By Gabe Sanders PhD, NSCA-CSCS
Many people believe that eating a lot of protein throughout the day is only beneficial for bodybuilders, athletes, and fitness gurus to help them build muscle. Contrary to popular belief, eating lean and healthy proteins throughout the day is beneficial for almost everyone. Lean protein sources like eggs, chicken, and fish, contain all your essential amino acids and many other nutrients that are vital for your body to function properly.
While many protein sources are very healthy, there are a few protein sources, such as red meats, which you should consume in smaller amounts, perhaps once per week would be a good number. This is mainly due to the high levels of saturated fat that are found in red meat sources. Overall, you should eat a variety of foods that contain protein every day throughout the day.
Consuming protein can help you build muscle.
In addition to providing many other positive health effects that can arise from eating more protein. A recent study compared how large amounts of daily protein or a small amount of daily protein influenced dietary habits and blood profile recordings like cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels in overweight and obese adults. The study found that consuming larger amounts of daily protein may help you feel full throughout the day. Even more interesting, eating more daily protein may help reduce your cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels. This is encouraging news!
While it is best to always check with your physician before altering your diet, a good rule of thumb for most people is to eat foods that contain some type of protein for every meal and snack. Consuming 15-20 grams of protein 4-5 times per day will help you ensure you are eating enough protein and will help you achieve that “high” protein intake that may help you reduce your cholesterol.
*Before starting a nutrition regimen, consult with your healthcare provider and/ or registered dietitian.
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Article’s Source
Li J, Armstrong C, Campbell WW. Effects of Dietary Protein Source and Quantity during Weight Loss on Appetite, Energy Expenditure, and Cardio-Metabolic Responses. Nutrients 2016, 8(2), 63; doi:10.3390/nu8020063