With all the focus on low carb dieting and calorie counting, it’s easy to forget the importance of that one all-important ingredient in all diets, Protein.
The majority of diets we encounter today put a heavy emphasis on making sure we count our calories but often forget to highlight the importance of protein. There is a common misconception that foods heavy in protein are also heavy in calories. They tout the benefits of switching those foods out with vegetables and fruits that have lesser amounts of calories but also lesser amounts of proteins.
Another misconception is that protein rich foods are also more difficult to find time to eat. Foods that have our essential proteins-fish, meat, beans- often take more time to prepare and thus are not as convenient as eating other foods. Protein-on-the-go isn’t usually easy to find, so to speak. And, it can often be confusing to decide which proteins are best for you. Obviously, protein obtained from fried and processed meat does more harm than good, but consumption of lean meats, like seafood, skinless chicken, and turkey, give your body the boost it needs to burn off those excess calories.
That being said, it is essential to make sure you consume the proper proteins because the benefits of protein easily outweigh their drawbacks. For example…
Protein Consumption burns calories. Because protein is such a complex molecule, our body uses a lot of energy to break it down and reform it into what we need. This process often burns far more calories than the consumption of fats, sugars, and carbs.
It stays longer in your stomach. Protein-rich foods, because of the time of process, stay longer in our stomach, which leaves us feeling fuller for a longer period of time. This helps curb hunger cravings and keep off excess calories from over eating.
Proteins are the building blocks of muscle. Without the consumption of protein, our bodies would find it impossible to adequately build the muscles we need to function. Plus, the more lean muscle our bodies have, the more calories our bodies are capable of burning just performing everyday tasks. Proteins literally burn off fat just by being present in the body.
Whatever your diet plan is, make sure to get your daily intake of proteins and watch that weight just fall right off.
