Protein : Why Does it Matter?

In a world filled with fad diets, disagreements about nutrition and a seemingly never-ending stream of new information coming out about the food industry, it’s easy to get lost in the confusion. While the world of nutrition can be perplexing, I would make the argument that if you can focus on hitting a protein goal, everything else can be considered secondary to that. 

So, what is protein? Simply put, it is the building blocks that make up much of the human body. Muscles, bones, connective tissues, hair, fingernails - they are all comprised of different types of proteins. Without getting too deep into the scientific weeds of it all, protein plays a significant role in our health and well being. 

So why does it matter to you and your health journey? 

Dietary protein is one of three ‘macronutrients’. The other two, carbohydrates and fats, are both used as forms of energy for the body. Protein, on the other hand is the macronutrient responsible for tissue repair and growth. In the context of the weight room, when we perform resistance training (weight lifting), we are essentially breaking our muscles down. That’s right - we are actually causing damage to our muscles in the version of small, microscopic tears in the muscle fibers. When we break our muscles down like this, they require dietary protein to be built back up bigger and stronger. 

Now I know what you might be thinking - I’m not a bodybuilder, I’m not a powerlifter, I’m not an athlete - so why should I care? 

Well, if your goal (like so many other) is to lose weight or maintain your current weight, focusing on consuming a high protein diet will be extremely beneficial. This is true for a multitude of reasons - too many to put in this blog. I want to highlight three reasons - two of them based in science, and one based in the context of the world we live in today. 

1. As already stated in this blog, protein is essential to building lean muscle. When we break our muscles down, protein builds them back up stronger and allows us to grow our lean muscle mass. Lean muscle is essential to a healthy metabolism. Muscle is considered biologically active tissue - it burns energy (calories) throughout the day (as opposed to fat, which does not). So, the more lean muscle mass we have, the more energy (calories) we are naturally burning throughout the day. A healthy metabolism is essential to weight loss. 

2. Of the three macronutrients, protein has the highest satiating effect. ’Satiation’ is the sensation of feeling full. Because protein is a complex nutrient, it takes a long time to digest and therefore makes us feel fuller for longer. Additionally, because of the slow release of nutrients, we have fewer cravings and less impulse to eat unhealthy snacks throughout the day. 

3. The foods that we know we aren’t supposed to eat are VERY rarely high in protein. This one is simple - when you look at the nutritional facts of a Pop-Tart or that enticing bag of Doritos, you’re not going to find much protein, if any at all. When we shift our focus to eating foods that are high in protein, we gain perspective that allows us to easier turn down that donut in the break room. 

The nutritional field is filled with so many different ideas and conflicting information - it can be a daunting place. 

My addition to the argument? Start simple - focus on getting at least 1/2 a gram of protein per pound bodyweight and don’t focus on anything else. The results might surprise you.