High-Protein Diets: Are They Worth The Hype?

Written by Evelina ~ Category: Beauty & Wellbeing ~ Read Time: 2 min.

If you are out and about and pay some attention to your well-being and diet, you have probably already heard about high-protein diets. A high-protein diet, as the name suggests, is a diet plan that emphasizes the consumption of higher amounts of protein than a typical diet. 

Protein is one of the three macronutrients, along with carbohydrates and fat. It plays a key role in forming, maintaining, and structuring our body's organs and tissues. Protein contributes to the performance of many essential body functions, such as:

  • repair and maintenance of muscles, bones, and skin

  • the production of antibodies and enzymes

  • transport and storage of molecules

  • regulation of hormones

So, its role in maintaining our health and well-being is critical, which is the reason behind the hype around high-protein diets. 

How do high-protein diets work?

These diets, as we said, do what their name implies; they lead us to increase our protein intake. Protein requires more energy to metabolize compared to carbohydrates or fats. This means that the body burns more calories while digesting and absorbing protein. In addition, protein is essential for muscle growth and repair. The more muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolic rate, as muscles burn more calories even at rest. 

Protein helps regulate hunger hormones such as leptin and ghrelin. This leads to reduced appetite and increased feelings of satiety, making it easier to control portions and reduce overall calorie intake. During weight loss, the body loses fat and muscle mass. Therefore, adequate protein intake helps protect muscle mass by keeping the metabolic rate high.

How effective are they?

high protein diet

For most healthy people, a high-protein diet is beneficial when followed for a short period of time. Such diets can help with weight loss, boosting satiety and making us feel fuller.

However, due to the fact that every body is different, we need to pay special attention when following any kind of diet because there is a potential for health problems to occur if we follow one for an extended period of time. 

Scientific research and study are ongoing and continue to determine any long-term risks of high-protein diets that restrict carbohydrate consumption. This is because some high-protein diets restrict carbohydrates which can lead to inadequate intake of essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Such deficiencies can cause problems such as bad breath, headaches, and constipation. 

In addition, some high-protein diets include eating red meat, processed meat, and other foods high in saturated fat. These foods can increase the risk of heart disease and can raise low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol.

A high-protein diet can worsen how well the kidney functions in people with kidney disease, as the body may not be able to get rid of all the waste protein that is broken down.

Of course, it is imperative not to follow a high-protein diet without the prior advice of a registered nutritionist to ensure that it is right for you and that you are not putting your body at risk. Have in mind that protein requirements vary based on factors like age, activity level, and health conditions.

Also, it’s important to pay attention to the quality of the protein we consume and choose lean protein sources like fish, poultry, beans, legumes, and dairy.

It took 1 coffee to write this article.


About the author

Evelina

The cool kid of the office! Everyone wants to be friends with Evelina since she is a combination of sweetness, coolness, and calmness. She is very dedicated to her profession, and she is always willing to help, from giving a nutrition tip to... participating in a TikTok video! She is also a patient listener and a very talented editor!

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