Is Protein Really That Important?
Are you the carbs only person or vegan that rarely eats protein or think its not necessary to eat protein?
Or are you the person in the gym doing all the resistance training but not seeing any results, could it be your diet?
Hi there, it's Karla here.
Today I am answering some of the most common questions about protein.
Before I jump right into it let's first look at the functions protein has in our body.
Protein is the building blocks for your muscles. Therefore eating an adequate amount helps you maintain muscle mass and promotes muscle growth, if paired with strength training.
Good for your bones. If you eat animal protein sources it tends to maintain bone mass better. And this decreases the risk of osteoporosis and fractures after menopause in women.
Boosts metabolism. Your body uses calories to digest food this is referred to as thermic effect of food (TEF). Protein has a much higher TFE than fat or carbs which helps you burns calories throughout the day.
Promotes muscle recovery. Your muscles need to recover after you trained and having a sufficient amount of protein in your diet speeds up that process.
Great now that I have that out of the way... Some common questions...
How much protein should I eat?
Our protein needs are between 0.8g-2.2g per kilogram of bodyweight. The bare minimum is 0.8g, it only covers basic requirements for hormones, tissues and immune system.
Your protein needs need to increase when you are training hard and regularly, injured or sick, if you are a older adult and if you are trying to lose weight.
How much protein is too much?
Unless you have a specific medical condition, that requires low protein amounts, its actually quite difficult to eat too much protein.
Why does it help with fat loss?
Protein is by far the most filling nutrient. It helps you feel more full with less food. This is partly because protein reduces your hunger hormone ghrelin. It also helps to maintain your muscle mass like mentioned above so you lose fat instead of muscle.
I am a plant-based eater do I also need this amount of protein?
Absolutely yes, you still need to hit the protein requirement even if you are on a vegan diet. Just because you are "not deficient" does not mean its optimal. You need to eat a variety of plant-based protein sources to achieve this. For example: beans, legumes, tofu, edamame and more... A protein supplement will definitely benefit a plant-based eater.
Should I use a protein supplement?
Many people struggle to get the adequate amount of protein in with regular food and then here is where a supplement fits in. But you always want to get the bulk amount from real food first. Supplements are there to supplement your diet and not used as a meal replacement. People that benefit from supplements: plant-based eaters, people that travel a lot, busy people and people that exercise regularly.
What sort of protein powder should I use?
There are many different kinds of protein powder. You want your protein powder to taste well and not upset your stomach. You will have to test a few to get the perfect one for you.
Examples:
Animal protein powders: Whey, Casein, Egg white and Collagen.
Plant-Based protein powders: Pea, Hemp and Rice.
And that concludes my talk about protein. I hope this makes you think about how important protein actually is.
If you found value in this blog, please share and like. And leave a comment about what other topics you like me to discuss.
Have an amazing day!
Karla.