Increasing Your Protein Increases Your Weight Loss

Many people turn to high-protein, low carbohydrate foods as they attempt to lose weight, with the belief that protein-rich meals help dieters feel fuller, causing them to eat less, and hence lose weight.

A new study published in The Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics has found that may in fact be the case. Up until now, the theory had not been tested on a large scale. 

The study was lead by Richard D. Mattes, MPH, PhD, RD, Distinguished Professor, Department of Nutrition Science, Director of Public Health, and Director of the Ingestive Behavior Research Center at Purdue University. His team combined multiple experiments to confirm a true effect.

The team of researchers searched multiple databases for studies that evaluated the effect of increased protein on fullness ratings. Using a variety of statistical approaches to make sense of the data, they used a quantitative meta-analysis and secondary directional analysis using a vote counting procedure. They say both the meta-analysis and directional analysis indicated that higher protein loads have a grater effect on fullness than lower protein loads.

Dr. Mattes explained, “With the confirmation that protein intake is related satiety, defined as fullness between meals, higher protein intake may allow individuals to feel fuller between meals.”

Yet, while protein may help dieters feel fuller, he says, it's not a magic bullet. “Feelings like hunger and fullness are not the only factors that influence intake, we often eat for other reasons,” he noted.

Fellow researcher, Dr. Heather Leidy, Assistant Professor with the Department of Nutrition & Exercise Physiology at the University of Missouri said it was important to note that the precise amount of protein needed to prolong fullness as well as when to consume protein throughout the day, was not determined.  She cautioned that people looking to moderate their energy intake by enhancing the sensation of fullness might want to consider a modest increase in protein consumption as a first step.

Dr. Mattes noted that this study did not specifically evaluate dieters or fitness buffs in particular, who are often fond of increasing their protein-rich foods such as meat, fish and plant-based proteins, when trying to shed excess pounds. But it does seem to suggest that if these short-term effects are sustained over the long-term, increased protein intake may aid in the loss or maintenance of body weight.

Why it’s time to kick the (sugary soda) can once and for all.

Sugary beverages – sodas, lemonades, fruit punch, sports and energy drinks – are all a ubiquitous part of the American culture and yet, how many of us realize just how damaging to our health they really are? These empty calorie drinks are literally just that – very little to no nutritional value other than the calories offered in the form of sugar they are laden with.

Each sugar-sweetened beverage you guzzle down is gambling with your health.  You may not see or feel the effects in the here and now, but keep doing it and eventually it’ll catch up with you.  Researchers at the Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy tallied that 184,000 deaths worldwide every year was attributed to consumption of sugary drinks resulting in heart disease, diabetes, and obesity-related cancers.  Anyone, no matter what their weight is, will be prone to the internal damage sugary beverages can do. 

Some people may ask “why pick just on sugary beverages?  There are other foods like candy with a lot of sugar in them”

Good question.  The answer has to do with the sheer volume of sugary beverages we consume.  In other words, we may occasionally eat a candy bar but when it comes to sipping on sodas, the amount is much higher.  A 2010 study by the National Cancer Institute found that the single largest source of calories for children ages 14 to 18 was liquid calories from soda, sports and energy drinks.  Having a sugary beverage multiple times a day is a standard routine for many people.  I once worked with a client who told me she drank no less than a 2 liter of soda (not diet) a day – she weighed over 300 pounds. 

So, other than causing the potential increase in weight, what else can that sugar-charged can of soda do as it rushes into our bloodstream?  Let’s take a look:

·         Drinking a sugary beverage is easy for the body to digest.  The main ingredients are water and sugar.  Water is rapidly absorbed and sugar is simple to break down.  The sudden surge of sugar into the bloodstream causes a spike in blood sugar levels that can lead to inflammation in the body.  If you’re a diabetic this can spell disaster in being able to gain control of their blood glucose levels. 

·         Drinking calories is different from eating calories.  Calories from liquids don’t seem to satisfy hunger the way solid foods do making it much easier to overindulge.  Consuming those extra calories is more than what our bodies need resulting in added weight gain.

·         A daily habit of drinking sugar-sweetened beverages may increase the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, particularly in overweight and obese individuals.  A 2015 study found people who drank more than one sugary drink each day had a 56% greater likelihood of developing the disease compared to those who didn’t drink any. 

·         Regularly drinking sugary drinks may affect where your fat is distributed on your body.  A 2016 study in the journal Circulation found people who drank at least one sweet drink a day had a 10% increase in packing visceral fat, the type that is found around organs deep within the abdominal area.  Visceral fat is more metabolically active making it more harmful by increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease than our subcutaneous fat found just beneath the skin.  

·         Adults who consume one sugary drink each day are twice as likely to have higher biomarkers of cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin resistance, blood pressure and other risks of developing heart disease. 

·         A child’s risk of becoming obese increases by 60% with each additional sugary beverage consumed daily. 

·         Drinking just one 20-ounce bottle of a sugary beverage per day can result in gaining 25 extra pounds per year. 

 Your choice – you decide

Ultimately, it’s everyone’s decision on what food and beverage choices they make.  A very occasional sugary drink is not the end of good health.  But when it becomes a routine part of your daily life, it becomes a potential problem for the slippery slope of engaging in lifestyle behaviors that are not promoting the best outcome for your health.  Know the facts on sugary beverages, how they affect your health and may your decision lean towards health promoting and not health hurting.