Food Freedom Friday Edition 238 - Benefits Of Protein

Protein can enhance your workout and support muscle growth. It allows you to bulk up or simply tone up, by bringing your body from a catabolic (or muscle depleting) to an anabolic (muscle replenishing) state after you exercise. Including adequate protein in your diet is not simply for bodybuilders or fitness addicts to focus on. Everyone will benefit from eating more protein.

Protein is an essential component of any diet. The body cannot store excess protein and therefore does. not have a supply to draw on when needed. This makes it important to eat protein on a consistent basis. Vital for the basic function of every cell in your body, protein is necessary for life itself. Aside from sustaining life, there are multiple benefits you stand to get from consuming adequate amounts of protein on a daily basis.

Weight Loss.

Protein helps keep you feeling fuller for longer, meaning you will probably consume fewer calories as a result of not being as hungry so soon after you eat. Protein provides long-term satiety.

A diet higher in protein has also been shown to dramatically reduce obsessive thoughts of food and late-night snacking in overweight men. A higher protein diet could, therefore, be the ticket for those struggling with cravings, overeating or food addictions. Not only can a high-protein diet help you lose weight, but it can also help keep you from gaining weight in the first place.

Additionally, protein has a positive effect on your metabolism, helping your body consume its fuel more rapidly. This is due to protein having a higher thermic effect (the calories required to digest food and glean nutrients) than fat or carbs.

This means that a higher protein diet contributes to a more efficient metabolism, utilizing your fuel as opposed to simply shuttling it into storage. Additionally, when you are eating more protein it means you have a higher intake of protein compared to carbs and fats. Unlike eating plans that are high in carbohydrates you are thus consuming fewer of the sugars and starches that can lead to weight gain.

When you combine increased muscle mass, more satiety from your meals and an overall higher metabolic rate due to extra muscle and the thermic effect of eating more protein, your body has more potential to lose body fat. You still need to be in an overall energy deficit to lose body fat, but having this combination of factors makes dieting much more effective and easier to sustain than other methods of body fat reduction.

Sustained Energy.

Protein takes longer to break down in the body than carbohydrates. When you consume carbohydrates, you essentially experience a rise in blood sugar levels. You might experience a surge of energy and then a crash (sugar rush, anyone?)

This process does not happen with protein. The energy you get from protein lasts longer because your insulin levels will stay stable when you eat protein, ensuring that your body’s glucose is released more slowly from the bloodstream. Unlike carbohydrates, proteins do not spike your blood sugar levels, meaning that you will not experience that roller coaster crash and burn.

If you want steady, sustained energy throughout the day, start off by eating a high-protein breakfast and incorporate protein into each meal throughout the day.

Better Skin, Hair & Nails.

Protein is an essential building block of the skin and is necessary to maintain glowing, youthful skin. One of the telltale signs of protein deficiency is thin and tired-looking skin (cellulite, flaky skin, red skin, and skin swelling are others!). Consuming adequate protein is essential for plump, radiant skin/

Protein is a necessary and vital nutrient for all parts of your body, it is great for skin, but even better for hair and nails which are actually made up mostly of protein. Thinning and dull hair are possible signs that you’re not getting enough protein in your diet.

Brittle nails that are always breaking, or nails that fail to grow very quickly, are another sign that you might not be getting enough protein in your diet.

Stronger Workouts.  

Having stronger muscles also helps you in other aspects of exercise, like cardio. The stronger you are, for instance, the faster and longer you can run, and this is another reason protein is great for weight loss and getting in shape.

Better Sleep.

This may seem counterintuitive since protein can give you a great, clean energy boost, but research has revealed that a higher quantity of protein in the diet results in improved GSS (global sleep score), both short-term and over time.

Stronger Bones & Tendons.

A high-protein diet can improve bone health by, by, amongst other factors, improving the bones’ calcium retention and absorption.

Because protein makes up the majority of your body’s tendons and ligaments, it’s important to feed yourself plenty of protein that you can use toward these body parts.

Improved Mood. 

There is a link between eating protein and feeling better emotionally. This could be because an amino acid known as tryptophan plays a role in boosting your mood and support alleviating some of the symptoms of depression.   

Faster Recovery From Injury & Illness.

Consuming a protein after an injury helps the body replenish the nutrients needed for tissue and organ growth. Your recovery time from an injury could be far shorter, getting you back to the gym and your life faster when your protein consumption is higher. 

Diets lower in protein have also been shown to reduce the immune response from the body, along with an increase in the severity of infections. Consuming sufficient protein when you are ill is vital for speedy and optimal recovery.

Anti-Aging Benefits.

As you age, you lose muscle. A diet higher in protein can support maintaining muscle mass, especially in the elderly. Protein also lowers the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures.

These benefits can also help people as they continue to exercise into their older age, which can have all sorts of health advantages.

Mental Clarity.  

Headaches and fatigue can really mess with your focus. Diets higher in carbohydrates often result in sugar highs and lows resulting in brain fog and an inability to continuously concentrate. Alternatively, consuming more protein can prevent you from getting the midday crash, keeping you clear and focused on the task at hand, without all the symptoms of a blood sugar swing.  

What Is Adequate Protein?

The daily recommended values (the percentages that you find on the backs of nutrition labels) for protein recommend you should be consuming a mere 40-50 grams of protein per day.

Optimal daily intake is dependent on your activity levels and fitness goals. For general exercise and managing weight, a good starting point is 0.6-0.8 grams per pound of bodyweight. If you were reducing calories to lose weight, it is recommended that you increase this figure to around 1.2 grams per pound of bodyweight until you have reached your target weight. For athletes or serious trainers looking to build muscle and strength, the 1-1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight is a good number to aim for. These, of course a very general starting guidelines and it important to monitor how you look, feel and perform and adjust from there

If you are sick, elderly or working out intensely and doing lots of strength training, you may need even MORE protein.

Increasing Protein Intake

You may not be an expert at calculating your macros or may simply find that calculating and tracking does not work for you in your life.

What are some easy ways to increase your daily percentage of protein? 

When looking at your plate, prioritize your protein, always go for the protein first instead of eating the bread or other sides. This will ensure that your body is primed and you already feel a little full from the protein before having consumed more carbohydrates and fats.

If you want robust health and the ability to perform well, then strength, mobility, muscle mass, staying lean and having good internal functionality are vital. Increasing protein intake alone will not deliver all these benefits. However, as part of an overall diet and fitness program, it can have a significant impact that will give you a much better quality of life both now and as you age. A higher protein diet can make a difference to your overall health and performance, if combined with the appropriate exercise program and lifestyle choices.