The high protein diet is a controversial diet in the world of nutrition. Not every diet is suitable for everyone, it is best to seek the advice of a doctor or nutrition specialist before making your choice, whether to lose excess pounds or improve your health. or any other reason.
The high protein diet is widely used as a slimming program, in this article you will know everything about this diet.
What is a high protein diet?
A protein diet is a diet rich in protein and where you consume fewer carbohydrates and fats. This diet has several objectives. It is widely practiced to develop muscles in addition to sporting activity. It is also effective when you want to lose weight quickly. There are several types of protein diets.
What are the benefits of the high protein diet?
Metabolic benefits
Following a protein diet is effective in boosting your metabolism (the rate at which your body uses calories). It's faster and you burn more calories, even at rest, than with low-protein diets.
A protein diet contributes to better blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity compared to low-protein diets. Although this nutrient may briefly increase insulin concentrations, this diet is not known to cause chronic hyperinsulinemia (high insulin levels). For people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, a high-protein diet may be more beneficial than low-protein diets.
Body composition and weight loss
The high-protein diet promotes muscle mass gain and fat loss.
You will have the energy you need to fuel your muscles. This is why it is ideal for their developments.
A protein eating plan can help protect against muscle loss and keep your metabolic rate high.
If you reduce your calorie intake, your metabolism slows down. This is partly due to the loss of your muscles.
Several studies show that a protein diet helps you lose weight faster. Protein digestion appears to increase metabolic rate by 20 to 35%, while carbohydrate and fat digestion increase metabolic rate by 5 to 15%. Satiety and increased metabolism are benefits for weight loss.
If you are following a protein diet with the aim of losing weight, at the end of your high-protein diet, you will need to make a smooth transition in your diet so as not to overwhelm the body. If you reintroduce carbohydrates into your diet too quickly, you risk regaining weight. Dietary rebalancing is a key step to avoid weight regain. This will help you maintain your weight loss goal over time.
Fitness and health
Muscle mass and bone health decline with aging, which can lead to physical frailty as well as an increased risk of falls and bone fractures. Eating more protein can counteract this trend by improving muscle mass and bone health.
Protein is one of the 3 groups of macronutrients along with fats and carbohydrates. Protein is an essential nutrient for health. It is responsible for several vital functions.
It is the main component of your muscles, bones, skin and hair. These tissues are constantly repaired and replaced with new ones. They are also chemical messengers that allow cells and organs to communicate with each other. Also, most enzymes are proteins, and the thousands of chemical reactions that occur throughout your body are driven by these enzymes. Some help deliver important molecules where they are needed.
A high amount of plant protein may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease compared to animal sources.
Satiety
The factor favoring weight loss and better glycemic control could be the ability of proteins to reduce hunger. Many studies show that as the amount of protein increases, the feeling of hunger lasts longer and the amount of food consumed decreases.
This nutrient allows you to feel much better and reduce the feeling of hunger that can exist when following a low-calorie diet.
What to eat on a high protein diet?
Animal products (eggs, dairy, meat, fish, and poultry) are considered “complete proteins.” This is because they contain all the essential amino acids in the optimal amounts your body needs.
Plant proteins do not provide adequate amounts of each essential amino acid, but can be combined with plant foods to make complete proteins. Examples of protein-rich plant foods include beans, legumes, grains, soy, nuts and seeds.
A high-protein diet adopted to lose weight and maintain your health should provide approximately 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram, and 20 to 30% of your calories per day.
You should spread your protein intake evenly throughout the day, rather than consuming most of it in one sitting. This allows them to be used more efficiently.
Following a high-protein diet may consist of a breakfast of ham and eggs, a lunch of cheese, meat, fish or an omelet and vegetables, and a dinner of meat or fish and vegetables. There are plenty of products and recipes rich in protein , with products of plant and animal origin. It is also recommended to reduce your consumption of refined sugar and favor slow sugars.
Eat balanced meals with protein-rich foods, vegetables, fruits and other plant foods. Base your meals around a protein source and add high-protein vegetables for a little extra boost of amino acids. Add a little vegetable or animal fat.
You can supplement your intake with our Feed bars. Our snacks and our Original meal bars and drinks. are protein. A convenient way to increase your nutrient intake.
Our protein snacks
Tips for following a high-protein diet
This diet is easily adjustable according to your needs and goals. Indeed, vegetarian, vegan, lactose or gluten intolerant, or to reduce carbohydrates in your diet, it is possible to follow a suitable diet.
Set your own goals for your calorie and macronutrient intake. You can keep a food diary using an app or website that provides protein values for thousands of foods. You can also make a program to plan your protein meals.
It is recommended to consume at least 25 to 30 grams of protein per meal. Research has shown that consuming at least 25 grams can support weight loss, muscle maintenance, and better overall health.
Include both animal and plant proteins in your diet: Eating a combination of both types helps make your diet more nutritious overall.
If you opt for a vegetarian diet you can replace animal proteins with tofu, legumes: peas, chickpeas, beans, lentils, soybeans, azuki beans and broad beans, oilseeds such as almonds and cashew nuts, and seeds such as sesame, chia, lupine seeds for example.
What are the disadvantages of a high protein diet?
High-protein diets can promote kidney stones over time in susceptible people. This is mainly true for large amounts of animal proteins, there is less risk for plant proteins.
Also, people who already have moderate to advanced kidney disease generally need to reduce the amount consumed in order to preserve their remaining kidney function.
However, high intake does not cause kidney problems in people with normal kidney function.
You need to drink water regularly; a high-protein diet places greater demands on the kidneys. You should drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day.
Also, a high-protein diet can cause deficiencies if the diet is not well adapted. If the diet is not suitable and if it is too restrictive, it can trigger rapid weight loss but once the diet is stopped, the lost weight is then regained. It is therefore more difficult to maintain an ideal weight when the diet is not correctly adapted. We must therefore avoid eliminating other essential nutrients.
In summary
The high-protein diet has plenty of advantages, such as improving your metabolism, maintaining or increasing the amount of muscle or even losing weight. You must be careful to adapt this diet to your own needs by creating a suitable program and thus avoid deficiencies by eliminating essential nutrients. It is important to seek advice from a professional before starting any type of diet or opting for a high-protein diet, for example.
