Eating protein can make you feel full longer. It may provide many health benefits, including increasing muscle mass, improving bone density, and promoting weight loss, amongst others.
Protein is one of three macronutrients, along with fats and carbohydrates. It’s one of your body’s key building blocks, as it plays an important role in supporting your cells, organs, and tissues.
The
These numbers are to help prevent protein deficiency, but some people may benefit from a higher protein intake.
Here are 10 science-based reasons to eat more protein.
Eating more protein may help reduce your appetite and manage your hunger levels. This means you may be able to consume fewer calories than if you were eating higher portions of carbohydrates and fats.
Protein’s satiety effects are partly due to its effects on several hormones that control hunger and fullness signals in your body.
A 2020 review found that protein reduced levels of ghrelin, also known as the “hunger” hormone. Protein also increased levels of cholecystokinin and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), two hormones responsible for digestion and signaling fullness.
The effects of protein on appetite and hunger management have also been shown to be key contributors to weight management.
If you have a goal of losing weight, consider replacing some of your carbs and fats with high protein foods, such as lean meats, yogurt, beans, fish, and nuts.
Protein is the building block of your muscles. Eating adequate amounts can help maintain muscle mass and promote muscle growth during strength training.
A 2022 review of 74 studies found that the daily protein requirements in grams for increasing lean muscle mass may vary depending on age groups:
- Older than age 65 years: 1.2 to 1.59 g per kilogram of body weight (g/kg/bw)
- Younger than age 65 years: 1.6 g/kg/bw
Keeping protein intake high may also help prevent muscle loss during weight loss.
Learn more about how much protein you should eat daily for muscle growth.
An ongoing myth perpetuates the idea that protein, mainly animal protein, is bad for your bones. This is based on the idea that protein increases the body’s acid load, leading to calcium leaching from your bones to neutralize the acid.
However, many studies indicate that protein, including animal protein, has major benefits for bone health.
For instance, a 2022 review in 1,570 participants ages 68 to 75 years found that increased protein intake played a significant role in improving bone density. Animal protein, in particular, provided more benefits than plant proteins.
Research also suggests that protein intake combined with resistance training is important as you age. This could help you maintain bone mass, lowering the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures.
This is especially important for people experiencing menopause or those who have an eating disorder.
A food craving is different from normal hunger. It’s not just about your body needing energy or nutrients, but your brain needing a reward.
Yet, cravings can be hard to control. This may be because people usually eat ultra-processed, high sugar foods when they have cravings. These cause a quick dopamine spike but are just as quickly digested, so the brain soon wants more.
An older 2010 study in men with overweight showed that increasing protein to 25% of calories reduced cravings by 60% and the desire to snack at night by half.
Likewise, a 2014 study in adolescent girls with overweight found that eating a high protein breakfast reduced cravings and late-night snacking. This may be mediated by an improvement in the function of dopamine, one of the main brain hormones involved in cravings and addiction.
Learn more about how to manage food cravings.
Your body uses calories to digest and utilize the nutrients in foods, a process referred to as the thermic effect of food (TEF).
Some foods require more calories to digest, which increases the TEF and, therefore, the number of calories you burn. Of all three macronutrients, protein has the highest TEF:
- Protein: 20% to 30%
- Carbs: 5% to 10%
- Fats: 0% to 3%
A 2018 review also found that a high protein intake can boost your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the number of calories used to perform basic functions, such as breathing.
Protein also contributes to a higher sleeping metabolic rate, which is the number of calories you burn during sleep.
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a major cause of heart attacks, strokes, and chronic kidney disease.
Some research suggests that a higher protein intake may help lower blood pressure.
For instance, a 2023 study found that higher protein intake was associated with lower blood pressure. Participants with a higher protein intake were also less likely to have hypertension.
Similarly, a 2010 review of 40 studies found that increased protein lowered systolic blood pressure by 1.76 mm Hg on average and diastolic blood pressure by 1.15 mm Hg.
Learn more about how to lower your blood pressure.
The most important aspect of losing weight is the ratio of calories in compared to calories out. In other words, you’ll want to consume fewer calories than you burn – or expend – each day. This is called a calorie deficit.
Increasing your protein intake is a key component of your weight loss journey because it could help:
- boost feelings of fullness
- reduce feelings of hunger
- boost metabolism
- maintain or increase fat-free muscle mass
Eating a high protein diet can also help you maintain weight loss and prevent weight regain.
Discover a high protein diet plan to help you lose weight.
Many people claim that a high protein diet can harm your kidneys. However, a low protein diet is only recommended for people with certain health conditions.
According to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), a low protein diet is only recommended for people with chronic kidney disease who are not on dialysis.
In chronic kidney disease, the kidneys don’t function properly, and a high protein diet can make the kidneys work harder. Dialysis is a type of treatment that helps your kidneys filter and purify blood.
If you have chronic kidney disease and are on dialysis, the NKF recommends increasing your protein intake to the recommended daily requirements.
If you don’t have kidney disease, it’s important to consume the minimum daily requirement of protein to prevent health complications.
Protein can help your body repair after it has been injured.
According to a 2022 review, protein plays a key role in the growth, renewal, and healing process in your cells, making it the building blocks of your tissues and organs.
Protein also plays an important role in exercise recovery. Research suggests that it could help your muscles recover, repair, and regrow, which can contribute to building lean muscle mass.
As you age, your muscles tend to gradually weaken, affecting their strength, function, and mobility.
The most severe cases of muscle loss are referred to as age-related sarcopenia, which is one of the
Increasing your protein intake is one of the best ways to reduce age-related muscle deterioration and prevent sarcopenia. Aim for at least 1 to 1.2 g/kg/bw per day.
Staying physically active is also crucial, and lifting weights or doing some sort of resistance exercise can work wonders.
Learn more about how to prevent and manage sarcopenia.
Which food is highest in protein?
Some foods that are high in protein include:
- Animal foods: chicken, fish, turkey, Greek yogurt, eggs, tuna, dairy, and beef
- Plant-based foods: beans, nuts, soy products, lentils, and edamame
How do you know if you have protein deficiency?
Some symptoms of protein deficiency may include edema, hair loss, brittle nails, muscle weakness, reduced muscle mass, and slower wound healing time.
Speak with a healthcare professional if you think you have protein deficiency. They could help develop a plan to increase your protein intake.
Protein is a macronutrient that plays a key role in the function and structure of your cells, tissues, and organs.
Eating a high protein diet could help you manage your hunger and cravings, strengthen your bones, and help your body heal after injuries.
Current dietary guidelines recommend that adults consume
That said, speak with a registered dietitian if you’re finding it difficult to incorporate enough protein into your diet. They could help develop a plan for you.