Protein is essential for everyone, not just athletes and bodybuilders. While limiting your calorie, sugar, and salt intake, ensure you obtain enough protein. It is required to develop and maintain all cells in our bodies. It fuels our bodies and gives our cells energy. However, that doesn’t mean you must start drinking protein shakes daily. A healthy and balanced diet will provide enough protein for most people.
In their text “Contemporary Nutrition,” Gordon Wardlaw and Anne Smith state that proteins make up 17% of your body weight and, along with water, constitute most of the lean tissue. Your body uses the nitrogen from dietary protein to restructure the proteins it needs. There are many different types of proteins, and they are essential for many processes.
Over time, several bodily functions slow down if you eat too little protein, endangering your general health. Muscles and blood proteins may get smaller, as well as organs like the liver and heart. Protein overconsumption, however, does not increase protein synthesis or growth.
However, we are clear that adding a spike in protein into your diet without feeling uneasy might be challenging. Following are a few benefits of increasing protein intake for health.
1. High Protein May Stabilize Your Blood Sugar Levels
High blood sugar (hyperglycemia) is a leading cause of undesirable weight gain and type 2 diabetes, as well as a slew of other unpleasant consequences such as recurring bladder and skin infections, weariness, blurred vision, and the continual need to use the restroom.
Additionally, some research has suggested that a high-protein diet lowers blood sugar levels and enhances glucose regulation. One such diet includes soybean meal protein, which is high in isoflavones and helps to decrease cholesterol and blood sugar. Moreover, soy increases insulin sensitivity, enhancing the body’s ability to tolerate blood sugar.
2. High Protein Diets May Promote Healthy Heart
Despite widely reported concerns that protein may harm cardiovascular health, studies reveal that high protein diets are linked to a lower risk of hypertension and congenital heart disease. On the other hand, diets low in animal protein were linked to a considerable increase in the risk of hemorrhagic stroke.
3. Boosts Strength and Muscle Mass
Your muscles’ primary building material is protein. So long as you consume adequate protein, strength training will help you keep your muscle mass and encourage muscle growth.
Ensure to consume adequate protein by ordering artisan meats online if you exercise regularly, lift weights, or are attempting to build muscle.
Beef jerky can actually be a great addition to your diet. Beef jerky is handmade and produced to ensure freshness, quality, and consistency for the ultimate tasting experience. You can try 9 protein-packed and exotic jerky flavors including truffle, turkey, and tongue-scorching Carolina Reaper. Beef jerky sticks are a popular snack for people everywhere. They offer a healthy snack option that is high in protein, low in sugar, and made with clean, simple ingredients. If you want to get yourself the best jerky, Mahogany Smoked Meats has a lot to offer.
4. High Protein Diets May Help Improve Your Mood
Some amino acids found in dietary protein sources are crucial for maintaining the right balance of your hormones. For instance, the amino acid tyrosine is used to create the neurotransmitter dopamine, while the amino acid tryptophan is used to produce serotonin. Serotonin has even been dubbed the “happy chemical” because dopamine and serotonin have close ties to mood.
5. Cuts Back on Cravings and Wants for Late-Night Snacking
Cravings can be extremely difficult to suppress. However, one of the effective preventive strategies is upping your protein intake.
In one study of obese people, increasing the protein in the diet by 25% reduced cravings by 60% and the need for nighttime snacks by 50%. Moreover, a high-protein breakfast reduced cravings and late-night munching in a study of obese adolescent girls.
Tips to Increase Your Protein Intake
You can increase your protein intake using the tips below without significantly altering your daily routine.
1. Pick Eggs Over Cereal
A typical cereal portion is substantially smaller than a regular bowl, which causes people to eat fewer amounts of protein. For a filling and calorie-burning supper, swap your cereal for eggs—hard-boiled, soft-scrambled, or whatever you prefer.
2. Add Some Pecans to Your Salad
In addition to adding a satisfying crunch to salads, entrées, and desserts, nuts are an excellent source of protein and antioxidants. Magnesium, abundant in pecans and helps with digestion, is satisfying and purifying.
3. Choose Lean Beef
It is ideal to choose a lean cut of beef so that you get all the protein while consuming significantly less harmful fat. A skinless chicken breast of comparable size and a lean beef cut like a top round steak have nearly identical amounts of saturated fat.
4. Add Greek Yogurt
While ordinary yogurt contains fewer calories and more calcium, Greek yogurt contains more protein and less sugar and has a thicker consistency. According to nutritionist Tracy Lesht, RD, “It’s rich in protein and so easy to eat as a snack or on the go. Just one serving of Greek yogurt can add about 18 grams of protein into your day.” You can also top your yogurt with an ounce of nuts for an additional 4 grams protein. You can also opt for your yogurt with an ounce of nuts for an extra 4 grams of protein.
5. Add Chopped Almonds to Stir-Fried Veggies
Even though vegetables may contain some protein alone, why not accentuate the positive by including chopped almonds in an Asian-inspired stir fry? Choose slivered and unsalted foods to avoid consuming too many healthy fats and limit sodium intake.
6. Combine Nut Butter with Your Oatmeal
While oatmeal is a fantastic breakfast option, it may grow monotonous quickly. Your breakfast bowl’s protein content will increase if you add one or two tablespoons of nut butter, keeping you satisfied until lunch.
7. Choose quinoa over rice or pasta
Given that it includes all nine essential amino acids, quinoa is regarded as a complete protein. The seed, which most people mistake for a grain, has roughly 8 grams of protein per cup. You can substitute quinoa for rice or pasta or add it to soups, salads, or even muffins and pancakes for added nourishment.
Conclusion
With minimal effort, you may quickly boost your daily protein intake by including a good-sized amount of protein in every meal. However, not everyone needs to consume more protein, even though it can have positive health effects for many. Protein makes up an average of 15% of daily calories for most people, which is more than adequate to prevent insufficiency.
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at Blufashion. She has been steering the website’s content and editorial direction since 2018. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra’s expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.
