It seems that protein is the hot topic of the moment, but is it actually something we need to worry about? We all know that balance in any diet is the best way to stay healthy, but what is it about protein that our body needs so much?
Looking to invest in a healthier version of you but not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with our easy-to-understand guide on all-things protein. In today’s blog, we’ll be debunking protein fiction and laying the facts out to give you the ultimate guide to including protein in your everyday lifestyle.
What is protein?
We hear so much about protein in our food- especially in your exante products- but more often than not, we tend not to know what it is. Protein is actually all around our body, from our hair to fingernails, bones and skin. In fact, our bodies are made up of around 10,000 different proteins which make us the way we are (1).
So now we know where we find protein around us, what can we actually describe it as? Well, protein is made up of ‘building blocks’ called amino acids. Without these amino acids, our body won’t function properly but thankfully, we can get them through eating a high protein diet or taking supplements (1).
What supplements can I take to support my body?
Our Essential Amino Acids supplements are a great way to support your body by providing your proteins with the vital amino acids they need. There are 9 different amino acids you need in your body, including: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine and valine. Luckily, our easy-to-take supplements contain a blend of all of them!
What is a high protein diet?
A diet that is high in protein contains over 20% calories of protein and over 1.2 grams of protein per kilo of body weight.
That being said, all diets need to have balance, so eating just protein alone isn’t a healthy choice. The NHS talks about the other different groups you need in your everyday diet to remain healthy; they are:
- Vitamins & minerals: you can get these from fruits, vegetables or your exante vitamin-enriched products
- Fibre: you can get this from starchy food or any of your favourite exante products
- Dairy or similar alternatives: you can get this from things like milk or cheese (2)
Check out some of our favourite products, perfect for keeping your body fuelled
What foods are high protein?
So now that we know a little more about protein, how do we go about finding it?
Foods high in protein include:
- Eggs
- Almonds
- Chicken breast
- Oats
- Cottage cheese
- Greek Yogurt
- Milk
- Broccoli
- Beef
- Tuna
- Quinoa
- Lentils
- Fish
- Shrimp
- Sprouts
- Peanuts
Don’t worry, if you’re struggling to find something on the list you enjoy, we’ve got plenty of exante products that are high in protein, convenient and easy to enjoy!
Check out some of our favourites below
What are the benefits of a high protein diet?
Of course, we all know that eating a high protein diet is good for you. But there are plenty of other benefits you may not already know about...
Supporting weight loss
Trying to get in shape? A high protein diet could actually help you because protein can tame appetites (3). Better still, if you’ve lost a lot of weight, a protein diet is great to support your muscles and prevent muscle mass loss (3).
Better health
We all know we need to eat well to stay healthy, but did you know that eating more protein can actually improve your overall health? As you get older, you can become at higher risk of bone loss. Thankfully, eating a protein rich diet can help prevent this.
Protein isn’t widely recognised as something which can help your bones; however, the amino acids within protein are used by your body to make up the bone’s collagen (3). It’s thought that high protein diets can help your bones absorb calcium better and, as we all know, more calcium equals stronger bones!
Helping hungry appetites
Hungry appetites are the main reason we struggle to stay healthy and can even be the main reason we fall off our diet or healthy eating plan. A recent study has shown that eating a diet that is full of protein is a good way to tame those angry stomach growls and combat your hunger as it can keep you fuller for longer (3).
What can I eat for a high protein breakfast?
One of the hardest meals to fill with protein has got to be breakfast- I mean you can’t exactly eat a whole steak before 9am, can you? Since breakfast can be a tricky one, we’ve got a list of some of the best protein-rich foods that are sure to get you jumping out of bed in the morning:
- eggs
- lean pork or chicken sausage
- turkey bacon
- black beans
- Greek yogurt
- cottage cheese
- nut butter
- protein powder
If you’re not a chef in the kitchen, don’t worry! We’ve got plenty of easy breakfast meal replacements you can enjoy!
What are some high protein snacks?
High protein snacks can be a great way to increase your daily protein intake, especially if you prefer not to eat heavy meals! At exante we have plenty of high protein, low calorie snacks, perfect for getting your body in the zone. All our protein snacks are plant-based which means they’re suitable for vegetarians and vegans too!
What are your favourite high protein snacks or meals? Let us know via our Instagram or Facebook pages or share the conversation with the exante community on our Facebook Closed Group.
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