in protein and easy to absorb, is eaten.”

Plant vs animal protein 

In India, the plant-based protein market reached a value of about $689.7 million in 2022 and expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.3 per cent in the period of 2023-28 to reach a value of around $995.08 million by 2028.

Muniswamy says, “According to a 2020 meta-analysis, consumption of plant-based protein is significantly associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular-disease mortality compared to diets rich in animal protein. The analysis also noted that even a modest 3 per cent increase in energy from plant-based protein foods per day reduced the risk of all-cause mortality by 5 per cent. These results suggest that a diet consisting of more plant-based protein versus animal-based protein may promote longevity.”

​A GEA-commissioned survey of 1,000 chefs in 11 countries, revealed their confidence in alternative proteins. Around 43 per cent of those surveyed believe that the proportion of meals prepared with alternative proteins will reach between 26-50 per cent by 2040 and 23 per cent believe alternative proteins might be used more by 2040 than traditional ones.

Small wonder then that people are turning to plant-based mock meat alternatives termed as smart proteins, which are fermentation-derived and mimic the textures of meats, boasting of rich flavours. However, in a price-sensitive market like India, delivering affordable plant-based nutrition is the only way to popularise this category.

Given dietary preferences, eating habits and health problems, fret not, if all the dals are not accessible for the pocket any more. A combination of proteins across food groups, is perhaps the best solution.