Will a High Protein Diet Help With Weight Loss and Improve Overall Health?
There has been a flood of fad diets over the years. It is believed that possibly the first book on dieting was published back in 1864 by William Banting. In this publication, Mr. Banting wrote about how he lost weight by cutting down on bread and potatoes and increasing his fish and meat intake.
In effect, he reduced the carbohydrate levels in his diet and increased his protein intake.
Many other diets since have also espoused the benefits of consuming higher levels of protein. The Atkins Diet for instance recommended more protein and no carbs.
However, regardless of how many diets recommend more protein, is it actually healthy to follow them? Would increasing the protein in your diet help you to lose weight, and would you feel any other benefits?
Is a high-protein diet healthy?
Short-term diets are generally safe to use. So, using a diet high in protein for a short period should bring about no health problems.
Longer-term high protein diets may not be as safe for some people. This is because these types of diets often restrict carbohydrate intake seriously. This could lead to a lack of fiber and other symptoms like bad breath.
There is a recommended amount of protein that everyone should consume each day. According to Healthline, 0.8 grams of protein should be consumed per 1kg of body weight.
Dietary guidelines for carbohydrates say that they should make up between 45% and 65% of your total calorie intake each day. However, some carbs are better than other ones. Cutting out carbs can mean that you miss out on magnesium and antioxidants. You may also find that you have digestive problems, and you are putting your heart’s health at more of a risk.
Good carbohydrates include grains, beans, oats, bananas, beets, quinoa, and sweet potatoes. The cooking method you use for preparing your carbs can help to complement your higher protein diet too.
Using a convection oven, air fryer, or pressure cooker, can help to produce healthier meals than roasting or frying would. An air fryer would reduce how much cooking oil you used, and a pressure cooker would keep proteins moist and succulent. They are both good cooking appliances for helping to trap nutrients too.
Will upping your protein intake result in weight loss?
If you eat more protein, you are likely to feel fuller, quicker. This can then result in fewer calories being consumed.
So, protein in itself can make you lose weight because you won’t feel as hungry. Also, when the body breaks down protein and metabolizes it, you will burn more calories than you would if you were eating carbs.
What foods are high in protein?
Eggs, salmon, lean beef, and peanut butter, are all high in protein. Chicken is also an excellent choice.
There are many protein bars on the market also if you are an exercise fan, and want to up your intake with a convenient method. For those who find home cooking pleasurable, there are plenty of high-protein recipes to choose from.
This Cornish hen recipe on CookingSchoolDropout will provide a high-protein meal and can be paired with vegetables to reduce carbohydrates.
It is important not to neglect carbohydrate intake completely though, just avoid processed carbs.
What happens if you cut out carbohydrates from your diet?
With some diets, carbohydrates are labeled the enemy of anyone wanting to lose weight. There is a slight misconception here as some carbohydrates are better than others.
When you think of carbohydrates it is easy to think about cookies, cake, and bread. Eating lots of white bread will have limited benefits when it comes to nutrients, but carbs shouldn’t be ignored completely.
Carbs provide fiber, and some essential minerals and vitamins, depending on what form they take.
Does more protein mean that you should eat more meat?
The Atkins Diet was definitely loved by some meat-eaters as some people believed it encouraged them to gorge on sausages and bacon. This isn’t actually factual. Although sausages are low in carbohydrates, they contain many other unhealthy ingredients including a lot of fat and nitrates.
Consuming more protein can be done without resorting to only meat-eating. Fish is also an option. This is a great source of protein, and some will contain excellent levels of Omega-3.
But, there are also many vegetables that are high in protein, and you can adapt your diet to include these. Vegetables would be a far healthier option than eating red meat every night.
Also, there are many health hacks that you can try out today. One of these is to include supplements in your diet. In this case, this would mean adding protein powder or drinks perhaps. You can increase your protein levels, while not upping your meat intake.
Why should you lose weight?
You may not need to lose any weight, and it would be best to consult with your regular doctor before making any major dietary changes.
However, if you are overweight, just losing a small amount can lead to significant health changes. According to WebMD, losing 5% of body weight can cut the chances of developing cancer.
There are other advantages too including improved brain health, which leads to a general improvement in overall wellness. A healthy brain means that you will be able to function better, and have more control over your emotions and moods.
Losing weight can have dramatic effects on mental wellness. It can improve moods, and it can boost confidence as well. The physical advantages of losing weight are almost endless, but one is that you will simply look and feel better.
Summary
What you consume can affect your mind, plus your body, in many ways. A poor diet can even affect your hair. Humans need certain amounts of different nutrients in their diets, and protein is essential.
Increasing the quantity of protein in your meals, while lowering your carbohydrate intake, may lead to some weight loss. If you ought to lose weight, then this will indeed be beneficial to your overall health.
Before you start to change your diet or consider a long-term dietary change, consult with your local medical health practitioner.
