High-protein foods, as well as protein shakes, promote muscle development.
Protein is an essential and widely known nutrient. A high-protein diet is encouraged and recommended under a number of different conditions. Whether you want to build muscle, lose weight, or any other reason. However, what does protein do that makes it so important?
Why do we need protein?
There are several reasons why we need protein in our diets. These are the main reasons why we need protein on a daily basis:
1. The main building material of our muscles is protein. Therefore, consuming enough protein will help us maintain our muscle mass and encourage muscle growth when we do resistance training.
2. Protein is the most filling component, according to studies. With less food, it makes us feel more satiated. The level of the hunger hormone, ghrelin, is decreased by protein, which contributes to this. Peptide YY, a hormone that helps us feel full, also increases.
3. High-protein diets help people better maintain their bone mass as they age and reduce the risk of fractures and osteoporosis. Women, who have a higher than average risk of osteoporosis after menopause, should pay special attention to this.
4. Cravings can be extremely difficult to suppress. Increasing our protein intake is one of the best preventive strategies. In research of obese people, adding 25% more protein to the diet decreased cravings by 60% and the need for late-night snacking by 50%.
5. You can temporarily boost your metabolism by eating more protein. Eating lots of protein has been shown to greatly speed up metabolism and increase calories burned.
High-protein foods or protein shake?
Complete proteins are found in the most popular protein sources, such as meat and dairy. Therefore, they provide all the amino acids the body requires to build muscle and promote tissue growth and repair. They also contain dietary fiber, disease-fighting antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
These foods support digestive health and satiety in addition to health benefits, including reducing the chance of cancer and heart problems. Plus, whole foods don’t have a long list of potential adverse effects that protein shakes can have, such as gastrointestinal upset, nausea, bloating, headaches, vitamin deficiencies, or adverse drug interactions.
Most packaged protein shakes are fortified with many of the vitamins and minerals found in traditional foods and are made from whole proteins like whey or casein. A typical protein shake has 20 to 30 grams of protein per serving, which is the equivalent of a full meal.
However, protein shakes, on the other hand, may not offer the same amount of fiber or antioxidants as many high-protein whole foods, such as lentils or quinoa. Despite the fact that shakes are a convenient source of high-quality protein, it’s best to get most or all of your protein from whole foods.
As discussed above, natural, protein-rich, whole foods may be more beneficial than protein shakes. However, unlike protein shakes, preparing high-protein meals every day can be exhausting. Protein shakes work as a faster and more convenient way to consume adequate protein.
Disclaimer: This content, including tips, provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV is not responsible for this information.
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