In today’s fast-paced world, maintaining a nutritious diet can be a challenge, especially for professionals juggling deadlines, meetings and the daily commute so, even though protein is crucial for muscle repair, energy levels and overall health, many find it hard to consume enough throughout the day. Here’s where protein powder comes into play, offering a versatile and efficient solution for your dietary needs.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Vilas Shirhatti, Technical Director and Nutrition Consultant at Naturell India Pvt. Ltd., shared, “Ensuring proper nutrition and adequate protein intake can be challenging for busy professionals, especially when they are travelling and are spending most of their active hours outside the home. Adequate protein intake gives sustained energy for busy professionals working long hours and ensures building, repair and maintenance of the muscles and optimum biological functions managed by functional proteins. Here are some quick hacks for ensuring adequate protein intake.”

He revealed, “Starting the day with a protein shake made from protein powders both whey protein based as well as plant proteins, would ensure you get 25 gm protein a day. Both are formulated to ensure you get all the 9 essential amino acids and are offered in different flavours. You can add an apple or a banana or dry fruits and milk to further enhance nutritional value and protein content while making the protein shake.”

He advised, “In the office you can also have protein bars, cookies and chips which provide an additional 10 to 20 gm protein or a cup of Greek yogurt. All these products can be carried while travelling and can also be carried in your office bag. For those who do not like the sweet taste of protein shakes can have specially formulated protein powder with added soluble fibers called Roti Mix, which can be added to wheat atta before making rotis. This will double the protein content of each roti and at the same time keep your roti soft and fresh for long time due to the soluble fibers present in the Roti Mix.”

The diet expert suggested, “The protein chips can be crushed and added to the dry bhel or salads that you might have as quick snacks in the office. Commercially today several protein isolates are available like Soy, Pea, Peanut, Moong and Besan whose protein content is as high as 70 to 90 %. These can be added to your shakes, rotis, Chilla, dosa or idli batter or even to the curry preparations. Most of these proteins are denatured during processing and do not need cooking and you can easily add them to your food preparations that you can be ordering from outside as well. Since many of them have neutral taste, they blend well with any food preparations. You can also add them to your lassi and chass drinks as well. You can also enjoy a cool drink prepared from Sattu with added jeera masala or chat masala on a hot summer day.”

Bringing her expertise to the same, Priti Korgaonkar, Nutritionist at AS-IT-IS Nutrition, recommended the following quick and easy protein hacks for workdays -

1. Morning Boost: Start your day with a protein-packed smoothie. Blend your favorite protein powder with fruits, oats, and a liquid base (think almond milk or yogurt) for a quick, nutrient-dense breakfast you can sip on the go.
2. Midday Pick-Me-Up: Swap out the usual carb-heavy office snacks for a protein shake. Mixing a scoop of protein powder with water or milk provides a satisfying, muscle-fueling snack that can help prevent the mid-afternoon energy slump and keep hunger pangs at bay.
3. Desk-Friendly Dishes: For those times you can’t step out for lunch, a protein jar salad is a lifesaver. Layer greens, chopped veggies, a protein source like chicken or chickpeas, and a scoop of unflavored protein powder in a jar. When ready to eat, just shake it up with your favorite dressing.
4. Pre-Workout Energizer: A protein shake can serve as the perfect pre-workout energizer. Consuming a quick digesting protein source like a whey protein shake 30 minutes before exercise can help fuel your session without feeling heavy or bloated.
5. Post-Workout Recovery: After exercise, your body needs protein to repair and grow muscles. A protein shake immediately following your workout can speed up recovery, making sure you’re ready to tackle the next challenge at work and in the gym.

Incorporating protein powder into your daily routine need not be a chore. With these quick and easy hacks, you can ensure you’re meeting your protein needs without sacrificing time or taste, keeping you energized and focused throughout your busy workday.

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