The main ways that metabolism is conceived of are in relation to weight regulation. It is also conceived by its balance, or imbalance, between energy intake and energy expenditure. But it’s not quite straightforward on the math.
One calorie does not necessarily equal one, for instance. We frequently overlook the fact that eating requires energy expenditure on the part of the body with certain foods. This requires more work than others in the digestive process.
Therefore, you want to choose foods with this increased thermic effect if you’re attempting to boost your metabolism or improve your metabolic health. You will want to increase your protein intake.
After a meal, the body expends substantially more energy on protein digestion, absorption, and metabolism than it does on carbohydrates or lipids.
This process, called thermogenesis, raises your daily calorie burn and improves your metabolic rate, both of which are beneficial for maintaining or even losing weight (1, 2).
Protein has a thermic impact of 20–30%. Because of its thermic impact, 100 calories from protein will leave you with 70 usable calories. However, the thermic impact of dietary fat is approximately 0, meaning that 100 calories from fat equals 100 calories (3).
Therefore, replacing protein with fat can aid in weight reduction and metabolism even if you consume the same number of calories each day.
Increasing protein intake also enhances metabolic well-being
Although protein directly affects metabolism, it also enhances blood sugar and muscle mass, two indicators of metabolic health:
The body gets the amino acids required to develop muscle from dietary protein. Gaining muscle mass is crucial for maintaining metabolic health because it improves blood sugar regulation and burns more calories at rest than fat (4,5).
Protein slows down digestion, which in turn slows down the circulatory release of sugar from carbohydrates (6). This results in a more evenly distributed rise and decrease in blood sugar following a meal high in carbohydrates.
Researchers advise aiming for roughly 0.73 to up to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight each day to really increase muscle protein synthesis (7).
What kind of protein should you consume?
A wide range of foods, including dairy products, meat, fish, whole grains, and tofu, include proteins.
Animal proteins are superior quality when it comes to proteins. Their ratio of amino acids is better. And they contain a mix of those amino acids, particularly leucine, which is essential for the development of muscle.
Whey protein powders, which are among the most thoroughly studied supplements available, are also included in this. Whey protein consumption daily promotes muscle protein synthesis and blood sugar, according to years’ worth of research (8).
Simply said, the diversity and percentage of amino acids found in plant-based amino acid sources are not comparable to those found in animal products. It may take some more planning to achieve your daily protein targets, but foods like tofu, legumes, lentils, nuts, and seeds are still nutritious options, even though they’re not as effective as animal-based foods as a source of protein.
Related Post: 10 Smart Ways to Boost Your Metabolism
To Wrap Things Up
A higher-protein diet is the way to go if you want to increase your metabolism’s efficiency and metabolic health markers. This macronutrient promotes healthy blood sugar levels, muscular mass, and thermogenesis.
Animal proteins are the best and most bioavailable sources of protein; this includes whey protein supplements. Ultimately, the ideal protein is one that you enjoy eating and that suits your needs, whether it comes from a plant or an animal source.
Sources |
- Biochemistry, Heat and Calories – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)
- Physiology, Appetite And Weight Regulation – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)
- Diet induced thermogenesis – PMC (nih.gov)
- Impact of muscle mass on blood glucose level – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Metabolic Consequences of Weight Reduction – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)
- Food proteins in the regulation of blood glucose control – ScienceDirect
- How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Implications for daily protein distribution – PubMed (nih.gov)
- Whey Protein Supplementation and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Risk Factors: An Umbrella Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials – ScienceDirect
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