In case you didn't know, the NFL Pro Bowl this Sunday. Whether or not you love professional football, if you are interested in managing your weight you should tune in to another type of “pro” bowl. That is, getting adequate protein in your diet. (Be mindful that I am saying, “adequate” not “excessive” here. More on this later.)
Weight Management Effects of Protein
An emerging body of research1 is suggesting that protein intake may be connected to reduced hunger feelings when compared to other nutrients such as carbohydrate and fat. It has not been determined why this is so but it may have to do with protein changing the way the different hormones involved in digestion are metabolized.
Speaking of metabolism, another potential weight management mechanism of protein is in directly speeding up your metabolism after a protein-rich meal. As you may know, your body burns some calories to digest food. This is called the "thermic effect of food." When protein is eaten, it tends to increase the number of calories burned more than when fat and carbohydrate are eaten. Say you ate the exact same number of calories at lunch and dinner. But your lunch was higher in protein than your dinner. Then your body would likely burn more of the calories eaten after lunch than after dinner.
Higher protein intake may also indirectly speed up total daily calorie expenditure by helping to maintain – or even slightly increase – muscle tissue. Lean muscle tissue burns more calories in a 24-hour period than other body tissues. So the more lean muscle tissue your body has, the more total calories your body burns each day.
Protein Intake Recommendations
Now you might be thinking that this information gives you license to go out and wolf down a 12-ounce T-bone. Think again. Yes, the evidence seems to be pointing to recommending slightly higher intakes of protein for weight management (and for overall quality of life improvement for elderly people BTW). But new research suggests that the body can only use a certain amount (about 30 grams) of protein at any one meal for muscle mass increase and maintenance2. Eating any more than that amount (a 12-ounce T-bone has 88 grams of protein!) does not lead to additional muscle mass. The scientists behind this research suggest eating 30 grams of protein at each of three meals per day for a total of 90 grams per day.
So the bottom line recommendation is yes, slightly higher protein intake may help you manage your weight better. Slightly is the key word because the average American adult already eats about 66 grams (the elderly) to about 90 grams (young adults) each day3.
Next week I’ll show you how to turn these recommendations into a practical, everyday pro(tein) bowls for you and your family. In the meantime, enjoy the Pro Bowl on Sunday!
1 Paddon-Jones D et al. Protein, weight management, and satiety. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2008;87(5):1558S-1561S.
2 Symons TB et al. A moderate serving of high-quality protein maximally stimulates skeletal muscle protein synthesis in young and elderly subjects. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2009;109:1582-1586.
3 Fulgoni VL. Current protein intake in America: Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2003-2004. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2008;87(5):1554S-1557S.
