For starters, protein is essential to all life, and it resides within every single one of the trillion cells located in the human body. It’s one of the body’s most basic building blocks and is responsible for critical functions like repairing and building muscle, organs, and bones, as well as helping your body maintain robust digestion and healthy weight loss. It’s a big task. But what exactly happens when you eat protein? We’re here to answer that question.
What You Need To Know About Protein
Proteins are part of the cellular structure of literally every cell and tissue in your body, right down to the nail on your pinky finger. When we say that protein is one of the basic building blocks of life, we really mean it. Not only is protein found in every cell of your body, but protein is found in the enzymes that power chemical reactions and in the hemoglobin that carries oxygen in your blood. The average human contains at least 10,000 different proteins. Protein is absolutely essential for fueling bodily functions. Every living thing needs it not only to thrive but to survive.
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Our bodies break down protein into macronutrients called amino acids that carry out specific bodily functions. Our bodies can make some amino acids from scratch; however, there are nine essential amino acids that must come from food. Consumable protein can come from a variety of different sources, like meat, eggs or milk, or even peas and nuts. The National Academy of Medicine recommends that as a starting point for better health, adults should aim for 7 grams of protein for every 20 lbs of body weight. That’s roughly 50 grams of protein for a 140-pound person or 70 grams of protein for a 200-pound person. On average, protein consumption should be 10% to 35% of your daily caloric intake.
Pictured Above: Our recipe for Cuban Garlic Citrus Salmon
9 Things That Happen When You Eat Protein
The benefits of adding protein to your diet are diverse. Not only does your body require protein to perform its daily function, but it also helps your body perform at its peak.
Helps Build And Repair Muscles, Organs, And Bones
Muscle is composed primarily of protein. People who consistently eat the recommended amount of protein tend to have better bone health and a much lower risk of developing osteoporosis or fractures as they get older. As protein provides your body with the nutrients necessary to repair and grow your cells, it makes perfect sense that people who eat more protein tend to have speedy recoveries if injured.
Reduces Fat And Boosts Metabolism
Almost half of the protein that you eat every day is used to make the enzymes whose primary function is to digest, absorb, metabolize, and store nutrients. Because protein has a higher thermic effect than carbohydrates or fat, eating high amounts of protein can significantly boost your metabolism, as some of the calories you eat are burned off as heat at a higher rate–20-35% versus 5-15% for carbohydrates and fat.
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Encourages Healthy Weight Loss
Do you ever have that moment when you just crave chocolate or your favorite soda? Cravings can be strong and incredibly hard to control. One of the best ways to prevent cravings is to stop them from occurring in the first place. Protein can help you do just that. A recent study showed that overweight women who increased their daily caloric intake of protein from 15 to 30% ate 441 fewer calories without resorting to restricting certain types of food. If you are looking to lose weight, consider replacing some of your carbohydrates and fat intake with protein. It doesn’t have to be a big production–it can be as simple as eating a smaller serving of rice and potatoes with a serving of dairy or a couple of extra bites of fish.
Pictured Above: Our recipe for Beef Zucchini Boats
Reduces Appetite
Of all the foods we consume, protein is the most filling. It helps you eat smaller amounts of food that help you feel fuller, longer. Cravings will go down, as you won’t feel the urge to eat as often.
Helps Retain Muscle And Strength
As you age, your muscles gradually lose their strength, and your muscle mass decreases too. A great way to retain muscle mass and strength is to eat more protein and stay active. Protein also aids in speedy recovery after injury and helps build lean muscle.
Healthier Skin, Nails, and Hair
Because protein is the most important building block of cellular growth and repair, adding more protein to your diet will result in stronger, healthier-looking hair, skin, and nails. Fun fact: your hair and nails are composed mostly of protein.
Lowers Blood Pressure
Higher protein intake could lower your blood pressure. In a controlled trial, increased protein intake lowered both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. As high blood pressure can lead to heart attacks and strokes, keeping your blood pressure low is a great way to prevent heart disease.
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Keeps Your Blood Oxygenated
Oxygen supplies your muscles, organs, and bones with the nutrients they need to function. But it can’t get to all your cells on its own. Oxygen needs blood to transport it, and red blood cells contain a protein that distributes oxygen throughout your body.
Helps Regulate
Because protein is the building block of cellular growth and repair, it plays an important role in hormone regulation. Anytime new cells are repaired or grown, you can bet that protein has had a hand in it.
Pictured Above: Our recipe for Chicken Fajita Kebabs
5 Easy Ways To Add More Protein To Your Diet
If you need to lose weight, improve your digestion, or gain muscle mass and strength, make sure you’re eating enough protein. Here are five quick and easy ways to add protein to your diet.
1. Supplementation.
This is one of the easiest (and quickest!) ways to add protein to your daily diet without all the planning and fuss. Xyngular makes some great, high quality products that are simple and convenient to add to your routine—Lean and Complete Collagen—for example.
2. Go Nuts.
Grab a handful of nuts to munch on as a snack, or throw them into your oatmeal in the morning for a quick protein infusion. Nuts are high in protein, but be careful about how much you eat. A little goes a long way, and some nutes (like cashews) have a high fat content. Stick with almonds or walnuts.
3. Drink Your Protein.
Get the extra protein you need by drinking a protein shake as your morning breakfast or as a snack in between meals. Make sure to add fiber to aid digestion.
4. Snack On Cheese Or Edamame.
These two snackable foods are quick to grab and loaded with protein so that a little bit of these can help you feel fuller longer and cut down on cravings.
5. Replace Carbs With Protein.
This is a great way to incorporate more protein into your diet. Try cutting down on that serving of rice and potatoes and replace it with something more protein heavy, like whole grains or a few more bites of lean meat. Or for a great mid-day snack, skip the bread and roll a slice of cheese and two slices of turkey into a lettuce leaf, or make a complete meal out of it by eating two for a total of 25 grams of protein with only 160 calories.
Go For Protein Every Time
Weight loss and great digestion are often linked. When there is one, the other is often at play. And incorporating more protein into your diet will not only help your body function at its absolute peak, but it will also help you digest food more efficiently, making healthy weight loss more sustainable and likely.
Xyngular X Plus is our answer to your digestion and weight loss struggles. If you’re interested in more benefits and better results, this product is for you. We’ve included top-quality products like Xyngular Collagen to support gut and joint health, while Xyngular Probiotic will jump-start your digestion and keep it humming. X Plus also includes two flavors of Lean, our protein shakes and high-protein snacks to help support digestive health and improve weight loss results. Quick and easy, Xyngular X is the ultimate one-stop shop for all your digestion and weight loss needs! Contact your Xyngular Distributor today or login to your account to order our X Plus kit today!*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
