A recent study found that eating more protein during a diet helps maintain body mass without fat (lean body mass) during weight loss, which means healthy weight loss.
The study was conducted by Anna R. Ogilvy, of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and colleagues, and was published in the journal Obesity.
Body mass without fat is calculated by subtracting the weight of body fat from the total body weight.
Body mass without fat includes muscles, bones, and organs, and maintaining it is important, as the goal of a healthy diet is to burn fat, not muscle.
The study included 207 adults who were overweight or obese, who were examined before and during 6 months of a calorie-reduced diet.
The researchers found that the participants lost 5% of the weight.
Protein intake was 79 g/day in the high-protein group and 58 g/day in the low-protein group.
A lower loss of body mass without fat was observed in the high-protein versus low-protein group (−0.6% vs. −1.2%).
Maintaining muscle mass during the diet means a greater likelihood of losing weight, better muscle strength and a lower risk of flabbiness and weakness.
Protein benefits
Most people eat enough protein to prevent deficiency, but some individuals will do better if they eat more protein, according to a report by Healthline.
Numerous studies indicate that a high-protein diet has significant benefits for weight loss and metabolic health.
Here are 10 reasons to eat more protein:
Protein reduces appetite and hunger levels
Nutrients from fats, carbohydrates and protein affect your body in different ways.
Studies show that protein is by far the most satiating, helping you feel full with less food.
Protein lowers the level of the hunger hormone and boosts levels of peptide YY, a hormone that makes you feel full.
These effects on appetite can be powerful. In one study, increasing protein intake from 15% to 30% of calories caused overweight women to eat 441 fewer calories each day without intentionally restricting anything.
Protein increases muscle mass and strength
Protein is the building block of your muscles, so eating enough of it helps you maintain your muscle mass and promotes its growth when doing strength training exercises.
Numerous studies show that eating plenty of protein can help increase muscle mass and strength.
If you are physically active, lift weights, or are trying to gain muscle, you need to make sure you are getting enough protein.
Protein helps prevent muscle loss during the diet
Maintaining high protein intake can also help prevent muscle loss during weight loss.
Protein is good for bones
Most long-term studies indicate that protein, including animal protein, has significant benefits for bone health.
People who eat more protein tend to maintain better bone mass as they age and have a much lower risk of osteoporosis and fractures.
Protein reduces cravings for late-night snacking and cravings
One study in overweight men showed that increasing protein to 25% of calories reduced snack cravings by 60% and late-night snacking cravings by half.
Similarly, a study of overweight teenage girls found that eating a protein-rich breakfast reduced cravings for late-night snacks.
Protein boosts metabolism and increases fat burning
Eating food can increase your metabolism for a short time, because your body uses calories to digest and make use of the nutrients in foods, this is referred to as the thermal effect of food TEF.
The effect varies by foods, and protein has a much higher thermogenic effect than fat or carbohydrates, 20%-35% compared to 5-15%.
Eating large amounts of protein has been shown to significantly boost your metabolism and increase the number of calories you burn, and this can go as high as 80-100 calories burned each time.
Protein helps maintain weight loss
Because a high-protein diet boosts metabolism and leads to an automatic decrease in calorie intake and food cravings, many people who increase their protein intake tend to lose weight almost immediately.
One study found that overweight women who consumed 30% of their calories from protein lost 11 pounds (5 kilograms) in 12 weeks, even though they did not intentionally restrict their diet.
Protein also has benefits in losing fat while reducing calories
In a 12-month study of 130 overweight people following a calorie-restricted diet, the high-protein group lost 53 percent more body fat than the normal protein group eating the same number of calories.
A modest increase in protein intake has been shown to aid weight maintenance. In one study, increasing protein from 15% to 18% of calories reduced weight regain by 50%.
Protein helps your body repair itself after an injury
Protein can help your body repair after being injured, which makes perfect sense, as it is the building block of your tissues and organs.
Several studies show that eating more protein after an injury can help speed recovery.
Protein helps you stay fit as you age
One consequence of aging is that your muscles gradually weaken, and more severe cases are referred to as age-related sarcopenia, which is one of the leading causes of weakness, bone fractures and poor quality of life among older adults.
Eating more protein is one of the best ways to reduce age-related muscle breakdown and prevent sarcopenia. Maintaining physical activity is also important, and lifting weights or doing some resistance training can make a big difference.
How much protein do you need per day?
Generally adults are recommended to get 0.8 grams of protein per day per kilogram of the body.
Examples of good sources of protein
3 ounces of tuna, salmon, haddock or trout give 21 grams of protein.
3 ounces of cooked turkey or chicken gives 19 grams of protein.
6 ounces of yogurt gives 17 grams of protein.
Half a cup of cheese gives 14 grams of protein.
Half a cup of cooked beans gives 8 grams of protein.
A cup of milk gives 8 grams of protein.
A cup of cooked pasta gives 8 grams of protein.
An ounce of nuts gives 7 grams of protein.
One egg gives 6 grams of protein.