Adequate protein consumption is essential, whether you’re an older adult looking to maintain muscle mass as you age, you are an athlete or regular exerciser looking to build muscle or you have recently started taking weight-loss medications, in which case you’ve probably heard a lot about the importance of eating more protein. Most likely, you have inquiries. Does eating more protein help you lose weight? Does protein strengthen muscle? What are the other benefits of eating more protein? Read on to learn five reasons to add more protein to your diet.
1. Stop the hunger
The ingestion of protein triggers a specific hormonal response in the body that suppresses appetite. Self-reported feelings of less hunger, less desire to eat, less food consumption, and more feelings of fullness and satiety demonstrate this appetite suppression. A cascade of hormonal responses curbs your appetite and leads to reduced overeating, appetite suppression, slowed gastric emptying and increased satiety, meaning that you will eat less, digest more slowly and feel full longer.
2. Boost your metabolic rate
Consuming greater amounts of protein increases energy expenditure. Daily energy expenditure occurs in three ways:
Resting energy expenditure (REE): The calories you burn while at complete rest
Diet-induced energy expenditure (DIT): The increase in caloric expenditure that occurs after eating to support nutrient absorption, metabolism and storage
Activity-induced energy expenditure: The amount of calories burned while exercising Typically, DIT makes up 0 to 3% of total energy intake for fat, 5 to 10% for carbohydrate, and 20 to 30% for proteins. To put it another way, protein in your diet uses more energy to digest, absorb nutrients, and store than fat or carbohydrates do. Protein also preserves REE by preventing lean muscle mass loss (more on that below).
3. Increase and maintain muscle mass
Post-workout protein intake, along with adequate consumption of protein throughout the day, is important for repairing, building and maintaining lean muscle mass when used in combination with physical activity and when cutting calories while dieting. Research shows that eating adequate amounts of protein impacts muscle hypertrophy, strength and function. Additionally, research indicates that when cutting calories as part of a weight loss diet, maintaining an appropriate protein intake preserves muscle mass rather than causing the body to break down muscles for energy.
4. Improve mood
What you eat may influence the way you feel. Research shows a correlation between greater consumptions of protein and fat and lower levels of anxiety and depression and higher levels of happiness, wellness and well-being. The rate of nutrient absorption may have something to do with this relationship. Protein slows the absorption of carbohydrates and increases the release of dopamine and norepinephrine, two happy hormones.
5. Maintain mental clarity
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in nine adults in the United States will be challenged by cognitive decline. Protein intake improves working memory and executive function when task demands are high. Research shows that the source of protein may also be an important factor. When it comes to cognitive function, animal protein consumption in populations with plant-dominant diets may help to prevent cognitive decline, while greater levels of plant protein intake may be associated with greater cognitive decline. Specifically, proteins from fish, shrimp and poultry may slow cognitive decline.
