5 Reasons To Increase Protein Intake In Your Diet

People tend to argue about the proportions of carbs and fats in their diet. However, if there is one nutrient we all think unequivocally positively of, it is protein. Most people consume sufficient protein to remain healthy. But some individuals can do better with an increased protein intake. Several studies indicate that a protein-rich diet has significant health benefits for people of all ages. Here, we take a look at five science-backed reasons to increase your protein consumption.

1. Reduces Your Urge For Late-Night Snacks

Eating the wrong thing at the wrong hours can be detrimental to your health. But sometimes, people can’t overcome late-night cravings for snacks. Studies suggest that eating late-night snacks can lead to weight gain, acidity, high blood sugar levels, and increased stroke and diabetes risks.

The best way to control such cravings is to boost your protein consumption. Protein can regulate the levels of ghrelin, a hunger hormone. It also enhances peptide YY levels, a hormone responsible for keeping you full for longer. Research suggests that eating protein equal to 25% of your calorie intake reduces cravings by 60% and the urge to eat late-night snacks by 50%.

A good way to keep yourself full all day is to have a protein-rich breakfast with nuts, fruit, and a cup of fat-free milk. Complement your main course with high-quality soybeans obtained from trusted sources like the United States Soybean Export Council.

2. Improves Muscle Strength And Aids Recovery

Protein acts as the building block for body muscles. So, consuming sufficient amounts of protein supplements regularly helps you improve your muscle strength and muscle mass. Whey, pea, or any animal protein like milk is better suited for muscle growth and recovery as they contain leucine, a branched-chain amino acid promoting muscle mass restoration.

Proper protein intake is especially vital for fitness enthusiasts as it promotes muscle development during strength training. People attempting to lose weight or doing taxing physical exercises like weight lifting go through muscle loss. In such situations, it becomes all the more important to boost protein consumption so that your muscle mass gets replenished and you don’t become weak. Protein gives the best results for muscle-gain if you eat it just after your strength training when your muscles are damaged and broken.

3. Increases Metabolism And Boosts Fat Burning

Metabolism is a crucial process for the human body as it is responsible for several critical organ functions such as breathing, digestion, and cell repair. Metabolism requires a continuous supply of energy. Food consumption can improve metabolism for a brief period as your body utilizes the food’s thermic effect to digest and process its nutrients.

However, all foods do not have the same thermic value, and therefore, the stuff you eat can severely affect your metabolic process. Protein has a much better thermic effect than carbs or fat. According to a study, fat or carbs have only 5-15% thermic effect compared to protein’s 20-35%.

If you boost your protein intake, it naturally improves your metabolism, resulting in 80-100% more calorie-burning daily. So, a protein-rich diet can help you burn calories equivalent to several hours of intensive exercise.

4. Is Good For Your Bone Health

There is a common misbelief that protein, animal protein, in particular, is not beneficial for your bones. But medical research suggests that besides calcium and vitamin D, dietary protein is essential for bone health. Protein constitutes about 50% of your bone volume and 30% of your bone mass. The bone protein matrix undergoes massive remodeling throughout a person’s life span and requires sufficient replenishment of mineral substrate and amino acid. Therefore, a regular supply of dietary protein is vital for uninterrupted bone accretion.

Due to proteins’ nutritional properties, people with a higher protein consumption tend to have a better bone mass as they age, reducing the risks of bone fractures and osteoporosis. Crucially, women can prevent osteoporosis at the post-menopause stage by consuming sufficient protein and leading an active life.

5. Helps You Lose Weight

Protein can help you maintain body weight in several ways. The first and foremost of these is protein’s capacity to keep you satiated for a long time, helping you avoid overeating. With its abilities to improve metabolism and lessen calorie intake, protein aids people lose weight in a short time.

A protein-rich diet helps you develop lean muscles when you complement it with exercise. Lean muscle assists in burning more calories during your physical activities, which further promotes weight loss. According to studies, increasing protein consumption by as little as 3% of your calorie intake can lower weight reaccumulation by 50%.

Therefore, protein not only helps in reducing your weight but also keeps off the excess weight. Some high-protein foods that can support your weight loss journey are black beans, corn, salmon, broccoli, eggs, Chinese cabbage, chicken breast, oats, peas, and tuna
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The Bottom Line

Although it is evident that increasing protein consumption is beneficial for health, everyone may not require to do the same. Most of you already draw 15% of your calories from protein. In general, this amount is sufficient to prevent protein deprivation. Nonetheless, highly active people, athletes, and fitness enthusiasts can benefit a lot by bumping up protein intake to 25-30% of their total calorie consumption.


Rebecca Smith has been writing articles for e-business and other sites for more than 4 years Her educational background is Master's in English and Journalism which gives her a broad platform to write on a variety of topics with ease and efficiency. She is an independent writer and especially enjoys writing on fashion, lifestyle, health, and medical topics. She can be reached at rebecca.smith@healthybox.org.