Protein is a strange macronutrient. In some circles, it is way overhyped. In other circles, it is criminally under hyped. What really matters, is that there’s a misunderstanding and exaggeration on both sides of what the true benefits and detractions of protein are.
Protein is good for you – that much is certain. It’s not even about the fact that protein is the basic building block of quality muscle – it comes with a myriad of other benefits. For example, protein is incredibly helpful in the momentous task of weight loss. The body reacts differently to a high protein diet than it does versus a high sugar diet or a high fat diet. And here’s why:
- It requires more energy to digest. Protein, especially clean protein like whey protein for weight loss, is structured in a way that requires much more energy to burn. Unlike protein from Amazing Nutrition, sugar is broken apart easily – but turning protein into amino acids takes longer, and is a harder process.
- It burns differently than sugar. Unlike sugar, which burns quickly and requires you to continuously eat more of it to avoid crashing – like an addict – protein burns much slower and over a much longer period of time than carbohydrates, as per My Fitness Pal. The end result is that you eat less.
- It keeps you satisfied longer. Like fat, when you eat protein, your body is signaled that it has eaten enough far sooner than on a high carb diet. Eating carbs doesn’t fill you up anywhere as fast as protein – just compare eating a heavy loaf of bread with a slab of lean beef, and see which fills you up faster.
Finding Quality Protein
Unclean sources of protein can leave you battling pimples and excessive weight, and a myriad of other plagues you don’t want to have to deal with. Always ensure your source of protein – and where you get it from – all put their priority on high quality.
