An essential macronutrient, protein is not only vital to the structure, function and regulation of every tissue and organ within the body, but it also plays an integral role in many other crucial bodily functions, including the production of enzymes, hormones, vitamins, and neurotransmitters. It’s no surprise that protein is one of the most important nutrients for healthy weight management.
D
oes protein powder help you lose weight?
While it's best to get protein from a variety of whole food sources, protein powder provides a convenient, versatile and delicious way to enjoy the benefits of adding more protein to your diet. Here are 5 reasons why protein powder is the ideal strategic snack between meals and an excellent tool for supporting healthy weight loss.
1
Adequate protein ensures your body works well
When you take in protein through your diet, it first needs to be broken down into simpler compounds called amino acids. These building blocks are then sent to the liver to be processed and reassembled into the various proteins that the body uses for normal functioning.
Some body proteins provide a structural framework for the brain, nervous system, blood, skin, and hair. In contrast, some proteins help with DNA synthesis, chemical reactions and transporting other molecules, while others make antibodies that help the immune system fight bacteria and viruses.
Supporting your overall health and wellbeing is essential for healthy, sustainable weight loss. One reason why protein powder can help with weight loss is that it provides a convenient and easy way to ensure these biological processes can occur at an optimum level. In other words, protein powder supports the healthy function of your body's systems to help you reach your fitness goals when dietary intake of protein is inadequate.
Protein powder helps you lose weight by curbing your appetite to reduce your caloric intake
2
Protein alters your hormones to curb your appetite
Another reason protein powder can help with weight loss is that our protein intake influences several weight-regulating hormones. Along with your body temperature, emotional responses and more, the hypothalamus regulates your weight. This small region of the brain is home to sets of nerve cells that, when activated by certain hormones, either induce hunger or suppress your appetite.
There are at least 10 hormones involved in the activation of these nerve cells, and a higher protein intake simultaneously increases the hormones that activate the nerves for appetite suppression while reducing levels of ghrelin, the one and only hormone that induces hunger.
Protein powder helps you lose weight by curbing your appetite to reduce your caloric intake without much effort. In other words, using protein powder as a snack between meals helps you feel satisfied with less food, making it easy to eat fewer calories without obsessive calorie counting or strict portion control.
When we feel full and satisfied, we not only tend to have smaller portion sizes at mealtimes, but we also have fewer cravings for unhealthy snacks. One study examining the effects of an increased protein intake resulted in 441 fewer calories eaten each day, despite no intentional restriction by participants.
3
Protein powder can give you a metabolic advantage
The thermic effect of food refers to the energy required to digest and metabolise the food we eat. Protein has a much higher thermic effect compared to fats and carbohydrates, with as much as 20-30% of protein calories burned during the process of digestion.
Consuming a little extra protein will naturally increase the number of calories you burn each day, regardless of whether you exercise or not. Adding a protein powder to your diet will give you an easy metabolic advantage, but increasing your lean muscle mass will also improve your metabolism and increases the number of calories you burn at rest.
A faster metabolism isn’t the only health benefit that comes with gaining muscle. Building lean muscle can also lead to better mental health, increased energy, reduced risk of injury, and healthier ageing. Combining regular exercise and good nutrition with post-workout protein smoothies is the best approach to healthy weight loss.
Protein powder is great for weight loss because it speeds up recovery and reduces muscle soreness
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Protein powder optimises post-workout recovery
Protein powder is great for weight loss because it speeds up recovery and reduces muscle soreness after exercise, which means you can exercise more regularly and reach your goals faster. As it directly improves your capacity for training, this is one of the most practical benefits of using protein powder for healthy weight loss.
Combining your protein with carbohydrates before and after exercise can further improve your performance, speed up your recovery, and reduce muscle soreness in the days that follow. This nutrition hack is as easy as enjoying this Choc PB Oatmeal Protein Smoothie!
5
Protein powder helps you keep valuable muscle
Protein's primary function is to build and repair cells, including the muscle cells damaged through exercise. The process of damage and repair leads to increased muscle mass and strength over time, and protein powder accelerates this process by increasing muscle protein synthesis.
For healthy and sustainable weight loss, it's essential to prevent muscle loss by counteracting the body's evolutionary preference to keep fat instead of muscle. If we don't get enough protein, our bodies cannot repair and rebuild properly, and we’ll start to lose the lean muscle we already have. The result is a slower metabolism, less energy, reduced strength and exercise performance, and overall poorer health.
By improving muscle protein synthesis, protein powder helps prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue so that glycogen stores and body fat are used for energy instead. Enjoying protein powder not only helps you maintain your valuable muscle mass during a weight loss phase, but it also promotes muscle growth when your focus shifts to strength training.
Not all protein powders are healthy
It's no surprise that protein powder is the world's most popular supplement for weight loss. However, with so many different protein powders on the market, it pays to check the ingredients to ensure you're getting a high-quality supplement. As many manufacturers prioritise lower production costs, not all protein powders are ideal for healthy weight loss.
Many protein powders contain artificial extras that will only hinder your health and fitness results. Avoid artificial sweeteners such as sucralose, Splenda (955), aspartame, equal, NutraSweet (951), and saccharin (954), as these are known to cause side effects such as headaches, migraines, bloating, acid reflux and weight gain.
Dextrin and maltodextrin are common fillers found in protein powders, but they can increase your glycemic load and make healthy weight management very difficult. Processed with GMO corn, these fillers not only cause digestive upset in some people, but genetically-modified crops are also grown with pesticides containing chemical compounds that may contribute to hormonal imbalance.
The best protein powder for weight loss
When it comes to losing weight the healthy way, there are many benefits to choosing a plant-based protein powder over an animal-derived product. Made from golden-yellow peas, sprouted brown rice and omega-rich sacha inchi, Tropeaka Lean Protein is naturally gluten-free, soy-free, vegan-friendly, non-GMO and 100% all-natural.
As it provides all nine essential amino acids, Lean Protein powder is a convenient and delicious source of complete, high-quality protein. It also contains digestive enzymes for optimal protein absorption, along with a selection of superfoods that provide the vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants to nourish your body and support you through healthy weight loss.
Available in three delicious natural flavours, Tropeaka Lean Protein is the best choice for healthy weight loss and beyond.
