Protein, Protein, Protein!

Chickpeas have protein, at least. | Anna Pelzer on Unsplash Anna Pelzer on Unsplash

Heads up, parents! You might not celebrate Russian Orthodox Lent, but who wouldn’t appreciate a tidbit from a nutritionist?

On Monday, March 15, nutritionist Elena Tikhomorova spoke with reporters at Izvestiya concerning the dietary needs of youth during the religious holiday. She explained that protein nourishes the growth of essential growth and supports high physical mobility.

“First of all, children grow. For a child’s growth, protein is needed every day, because children's tissues grow, and this is all protein. That is, muscle mass, the volume of circulating blood, the volume of internal organs - it's all protein, protein, protein."

Great Lent and other fasting periods are common observances amongst Russian Orthodox Christians. This period requires that practitioners cease all intake of meat, fish, eggs and dairy products, and sometimes wine and oil.

Tikhomorova recommended that parents do not restrict their child’s intake of animal protein, as even adults might suffer from an unbalanced diet.

Fear not, vegans and vegetarians! Tikhomorova also suggests a large intake of plant-based protein for those who refuse any animal products.

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