Protein is a key nutrient – it is essential to our health. Protein makes up every cell in our bodies: our hair, skin, muscle, and connective tissue. Protein is comprised of amino acids – our bodies’ building blocks – and it repairs, maintains, and builds muscle and connective tissue. Besides water, protein is the most abundant organic compound in our bodies. Every part of our body is made up of protein. Without protein, we wouldn’t be able to function! We’d experience weakness, fatigue, hair loss, muscle loss and, eventually find ourselves unable to function.
Protein can be found (in varying amounts) in meat, fish, chicken, dairy, pulses, beans, and some fruits and vegetables. That means that, in the course of our (eating) day, we all consume protein. But do we all consume enough? And do we pay attention where that protein is coming from – as well as what else we are eating?
If you exercise regularly, have an active job, and/or lead an active lifestyle that involves you being on your feet much of the day, you can benefit from incorporating protein in all your meals and snacks. That’s because, in addition to making you feel fuller for longer, protein helps your stabilise your energy and focus by balancing your blood sugar levels. That means greater satiety – and reduced carb cravings!
As well as making you feel, function, and perform your very best, consuming protein is key to losing fat while maintaining (or even gaining) muscle tissue. Remember: the more lean muscle your body has, the more efficient it is at burning fat.
Getting enough protein is a problem that many women suffer from, primarily due to mistakenly thinking that protein will make them ‘bulky’ or that it’s ‘not for them.’ They can greatly benefit from upping their protein intake however, or at the very least looking at their diets to ensure they are getting the right amount of protein.
If you’d like to find out more about how much protein you need, please turn to this article.
If your goal is to build or maintain your muscle mass, check out this article too.
And, of course, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of nutrition experts as we’re here to help you, any day, any time.
