Is a Higher-Protein Diet Right For You?
July 26, 2018
Walk down any aisle of the grocery store and you’ll notice high-protein versions of everything from breakfast cereal to peanut butter to even potato chips. The question is: do we all really need so much protein?
At Habit, we take an evidence-based approach to giving you a personalized protein recommendation. Nutrition science says that some people can benefit from eating more protein, while others can be perfectly fine with just the minimum required amount.
The caveat is that this range is pretty broad and not exactly helpful when you’re deciding what to eat. In food terms, the difference between 10 and 35 percent is equivalent to about five eggs plus four ounces of chicken, four ounces of salmon, and a cup of lentils (assuming you eat 2,000 calories a day). To give you a more specific recommendation, we consider many factors that tell us about your body’s unique protein needs.
These include your age, body size, and metabolism, among others. In many cases, your biology might simply need a moderate amount of protein. As long as you get 10 percent of your daily calories from it, you don’t need to worry too much. On the other hand, certain people could benefit from a higher-protein diet.
Protein helps promote satiety, the feeling of satisfaction you get after eating. And the more satisfied you feel, the less likely you’ll be to overeat. Plus, as you cut back on calories to lose weight, eating more protein helps ensure your muscle mass is preserved.
However, too much protein can be counterproductive, as the extra calories can cause weight gain. So it’s important to know exactly what amount to eat in a day based on your body’s needs and your weight loss goal.
The good news is that making changes to your diet, like eating more protein, can improve blood sugar issues. Protein stimulates the production of insulin, a hormone that helps lower blood sugar levels.
Besides the scenarios above, there are many other instances where you might need more protein, like if you’re past a certain age or being more active.
Learning about your needs will help you figure out if those high-protein versions of cereal and peanut butter are in fact a good match for you. And if you don’t have a reason to eat more protein, you can focus your energy on making other beneficial changes to your diet, like eating the right amount of carbs and fat.
At Habit, we take an evidence-based approach to giving you a personalized protein recommendation. Nutrition science says that some people can benefit from eating more protein, while others can be perfectly fine with just the minimum required amount.
Some people just need a moderate amount of protein
According to the Institute of Medicine, most adults should get between 10 and 35 percent of their daily calories from protein (the remainder coming from a mix of carbs and fat). This range is based on decades of research, and it provides enough protein for the body to function properly, but not too much to throw off the balance of carbs and fat you eat.The caveat is that this range is pretty broad and not exactly helpful when you’re deciding what to eat. In food terms, the difference between 10 and 35 percent is equivalent to about five eggs plus four ounces of chicken, four ounces of salmon, and a cup of lentils (assuming you eat 2,000 calories a day). To give you a more specific recommendation, we consider many factors that tell us about your body’s unique protein needs.
These include your age, body size, and metabolism, among others. In many cases, your biology might simply need a moderate amount of protein. As long as you get 10 percent of your daily calories from it, you don’t need to worry too much. On the other hand, certain people could benefit from a higher-protein diet.
The people who benefit from extra protein
Research shows that in certain cases, sticking to higher end of the protein spectrum (closer to 35 percent of calories) can be better for your biology.People who have a tendency to gain weight
Weight gain has many causes, including genetics. For people who struggle to keep the pounds off, eating more protein has two key benefits.Protein helps promote satiety, the feeling of satisfaction you get after eating. And the more satisfied you feel, the less likely you’ll be to overeat. Plus, as you cut back on calories to lose weight, eating more protein helps ensure your muscle mass is preserved.
However, too much protein can be counterproductive, as the extra calories can cause weight gain. So it’s important to know exactly what amount to eat in a day based on your body’s needs and your weight loss goal.
People with blood sugar issues
More than one in three American adults (about 84 million people) have a problem managing blood sugar. And of those people, 90 percent don’t even know they have it.The good news is that making changes to your diet, like eating more protein, can improve blood sugar issues. Protein stimulates the production of insulin, a hormone that helps lower blood sugar levels.
People with high blood pressure
High blood pressure also affects about one in three American adults. Scientists believe that the building blocks of protein, called amino acids, help lower blood pressure by dilating blood vessels.Besides the scenarios above, there are many other instances where you might need more protein, like if you’re past a certain age or being more active.
Learning about your needs will help you figure out if those high-protein versions of cereal and peanut butter are in fact a good match for you. And if you don’t have a reason to eat more protein, you can focus your energy on making other beneficial changes to your diet, like eating the right amount of carbs and fat.
