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Healthy Diet Plans >>
Types of Diet >>
High Protein Diet |
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High Protein DietProtein is a vital nutrient and is essential at all stages of life for good health.
Amino acids are the end product of protein metabolism and they are the building blocks of our body. Proteins are required for various metabolisms in the body to create muscles, blood, skin, nail, hair, internal organs and replace and form new tissues.
Lot of light is being thrown and high protein diet is gaining popularity in recent years as it promises a faster initial weight loss.
This latest emerging buzz is due to a research that believes that compared to fats or carbohydrates, protein may be able to satisfy the hunger better. This may be because a high protein diet helps in satiety by causing the brain to receive reduced level of appetite-stimulating hormones.
High protein diet is low in carbohydrates and total fats.
The normal amounts of proteins recommended for a healthy individual is between 10-30% of the total calories in a day. However a high protein diet is based on eating lot of proteins in the form of meat, eggs, fish, shell fish, poultry and cheese. Less attention is paid on carbohydrate rich foods such as whole cereals, pastas, breads, potatoes, fruits and many vegetables especially which are high in simple carbohydrates and fiber.
A high protein low carbohydrate diet causes quick weight loss and in a short span of time, but this weight loss comes mainly from water. 4 grams of water is attached with each gram of glycogen. When body is starved of carbohydrates it uses glycogen (stored carbohydrate) as the source of energy. Thus almost all the weight that is lost is due to loss of water which is quickly regained back once a person is off this diet.
Points to ponder regarding high protein diet
- A high protein diet encourages the consumption of saturated fats and cholesterol, so this diet should be followed with a word of caution for people with altered lipid profile, heart diseases and certain cancers.
- High carbohydrate diet tends to raise the levels of serotonin hormone that improves mood and appetite. But a person on a high protein diet tends to have more mood swings like irritability and tension and there is intense craving for high carbohydrate foods and fatty snacks.
- An overload of protein in diet can lead to loss of calcium from the bones and may lead to osteoporosis. The kidneys are also under constant pressure to eliminate the large amounts of the end products of protein metabolism.
- Carbohydrates (glucose) are considered as a brain food, a shortage of these can lead to poor concentration, tiredness and fatigue.
Thus any fad diet like atkins diet or a high protein diet when followed should be done under supervision of a healthcare professional as these monotonous diets leads to low calorie intake and becomes difficult to follow on the long run.
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