Are you eating enough protein? Many people are not, and they don’t realise the critical importance of protein for a fast metabolism. Our female patients in particular don’t eat enough protein each day. This is a problem because it seriously raises the chance of having cravings and hunger. The cravings tend to get worse as the day progresses, so by evening they binge on unhealthy snack foods.

There are many different ways to lose weight. Upping your protein intake makes weight loss so much easier because you’ll be less hungry, so won’t need to rely on willpower to stay away from junk food.

Here are some benefits of protein you may not be aware of:

  1. You will feel full for longer

People tend to eat less when they have protein with every meal as protein has a two to three times greater satiety value than carbohydrate or fat. Compared to fat and carbohydrates, protein generates the greatest release of the gut hormone called PYY. This hormone lowers hunger and also improves your body’s reaction to the hormone leptin, which lessons appetite and controls your body fat stores. It’s especially important to have protein with your first meal as it reduces cravings for sugar and high carbohydrate foods later in the afternoon and in the evening. Aim for 100 grams of protein each day.

  1. Protein has a thermic effect in your body

The thermic effect of food refers to the energy required to digest, absorb, assimilate, and store nutrients. In other words, protein requires more energy than fat or carbohydrate to be digested. Research indicates that after a meal, energy expenditure by your body increases zero to three percent for the metabolism of fat, five to ten percent for carbohydrate and an astounding 20 to 30 per cent for protein! In comparison to the other macronutrients, protein burns by far the most energy. This makes protein an essential component to a healthy diet.

  1. Protein helps to stabilize your blood sugar, reducing cravings

By increasing protein intake, you can stabilize blood sugar levels and lower insulin levels. Insulin is a hormone that is released when we eat carbohydrates, and its role is to get glucose inside cells to burn it for energy. Insulin resistance occurs in individuals who consume too many carbohydrates for their body, which causes too much insulin to be produced until eventually the cells of your body start to ignore it and glucose is converted into fat. Having good quality protein with each meal can balance blood sugar and reduce the chances of developing hypoglycaemia or cravings for sugar/carbohydrates. Synd-X Slimming Protein powder contains first class protein. This means all essential amino acids are present. Glicemic Balance capsules contain herbs and nutrients to prevent crashes in blood sugar, helping keep cravings away.

  1. Protein is necessary for muscle mass

Protein is the building block of our muscles as well as supporting your body to build healthy tissues and cells. Protein is especially important after exercise as muscle tissue is purposefully damaged from weight training in order for muscles to repair and grow back stronger. Studies have shown that consuming a diet high in protein can preserve lean body mass in both obese individuals and athletes, and also improve overall body composition. Individuals with more muscle have a faster metabolism, therefore if you are wanting to lose weight it is essential to get enough protein.

As mentioned, consuming around 100 grams of protein per day is a good target. Remember though, extra protein is required during periods of childhood and adolescence, pregnancy and breastfeeding, or following illness or surgery. A good way to guarantee you’re consuming enough protein is to try and have a form of protein with each meal. Sources of good quality protein include meat, poultry, eggs, seafood and whey protein.

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.