Lots of people think the only purpose of protein powder is to help bodybuilders bulk up even more, but this is not true. There are so many benefits of having protein supplements, whether your goal is weight loss, muscle tone or general health. Read on to find out more.
Protein is a vital nutrient
When looking at food labels, most of us concentrate on fats, sugar, calories, and carbohydrates but neglect to look at how much protein each product contains. This is extremely short-sighted, as protein is essential for bone, muscle, and skin, helping to fill us up and prevent over-eating.
Though it is possible to consume a significant amount of protein from diet alone by eating plenty of fish, nuts, meat and dairy, it can still be difficult to hit the recommended allowance of 0.8g per kilogram of body weight. For instance, a person weighing 60kg would need 48g of protein per day. However, this increases to 1.5g per kg for those who exercise regularly and 1.7g per kg for people who train with weights.
Therefore, supplementing with protein powder can significantly increase the amount of protein consumed, helping to reach those goals and maintain muscle mass.
Weight loss
Why do you need muscle mass if you want to lose weight, you ask? This is because protein is far more satiable than other macro-nutrients, meaning it will keep you fuller for longer.
Healthline reports that it can decrease hunger and appetite, typically resulting in a drop in calories of 135 calories per day for older women who swap a low protein breakfast to one with plenty of protein like eggs.
Build muscle
Building muscle is not just for super-tanned men in gyms these days, as more and more people have learnt the benefits of having lean muscle. These include building strength, supporting joints, burning body fat, managing blood sugar, boosting endorphins, and fuelling energy.
Therefore, anyone who wants to ‘tone up’, reach aesthetic goals, feel stronger or find a new workout might want to try resistance training. In this case, protein supplementation will help them achieve their goals more effectively, as the body requires protein to repair, and subsequently build, muscles.
Great recipe choices
The impression that anyone who lifts weights just eats chicken and rice all day has long gone, and you don’t need to tuck into a steak for breakfast to reach your muscle-building, weight loss or strength training goals if you add protein powder to some of your usual dishes.
For instance, it can transform a normal bowl of porridge, Weetabix, or overnight oats by adding a new flavour to the breakfast, depending on what you opt for. You could also make delicious smoothies with protein powder, which pack in lots of nutrients in one meal, or you could bake healthy recipes by adding protein powder.
Protein brownies, muffins, pancakes, or cookies are simple to make, are often sugar- and butter-free and taste delicious, allowing you to get your sweet fix while still hitting your nutrient and calorie goals.
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