I have known Protein for years. During my various battles with weight loss I have heard that if you eat a lot of it you can increase your weight loss.
Well, here is the "skinny" on my good 'ol friend:
Amino Acids are the building blocks of Protein. Since our bodies cannot make essential amino acids, we must rely on the food we eat to supply this. Then, our body goes through the process of breaking down the protein into non-essential amino acids.
Now, why do you need to know this? Because when our body has to break down the protein it takes longer for our body to digest it thus making us feel fuller longer. Also, the slower digestion process means that the protein is not going to spike our blood sugar.
Protein has the same number of calories per gram as carbohydrates. 1 gram = 4 calories
If you think of fat...which we all hate... there are 9 calories in 1 gram (more than 2x's that of protein!) Also, think of saturated fats as artery cloggers.
You should try to get 8 grams of protein for every 20 pounds of fat (i.e. a 200 lb person should get 80 grams of protein) per day. Otherwise, our body will start to break down its own tissue.
Some good sources of protein are: Tofu, Soybean products, Beans, Nuts, Eggs, Fish, Peanut Butter, Lean Meats, Fish, Poultry, and Dairy
Now, remember I told you that my new best friend is Protein? And, I also mentioned that some best friends become back stabbers if you don't keep an eye on them (yeah, I am sure you know one or two)? Well, here is why I have to keep an eye on my ol' friend, Protein.
If you consume too much protein then it could put a strain on certain organs in the body like the kidneys and liver. Too much protein also promotes the loss of calcium in the bones via your urine which can cause osteoporosis. In addition, any extra protein that is left over (because our body can't store it) is stored as fat if we can't use it as energy.
Sources: The book I am reading 2-Week Total Body Turnaround & Help With Cooking .Com
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