There was a time when the only people that cared about protein were macho men and bodybuilders, but those times are long gone. Now, protein has become one of the most important food groups to watch, especially if you’re trying to lose weight. But how do you know where to start? How much protein do you need? How do you get more protein? Here, we will take a look at the health benefits of protein and how you can easily add more to your diet every day.
What Is Protein and Why Do You Need It?
According to Medical News Today, “Protein is one of three nutrients found in food that the body requires in large amounts. Along with carbohydrates and fat, protein is essential for the human body.” Proteins are made up of amino acids. There are 22 amino acids that the body uses, but there are 9 that your body cannot produce itself; these are called essential amino acids. There are different foods that can provide these amino acids, but it takes a variety of foods to get them all.
Once ingested, your body uses protein primarily as a building block for muscles and tissues. Therefore, if you are trying build lean muscle and lose weight, you will need to increase your protein intake.
How Much Protein Do You Need Everyday?
This is dependent on a variety of factors and is specific for each person. The two biggest factors affecting the amount of protein you need are your body size and your activity level. Protein is measured in grams and the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) recommends 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. In other words, you should consume 1/3 of a gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Here is a chart by the World Heath Organization (WHO) for easier reference.
While this is a great place to start, there are a lot of varied opinions about whether this is actually enough. Many healthcare professionals believe that this amount will keep your body from developing a deficiency, but ideally, your body requires much more, like in the “Typical” column in the chart above.
But Not All Proteins Are Created Equal…
Different sources of protein are rated based on how easily your body can digest, absorb and utilize them, and there are four ratings used: Biological Value, Protein Efficiency Ratio, Net Protein Utilization, and Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score.
The Biological Value is the portion of protein that has been absorbed into your body, that is actually retained and can be used.
Protein Efficiency Ratio is the ratio of the weight gained from consuming the protein, to the actual weight of the protein.
Net Protein Utilization is the amount of protein retained.
Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score is a score assigned to various sources of protein based on how well they fulfill the amino acid requirements of humans.
For example, whey protein is one of the best sources of protein because of the amount of amino acids it provides, but it’s not perfect. Every protein source has pros and cons and consequently, it’s best to get a variety of protein to make sure that you are regularly meeting all of the requirements your body needs.
What Are the Best Sources of Protein?
Some of the best sources of protein are whey, egg, soy, and casein (milk protein). That’s why many of them are commonly used in protein powders and protein bars, combined with other nutrients that make it easy to digest. And these protein powders don’t just have to be made into smoothies. They can also be added to oatmeal, cookies, etc. However, in order to get all of the nutritional benefits, some healthcare professionals suggest not cooking or heating protein powder, because it reduces its nutrient content, but this opinion is not held by all professionals.
Other great sources of protein includes meats, but it’s important to focus on sources that are lean, including chicken, turkey, and lean red meats, including lean beef, bison and venison. For those vegetarian friends out there, don’t worry because are there plenty of protein sources for you too! For example, quinoa, wild rice, beans and pea protein are excellent sources that you can eat every day. Chia seeds are also a great form of protein, although they do not contain a large amount of protein, they do contain all 9 essential amino acids, which, as we discussed earlier, is just as important. Even better, they can be added to just about anything, including oatmeal, smoothies, baked goods, chia seed pudding and much more!
One of my favorite forms of protein is Vega One Protein powder. My favorite version is the Vega Protein and Greens. It’s made from a blend of all natural protein sources, sweetened with stevia, and includes a wide range of greens and vegetables that can help you get your vegetables in for the day as well. Why not get more bang for your nutritional buck?
Check out my delicious ways to use Vega One protein with my Pumpkin Pie Smoothie and Green Supreme Smoothie!
How Does Increasing Protein Help You Lose Weight?
You may have heard that muscle burns more calories than fat, and because protein helps your body build more muscle, you consequently burn more calories and can lose more fat. There are mixed reviews about the concept of muscle weighing more than fat, but either way, muscle is more compact than fat, so if you were to hold 5lbs. of muscle up to 5lbs. of fat, the muscle would take up considerably less space. If you look at that concept on a person, their overall size will be smaller with more muscle than with more fat, even though they may weigh relatively the same amount.
Additionally, protein is more filling than carbohydrates and takes longer to digest, so eating protein can not only make you feel fuller longer, but it also provides more energy for an extended period of time.
Take the Protein Challenge!
Take the protein challenge today! Figure out the range of protein you need to consume based on your personal needs and start making small changes every day to increase your overall consumption. As you shift your diet from carbohydrates to proteins, you will likely start to notice that you have more energy, aren’t hungry all the time and may even start to lose weight from that alone. Start today and let me know how it goes!