Protein is an essential macromolecule for life. Biochemistry classifies DNA, RNA and protein as basic forms of life. The beauty about the three of them is that they are linked together. In humans, DNA forms the RNA which further forms the protein.
Protein is responsible for formation of new structures in our body, growth and development. It’s important to know the importance of protein because it’s the fundamental molecule of life. Proteins are formed from amino acids. Some amino acids are already present in our body and thus proteins are formed inside our body. Others are essential amino acids which need to be taken through a diet. This leads to formation of proteins. High protein diet is a way to include a good amount of protein in your diet and build good health.
The protein requirement is based of following factors
Age : If you are an adult the requirement is comparatively less. Your body has reached a stage of full growth. The only thing we have to do is maintain it.
Gender: Females need less amount of protein compared to males. This is due the fact that male body has more muscle fibres and to support it we, the male body needs a high protein diet.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: More protein requirement as you have to support another life. Protein is required for the development of structures and thus being a mum you have to intake more proteins.
Occupation/ work : If you are sitting the whole day in front of your PC, the protein requirement is less. Doing a lot of physical activity leads to tear and wear which results in increased requirement of protein.
In general cases the dietician will recommend protein in your diet according to your weight which according to standard recommendations is 0.8 gm /kg.
What is a high protein diet?
According to dieticians, a diet is considered a high protein diet when we get 20% of calories in front of the protein. A nutritionist can calculate the amount of proteins in your diet.
Take advice from your general physician about how a high protein diet will have an impact on your body.
High Protein Diet for Weight loss
High protein diets have twin benefits, it helps you to reduce fat as well as keeps you full! The high protein diet is on a roll! It helps in balancing your hormone levels especially the hormones that play a key role in metabolism. This includes glucose metabolism hormones like insulin and glucagon. Moreover in absence of glucose, protein easily slips in and forms glucose. This decreases the requirement of glucose thus reducing your weight. Additional to this, it reduces the ghrelin hormone secretion which is responsible for appetite. This reduces the urge to eat. High Protein increases the thermic effect of food. But since everything has its own pros and cons, so is this. We have to look into caveats before choosing a high protein diet. General physician is someone who can guide you about the caveats of a high protein diet.
High protein diet is chosen by millions to reduce weight because it reduces satiety and gives a feeling of fullness. According to dieticians, a high protein diet means that every meal should contain one high protein food material. Poultry, meat, egg and seafood are excellent sources of high protein. Low fat milk and cottage cheese are excellent sources of dairy high protein foods. Tofu, beans and seitan that are rich in proteins. Vegetables like spinach, green leafy vegetables, mushrooms and broccoli are plant based high protein vegetables.
Eating a high protein diet can be useful to you in many ways like one mentioned, low body fat.
High protein diet can help you increase your body muscle tone and strength. General physician will tell you about your body type and accordingly you can tone up!
This can help you lower serum sugar levels and reduce insulin resistance. If you are a diabetic patient, a high protein diet will help you lower your sugar levels. It also helps in the reversal of prediabetes. Many people were able to do so just by eating a high protein diet.
Improves bone health. It reduces the risk of fractures and minor injuries in old age. General physician suggests that we as a country should take strong steps to have better bone health.
It might be surprising that veggies contain ample amounts of protein to satisfy your daily needs. The first tip is to choose vegetables with a high protein percentage. This type of high protein will help you lose weight faster. It is true that vegetables don’t provide much protein compared to meat, eggs and chicken but if you are a vegetarian that we are not left with any other food options other than opting for veggies. If you are a vegetarian, talk to your general physician. High protein that includes veggies will provide you with better fibres that will keep you full for a day. Apart from that they are low on calorie count which help you lose some extra inches. The next tip is to choose less or non starchy vegetables. These are the vegetables which grow above the ground and can turn the tables in your weightloss journey. Spinach tops the list, it contains 57% of the total protein percentage. This is a really good number and you can easily include it in your diet. Mushrooms and other leafy greens contain 40% of protein. High protein diet can include all of it and will definitely help you reduce weight.
According to dieticians, many people tend to include all the veggies and there is no intake of protein from other sources. Vegetables in general are low on carbs and high on fibre. You can feel full before your protein requirements are met. This is a common mistake people make which should be avoided. It is advised to combine veggies with some meat or other source of protein. This will boost your high protein diet.
How much protein do we need?
Protein should be included in every meal. The numbers are different for men and women. For women it is 30 to 40gm per meal. Males the numbers are slightly higher, 35 to 50gm per meal. You can get 30gm in 3.5 ounces of chicken meat! You can add protein to your breakfast by adding scrambled eggs and omelette. Snacks can be loaded with roasted nuts and seeds to give wholesome nutrition. Plain yoghurt and berries contain protein and satisfy you during the evening.
Is this safe for weight loss?
There are always two sides of the coin and so is a high protein diet. High protein diet is beneficial in many aspects but it has to be regulated well. Right guidance from your dietician or nutritionist is really important. Initially you can pick online consultation with your dietician to ask frequent doubts. It is important to know the harmful effects of a high protein diet. Here is list of side effects of high protein diet :
Intestinal discomfort and indigestion
Protein is tough to digest and that is the reason it causes irritation in the intestine. This leads to constipation and proper bowel movements.
Dehydration
Protein consumes a lot of water to digest and break. The absorption process involves water and thus leads to dehydration.
Irritability
Excess of protein can cause excess release of pepsin and hydrochloric acid which leads to irritation and lack of bowel movement.
Nausea
You may feel like puking it out and that’s the result of a high protein diet.
Generally the high protein diet is safe if taken in the right amount and regulated according to demand. Protein lies in a very narrow margin, excess can lead to abnormalities and less will lead to improper development.
