Why Is Protein Important In Your Diet?

As you watch your calorie intake, processed sugar consumption, and salt intake, you must also keep an eye on how much protein you are getting from your diet. One important thing to note about protein is that the body does not store it. So once the body meets its needs, the extra is stored as fat or used for energy. This makes it important to get enough protein in your body every day. But why is it important to have sufficient protein in your diet? Read all about that here.

To Increase Strength and Muscle Mass

Protein is the building block of muscle. For this reason, eating sufficient amounts of proteins aids in maintaining muscle mass and promoting muscle growth. If you lift weights, are trying to gain muscle, or are physically active, ensure to get enough protein, according to the recommended protein intake for athletes.  Now you have another reason to try plain Greek yogurt after your gym session. Eating a lot of protein when losing weight helps prevent muscle loss as well.

Enhance Fat Burning and Metabolizing

Eating something can boost your metabolism in the short term. This is because the body burns calories to digest and utilize the ingested nutrients. This is known as TEF (Thermal Effect of Food).

While all foods have this, the rates vary significantly, with proteins having a higher thermic effect than other food groups like carbs or fats. With a high protein intake, the body burns more calories. This can be as many as 80-100 more calories daily.

Aids Weight Loss

People that increase their protein intake tend to start losing weight almost instantaneously. There are two main reasons for this. The first is the increase in metabolism and calories burned in a day. The second is that it reduces cravings and late-night snacking. The danger with craving and late-night snacking is that cravings are often for sugary foods with low nutrient content and high sugar. These do nothing to aid good health or weight management.

Proteins Help With Body Repair

If you have recently suffered an injury, proteins can help the body repair itself. As discussed earlier, proteins are the building blocks of organs and tissues in the body. Therefore, after an injury, consuming more protein means providing your body with the means to repair itself. This helps with a speedy recovery.

Lowers Blood Pressure

A high bp can lead to potentially life-threatening outcomes. These include strokes, chronic kidney disease, and heart attacks. One thing a higher protein diet does is lower blood pressure. Besides lowering blood pressure, a high protein diet reduces bad cholesterol and triglycerides.

Most people eat enough protein to prevent a deficiency. This is often enough. However, if you are looking to manage your weight, lower your blood pressure, enhance your metabolism or gain muscle strength, you will likely need higher amounts of proteins.

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