Summers have come and gone, and all those luscious paddle pops and pineapple fritters you munched on are still showing on your belly. You are mortified and have already tried half a dozen fad diets that haven’t worked and conceivably left you feeling more depressed. Contrary to the understanding of uninformed weight loss enthusiasts who swear by starving themselves, weight loss is all about eating right. If weight loss is your conclusive goal, make a small change in your dietary regime and include whey protein.
What Is Whey Protein?
Whey is a milk-based protein. The milk we drink has two different types of protein — whey and casein. Whey is often also called a ‘complete protein’ as it provides the 9 essential amino acids that the human body mandatorily requires to function properly. Moreover, it is low on lactose and is thus, a suitable choice for all category of weight watchers. Many studies have linked regular consumption of whey protein with profoundly positive effects on human health.
Whey Protein for Weight Loss — Myth or Reality?
Amongst the many known benefits of whey protein is its direct relation with weight loss. Many studies have established the fact that whey protein can promote healthy weight loss in human beings. It does so by boosting metabolism, thermogenic expenditure and helping people tackle sugar lows.
1. Whey protein directly impacts weight-regulating hormones: Appetite is directly controlled by the hypothalamus area of the brain. This hypothalamus releases several hormones that determine how hungry we feel. Whey protein consumption leads to increased release of hormones that make one feel full. It also reduces the release of Ghrelin, also known as the hunger hormone. Thus, regular consumption of whey protein will make you feel full for longer durations of time, thereby automatically lowering your daily calories consumption. This is one of the prime reasons responsible for the weight-loss action of whey protein.
2. Whey protein boosts energy expenditure: There are three important factors that determine energy expenditure by the human body: energy cost of physical activity, basal metabolic rate, and diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT). DIT is essentially the amount of energy the body spends, over and above the basal metabolic rate, to process food and store it for later usage. Studies have shown that a balanced diet results in 5%-15% diet-induced energy expenditure. Consumption of whey protein increases DIT. Consumption of fat, on the other hand, reduces DIT. It is thus safe to say that whey protein enhances weight loss by directly boosting energy expenditure.
3. Whey Protein helps prevent muscle loss: Certain diets, such as the very-popular Keto, can, without doubt, make you lose weight. Unfortunately, they also sometimes lead to reduced muscle mass. Losing muscle mass is bad as it not only gives your body an unnatural shape, but it also leads to reduced physical strength. Whey protein helps prevent muscle loss. If you have been complimenting your diet with regular gym sessions, taking whey protein is especially important for you as in case of tears in muscles and other related injuries, the body breaks down whey protein into amino acids and uses these amino acids to promote muscle regeneration.
4. Whey protein helps you tackle sugar lows: During diets and post strenuous exercise sessions, the body’s need for sugar can sometimes become hard to ignore. It is mostly during sugar lows that people end up cheating on their diet and eating things they inevitably repent eating later. Whey protein helps prevent sugar lows. Even when you want to indulge in some carbs, pair your meal with a whey protein shake. A balanced protein-carbohydrate combination significantly reduces sugar absorption in the bloodstream, thereby not only keeping the blood sugar regulated but also warding off further cravings.
Everything is good only in moderation
While whey protein is an excellent weight-loss supplement, when taken in excess, it can lead to digestive issues. If you are not a regular at the gym, stick to 1-2 scoops of whey protein powder a day. However, if you work out on a daily basis, based on the kind of workout you do, you can increase your whey protein consumption by 20-30 grams. Whey protein is one of the safest ways of losing weight. It has a high safety profile and most people find it easy to include it in their diets. When it comes to losing weight or building muscle mass, always remember protein is the most important of all nutrients.
