Understanding Protein

Understanding Protein

Understanding Protein

Why your body needs protein?

  • Build. Protein is a necessary building block for the construction of our bones, muscles, cartilage and skin. In essential for us to consume enough protein so that we can not only build but also maintain healthy/lean muscle mass.

When our diet is lacking amino acids, “muscle wasting” (or muscle atrophy) can take place when your muscle fibers are broken down to support your body’s energy needs.

Believe it or not, our muscles get damaged and torn during workouts so that they can repair and grow back even stronger than before. For this to happen effectively, you need to consume some extra protein to help repair the damage.

Now, don’t start thinking that just because you bought yourself a new container of protein that you’ll become a world class athlete. Research does show however that by eating protein before and after exercise, we help our bodies decrease the time needed to reach muscle recovery and promotes muscle synthesis.

  • Weight Control. Contrary of what many people believe, high-protein diets have been shown to be effective when helping individuals to maintain an ideal weight and losing weight fast. This is because protein helps to make you feel full and can prevent overeating.

Studies have shown that a controlled calorie intake teamed with a moderately high protein intake is an effective and practical strategy for weight-loss. High-protein foods cause increased satiety to a greater extent than carbohydrates or fats, so they can prevent overeating and snacking. Our cravings make it easier to overeat carbohydrates when they’re refined or sweetened as opposed to if their disguised as healthy protein foods.

Eating protein also creates a process in the body known as thermogenesis, which requires the body to expand more energy (calories) in order to digest food. During this time, protein helps to ward off muscle loss that can result from a low-calorie diet, which makes certain proteins superfoods for weight loss.

  • Stabilize Blood Sugar Levels. Insulin is a hormone that’s required for carbohydrates, fat and protein to be broken down and absorbed by our bodies. However, more insulin is needed to metabolize carbohydrates than fat or protein. The major determinate of blood sugar levels is the glycemic index response from the foods you eat, so while eating high-carb and high-sugar foods results in fluctuations in blood sugar levels, eating protein does the opposite.

Eating foods with protein has a minimal effect on blood glucose levels and can, in fact, slow down the absorption of sugar during a meal. To simply put it, a low-carb, high protein diet can help prevent spikes in blood glucose, which is extremely important for the prevention of type 2 diabetes, balancing energy levels, and keeping appetite and your mood in check.

  • Improve Your Mood. Protein is made up of amino acids. Certain amino acids from protein rich foods are used to balance hormones, put you in a more stable mood, and decrease anxiety. The best part about this is that its all natural. Proteins also help our neurotransmitters function and synthesize hormones like dopamine and serotonin that calm us and keep our outlook positive.

Persons experiencing weakness, moodiness, and increased anxiety or whom are showing signs of depression may not know it but these can all just be signs of a lack of key amino acids. Because protein helps stabilize glucose in your blood, it also prevents mood changes, irritability and cravings that can occur due to fluctuating blood sugar levels.

  • Promote Healthy Brain Function and Learning. Proteins are needed to make enzymes, hormones and neurotransmitters that are critical for cognitive function.

The brain requires a steady supply of amino acids in order to keep concentration, focus and energy levels up. Studies have proven that when our brains start to lack in amino acids, the ability for us to learn and coordinate becomes hindered, but once all the necessary amino acids are placed back into our diets these abilities improve.

  • Help Maintain Strong Bones. A diet which is high in protein from whole, nutrient-rich foods can help heal broken bones and prevent bone weakness, fractures and even osteoporosis by increasing calcium absorption and helping with bone metabolism.

Recent studies in the elderly in the U.S. show that the greatest bone losses occur in people with low protein intake of 16—50 grams per day.

  • Slow Aging and Promote Longevity. Research shows that a diet high in balanced amino acids from high-protein foods can help treat muscle loss due to aging which is called sarcopenia. A diet that has a adequate levels of protein helps slow the again process by keeping muscle mass intact, supporting strong bones, and maintaining high cognitive and immune function. In the elderly, amino acid deficiencies can potentially lead to eye problems such as cataracts, heart problems, muscle loss, weakness and mood changes.
  • As you age, your body becomes less capable of synthesizing amino acids on its own, which is one reason why you tend to lose muscle but gain fat as we age. This is why its even more important that we eat a mass amount of foods that are rich in protein to not only support a healthy body weight, but to keep our memories sharp, energy up, and strength and balance in place.

