A high protein diet is common among fitness enthusiasts. You may have noticed that ‘High protein options’ are now widely advertised as a health product. So what is all the hype about? How much protein should we be aiming to consume and why is it so helpful to health and fitness goals?
How much protein do you need per day?
According to the British Nutrition Foundation, the protein requirements of a normal adult are 0.75 g per kilogram of body weight per day. This requirement increases to between 1.2-2.2g per kilogram of bodyweight for those engaged in strength training and high performance athletes. The extent of your physical activity both in the gym and out, will determine how much more protein you should be packing in. A good starting point is a palm’s worth of protein per meal for women, and 2 palms per meal of protein rich food for men.
Benefits of a high protein diet
There are many studies that assess the benefits of a high protein diet for general health, weight loss and sports performance. Having adequate protein in your diet is important for the following reasons:
It helps your body function at its fullest
Protein is involved in practically every function in your body. Yes, muscle tissue is primarily protein - but so are enzymes (like amylase, which breaks down starch); hormones (like insulin, which regulates blood sugar). Maintaining an adequate protein intake makes sure all these critical processes are able to continue and keep you in perfect working order, but a higher than average protein intake is also important from a weight management perspective.
Regulates weight
In terms of weight management, protein is a lot harder to synthesize and store as fat, it also takes a lot of energy for our bodies to digest; increasing our daily calorie expenditure. Protein in the diet keeps you feeling fuller for longer and can even help to cut down cravings, both of which lead to less snacking and bingeing.
Regulates blood sugar
Like fat, protein helps to regulate blood sugar so you don’t experience the peaks and troughs in energy.
Helps to restore and rebuild muscle
When you start performing regular intense exercise, it’s really important to increase the amount of protein in your daily diet in order to aid recovery.
Sources of Protein
Protein sources are quite accessible and affordable. You don’t need to splash the cash on whey protein or protein bars, you can get a lot of your protein from less processed sources such as:
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Lean meats
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Seafood
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Beans
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Soy
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Low-fat dairy
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Eggs
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Nuts and seeds
For more information:
Jillian Levy, CHHC. 2018. https://draxe.com/protein-foods/
Kris Gunnars. 2018. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-protein-per-day#what-it-is
