The Benefits of Protein
A balanced diet consists of a good distribution of carbohydrates, protein and fat. They all have their own function within the body and are important for a lot of processes. In this blog I want to highlight the importance of protein and why you should focus on getting in enough of it on a daily base.
Proteins are part of the building materials of all cells into our body. Because proteins help build up cells, they are very important for muscle and tissue recovery. When you train, you create little tears into your muscles and it’s because of the process of recovering these tears, that your body will adapt to a certain workload and therefore improves. You can practically feel the difference in your muscles and the ache will ease quicker when you eat enough protein!
Adding more protein to your meals also helps in other ways. Protein, in combination with carbs and / or fats creates a feeling of satiation. You’re full for a longer period of time with nutrients that fuel your body and that keeps you away from snacking throughout the day.
Apart from keeping you satiated, it also helps to keep your blood sugar stable. This way your body doesn’t has to release a lot of insulin after a meal to bring blood sugar down and this will help you to have a better distribution of energy (no extreme high and low). Not to forget to mention: reducing the amount of insulin into the bloodstream, may even help you burn fat more easily. So keep that blood sugar stable!
So, how can you introduce more protein into your current lifestyle? Try to incorporate a source of protein into your main meals by always adding chicken, beef, fish, eggs or for vegetarians / vegans think if tofu, tempeh and legumes like lentils and beans.
Then, try to keep your snacks rich in protein. Go for high protein, low sugar yoghurt, a whey or plant protein shake, poached eggs, rice cakes with hummus, there are loads of options!
The amount of protein we have to eat varies per person depending on different factors. If you want to know how much protein you should aim to eat on a daily base, and / or would like specific recommendations, contact me for a personalised meal plan!
Lieke De Bever
Nutrition Coach
hello@liekedebever.com
www.liekedebever.com
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