Importance of Protein in Your Diet

As more and more people have taken to calorie-counting to control their weight, protein has fallen by the wayside. Higher in calories, protein is considered by many to be fattening, but many dieters don’t understand that protein is very necessary for a healthy and nutritious diet. While vegetables and fruits are also a vital part of your diet, these low-calorie options really cannot replace the very important macronutrient–protein. Protein’s most popular sources–meat, beans, dairy, or fish–also suffer when compared to carbs or produce for convenience; it’s harder to simply grab and go with a healthy protein source. Still, the ever-growing percentage of women between the ages of 20 and 40 who aren’t getting their recommended daily allowance of protein should reconsider their daily consumption for many reasons; read on to learn more about this very important part of our daily diet.

Diets rich in protein do the opposite of what much calorie-counter fear they will–they actually help to prevent obesity, as well as such bugaboos as diabetes and osteoporosis. In fact, foods that are high in protein take more work to digest, metabolize, and use, meaning that your body will actually burn more calories processing these foods. Because they take a longer time to leave your stomach, they leave the dieter feeling fuller longer, which is always helpful to cut down on hunger pangs when you’ve reduced your caloric intake. Protein will also help to ensure that you lose fat instead of muscle as you exercise; the amino acids found in protein help your body to build lean muscles, which make you look toned and burns calories even while you’re at rest.

It’s recommended by dietary experts that you eat between 0.5 and 1 grams of protein per pound of body weight; even more importantly, you should consume at least thirty of these daily protein grams at breakfast. Deprived of food as you sleep, your body is completely empty and might start to burn muscle tissue for fuel if you neglect to stock up on its protein stores as soon as you wake up. Hard-boiled eggs are a great source of early-morning protein as is cottage cheese. The most effective forms of protein come in animal products, such as lean beef, skinless white chicken or turkey, low-fat dairy, or seafood. A vegetarian can find complex protein sources with a little bit of imagination–it’s best to pair incomplete proteins together to get a more balanced diet. Nuts, whole grains, and vegetables all have some forms of protein, and combining them can aid you in getting your dose of protein for the day.