 

 

Types of Protein

  • Proteins can basically be categorized into two main groups, “complete” and “incomplete.” And guess what! You need both kinds to function. Proteins are essentially made up of 20 plus building blocks called amino acids. Complete proteins contain the 9 essential amino acids that our body needs to produce new proteins. Unfortunately, our bodies can’t produce these amino acids on its own. Animal sources protein tend to be more complete. Other protein sources lack one or more of the essential acids; these are called complete proteins. These incomplete proteins include fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts.

Sources of Protein

  • Whey Protein
    • Whey protein comes from milk. It is the liquid that separates from the curds during the cheesemaking process. It’s high in protein but also contains lactose, a milk sugar.
    • Though whey protein concentrate retains some lactose, the isolate version of it contains much fewer because most of it is lost during processing.
    • Whey protein is quickly digested, providing a rapid rise in amino acids that may help increase muscle mass and strength. It may also reduce appetite and promote fat loss.

 

  • Casein Protein
    • Casein is like whey protein in that it is found in milk. Casein on the other hand differs in that it is digested slowly.
    • A gel is created in the stomach once casein starts to interact with a persons stomach acid. This gel slows down its digestion and delays your bloodstream’s absorption of amino acids.
    • It is excellent in reducing muscle protein breakdown and promoting muscle mass growth and fat loss during calorie restrictions.

 

  • Egg Protein
    • Eggs are an excellent source of high-quality protein. They are also very accessible to obtain. Eggs are also one of the best foods for lowering appetite and helping you stay full for a longer period of time.
    • Egg-white protein is high in quality and easily digested – though it may not keep you feeling as full as other protein powders.

 

  • Pea Protein
    • A popular protein among vegetarians, vegans and people with allergies or sensitivities to dairy or eggs is pea protein. Pea protein is made from the yellow split pea, a high-fiber legume that boasts all but one of the essential amino acids. It is also rich in BCAAs. Pea protein has been found to be just as effective as animal-based proteins.

 

  • Hemp Protein
    • Try not to be alarmed. Hemp protein contains no signs of THC. It is however, rich in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and several essential amino acids. Hemp protein is not considered to be a complete protein though because it lacks in lysine and leucine amino acids.

 

  • Brown Rice Protein
    • Did you know that there is something called brown rice protein? They have actually been around for a while but aren’t as mainstream because they are considered inferior when it comes to building muscle.
    • Brown rice protein is good in that it contains all of the essential amino acids, but it loses popularity points because of its low levels of lysine.

 

  • Mixed Plant Protein
    • Some protein powders contain a blend of plant sources to provide your body with all the essential amino acids. Two or more of the following proteins are usually combined:
      • Brown rice
      • Pea
      • Hemp
      • Alfalfa
      • Chia seeds
      • Flax seeds
      • Artichoke
      • Quinoa
    • Because of their high doses in fiber, plant proteins tend to digest slower than animal proteins. This might not be too much of a problem for individuals, it can limit the amino acids your body can use immediately after exercise. But this problem can be helped by adding more enzymes to your plant protein mixture.

How Much to Take & How Often?

  • The amount of protein that you a person actually needs varies from person to person and expert to expert. But most official nutrition organizations recommend that the typical person’s dietary reference intake (DRI) be 36-.6 grams per pound. This boils down to 56-91 grams per day for the average adult man and 46-75 grams for the average woman.
  • A protein intake at around 30% of calories seems to be optimal for weight loss. This amounts to 150 grams per day for someone that is on a 2000-calorie diet. It will help boosts your metabolic rate and causes a spontaneous reduction in calorie intake.
  • If you are an individual that wants to gain and/or maintain muscle then your protein intake will have to increase significantly. Most studies suggest that 7-1 grams per pound of lean mass are needed to accomplish this goal.

 

Gaining A Better Understanding of What You're Intaking