Protein: Are You Getting Enough?

Most of us know that protein is incredibly important in the human diet and that a high-protein, low carbohydrate diet is a proven formula for rapid weight loss and prevention of weight gain.  But the truth is, most of us don’t know much about how proteins work in our bodies, how much protein we actually need to eat, and in what forms.  Here is a handy introduction to proteins, the nutritional giants that build our bodies.

Proteins are the human body’s main building blocks.  Proteins are essential to the building of muscles, tendons, organs and skin, as well as enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters and other tiny molecules that serve essential functions in our bodies.  Essentially, we would not be able to sustain life without protein.  Proteins are made up of tiny molecules called amino acids that are joined together like a string of beads, forming long protein chains that then take on complex shapes.  While our bodies produce many of these amino acids, there are others, known as “essential” amino acids that our bodies don’t create which we must ingest as food.

The foods highest in protein are meats, fish, eggs, and dairy products, which contain all of the essential amino acids in the proper proportions that the human body needs.  For those who eat a vegan or vegetarian diet, there are also plant-based proteins, such as quinoa, legumes, and nuts.  Although protein makes incredibly important contributions to our weight-loss efforts, I don’t believe most people need to monitor their protein intake.  The best recommendation is to include at least one serving of protein at each meal, with a goal of creating a balanced diet that includes about 25-30% varied protein sources, including plant and animal products, and plenty of complex carbohydrates such as vegetables and fresh fruit.

Eating a high-protein diet assists with weight loss by increasing your metabolic rate or the number of calories your body burns for energy, while also reducing your appetite which reduces the number of calories that you ingest.  People who have used high-protein diets as the formula for rapid weight loss report that increased protein intake reduces the appetite and causes a natural reduction in calorie intake.  Because protein is much satiating than either fat or carbohydrates, it provides a sensation of fullness and reduces compulsive snacking.

Studies showed that patients who increased protein intake to 30% of their daily caloric intake managed to reduce their daily average caloric ingestion by 441 calories daily and lost 11 pounds in 12 weeks by simply adding more protein to their daily caloric intake.

And protein not only helps you lose the weight, it also prevents future weight gain. A diet high in protein also builds and sustains muscle mass, which increases your metabolic rate and means your body is basically burning fat around the clock.  For those seeking to kick start or maintain weight loss, it is recommended to eat a diet composed of approximately 30% protein.  

A simple formula for calculating the amount of protein you should be consuming daily is to plan daily meals around three main food items and make sure that one of those food items is always a protein source such as meat, poultry, eggs, cheese or dairy, beans, other legumes, avocados, quinoa, or nuts.