7 Tips Why You Should Add Protein To Your Diet

It seems that there are a lot of High-Protein/Low-Carb diets going around nowadays. Does it make sense and does it work? Here are a few facts for you to consider:

1. In order for your muscles to develop, they need protein. Protein is also a source of 22 amino acids and you need these amino acids in order to produce enzymes and hormones for your body.

2. The Institute of Medicine of the National Institute of Science concluded that 10 to 35% of our daily intake of calories should include protein. Women don’t require as much protein as men but should nonetheless get their daily protein requirements.

3. Protein greatly affects how hungry we get. When you think about people who can’t seem to diet properly because they’re always hungry, does it make sense? You need to eat enough protein or else you’ll get hungry again very soon. It doesn’t matter if you ate your daily intake of calories. By maintaining good protein intake, you won’t feel hungry and you won’t reach for that high-calorie junk food.

4. More protein in your diet will also help build muscle mass. With a higher muscle mass, your resting metabolic rate goes up. The resting metabolic rate is defined by how many calories your body burns when you’re doing nothing (i.e., sleeping). Your ratio of calorie used/calorie intake improves without increasing your exercise or reducing your intake.

5. Is there such a thing as good protein and bad protein? Protein that comes from animals, whether it’s meat, eggs or dairy products, contains more saturated fats (bad fats) that are highly calorific. While poultry is deemed healthier than red meat, and oily fish from the ocean is good, the healthiest protein comes from vegetables. Your best, healthiest and most plentiful option is likely soy protein.

6. You must maintain a balanced diet. You can’t get 100% of your calories from protein sources. Your body needs to receive all the nutrients it needs. If you want to burn fat and lose weight, eat approximately 500 calories less than the daily calorie intake associated with your resting metabolic rate. Include lots of colors in your meal by adding fruit and vegetables and eat enough whole grains and nuts but avoid white foods. Most white foods are highly calorific starchy foods like rice, pasta wheat flour, corn, etc. Adding food coloring or chocolate to white food doesn’t make it OK to eat!

7. Don't eat too much protein! Studies indicate that people who are pre-disposed to particular medical conditions linked to kidneys and liver can be affected negatively from eating too much animal-based protein. Most commercial protein supplements used for bodybuilding are 90%+ whey based, so stick to primarily soy-based protein supplement systems!

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