Proteins support the muscles and make you feel full. So what could be more obvious than a protein diet? Here you can find out how the concept works.
The protein diet is very popular. Numerous stars like Heidi Klum or Christian Bale swear by a protein-rich diet to get back in shape quickly. But what is actually behind the protein diet?
What is the protein diet?
From a nutritional point of view, the protein diet is one of the so-called low-carb methods. In general, the aim of the protein diet is to consume a lot of proteins and to greatly reduce the intake of carbohydrates. The idea behind it: Protein saturates significantly longer than carbohydrates or fat, and the absorption of a lot of protein inhibits the release of insulin. This means that the blood sugar level does not skyrocket as quickly and there is less cravings.
Benefits of the Protein Diet
Here is an overview of the advantages of the protein diet:
- Hardly any food cravings
- Can prevent a yo-yo effect
- Hardly any muscle loss
- Burns calories while digesting
- Relatively easy to implement
Why does the body actually need protein?
Our body is only able to carry out its vital functions with a sufficient supply of protein. Among other things, the body needs proteins for:
- Muscle building and maintenance
- Bone building and maintenance
- the immune system
- the organs
- Renewal of the body cells
Protein Diet: This is why a high protein diet will help you lose weight
Proteins have 4 kcal per gram and are therefore lower in calories than fat (9 kcal / g). Carbohydrates are also 4 calories, but they don't fill you up as well. In addition, many carbohydrates drive up your insulin levels, so that food cravings can occur quickly.
Many people therefore swear by low-carb (hardly any carbohydrates) like the protein diet. Because carbohydrates are also used by the body to store fat, while protein is mainly used to maintain and build muscle. Nevertheless, you should not completely do without carbohydrates and fat on the protein diet. Such a diet would be far too one-sided. People with kidney problems or other illnesses should speak to their doctor before starting such a diet.
Protein Diet: These foods will help you lose weight
The most important thing in a diet is that the food is tasty and uncomplicated. With a protein diet, you can mainly rely on meat and dairy products. But there are also vegan options. These are the foods you should eat on the protein diet:
- Low-fat milk and yogurt
- lowfat quark
- Lean meats like turkey or chicken
- Mild cheeses
- Eggs (the egg white)
- Vegetable protein powder (only as a supplement)
- Pseudo vegetables (quinoa, amaranth)
However, you should only consume these foods in moderation:
- Fruit (fructose!)
- nuts
- Whole wheat pasta
- Whole grain bread
- rice
You should eliminate these foods from your eating plan if possible:
- chocolate
- Ready meals / fast food
- Carbohydrate-rich white flour foods (toast, pasta, etc.)
- Fatty foods (cream, fatty meat and cheese, etc.)
Protein Diet: How Much Protein Should I Consume?
Along with fat and carbohydrates, protein is one of the so-called macronutrients. During a protein diet you consume more protein than in a classic balanced diet. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends around 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for healthy adults.
If you are overweight, a little more protein is okay. Therefore, you should always orientate yourself on the protein diet to your target weight: If you have a goal of 65 kilos, then also consume at least 65 grams of protein in the protein diet – one gram per kilogram of body weight. Opinions differ as to how much protein is healthy and necessary for the body. However, you should never go over 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
Wanted recipes
To lose weight, you also need a diet plan with recipes that are designed for a low-calorie diet. This will save you around 300 to 500 calories a day. As a result, of course, you also have to keep your protein consumption within limits, because you must not overeat with proteins.
Protein diet: foods for the 8 essential amino acids
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and take on important functions in our body – for example, they transport nutrients and oxygen. There are eight amino acids that our body cannot produce itself, so they are called essential – we take them in through our diet. Here you can find the corresponding amino acids listed:
| amino acid | function | Food |
L-leucine | Muscle building | Salmon, tuna, beef |
L-valine | Blood sugar regulation | Chicken, beef, eggs |
L-isoleucine | Muscle building | Chicken, eggs, lentils, peanuts |
L-lysine | Strengthening tissues | Salmon, mackerel, lentils, eggs |
L-methionine | Protein build-up | Salmon, eggs, beef, cereals |
L-tryptophan | Serotonin Production | Beef, cashew, sesame |
L-phenylalanine | Formation of blood bodies | Salmon, eggs, milk |
L-threonine | Bone augmentation, antibodies | Salmon, Gouda |
More tips for the protein diet
Do you want to get started on the protein diet? Then the following tips will help you:
1. Avoid excess protein
Those who consume more protein in the short term do not necessarily have to reckon with health consequences. However, if the condition becomes permanent, various complaints can occur. These include:
- Indigestion
- osteoporosis
- Kidney disease
If the protein comes mainly from animal sources such as meat or sausage, you can also absorb more so-called purines and chemicals. The body also stores excess protein in the connective tissue and blood vessels, whereby in the worst case various diseases can develop. These include:
- diabetes
- rheumatism
- arthrosis
- Kidney infections
- Cardiovascular diseases, such as stroke
Tip: When the body breaks down protein, urea is produced. To flush this out, it helps to drink plenty of water and, accordingly, to go to the toilet more often.
2. Put on the right fat
There is good fat and bad fat. If you want to lose weight, you should be able to differentiate between the two variants, largely avoid bad fat and eat healthy fats instead. On the protein diet, healthy fats should make up around 30 percent of your daily diet.
In general, fats are divided into three different types of fatty acids:
- Saturated fat
- Monounsaturated fatty acids
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids
Saturated fats are the ones to be avoided: they are found in butter and sausage, for example. The same applies to the so-called trans fats, which are considered very unhealthy. They mostly arise during the production of finished products and are therefore contained in sachet soups and ready-made sauces, for example.
On the other hand, unsaturated fatty acids are good, which are found, for example, in avocados, high-fat fish and vegetable oils (e.g. rapeseed oil).
3. Complex carbohydrates to make you feel full
Very few of us manage to do without sweets, bread and the like completely. But These foods in particular contain so-called empty carbohydrates. This means that while they are high in calories, they contain few or no nutrients that the body needs.
Fortunately, you don't have to go completely without carbohydrates on the protein diet – just use the right ones. On the one hand, foods made from so-called complex carbohydrates keep you full longer and at the same time ensure that the blood sugar level does not skyrocket after eating, which protects against cravings. About 30 percent of the daily diet should consist of complex carbohydrates during the protein diet. These include, for example, potatoes, beans, peas, corn and whole grain products.
4. Avoid cravings
It may well be that you don't feel cravings at all during the protein diet, as the increased protein intake can prevent this. If you are still tormented by the small hunger in between, it is best to rely on healthy snacks. A handful of nuts or a small bowl of low-fat quark with fruit are suitable for this.
If you can't do without sweets completely, you shouldn't either. Instead, it makes sense to choose your favorite candy and treat yourself to a reduced amount once a day – for example in the form of a small chocolate bar. That makes you happy and helps you persevere.
Are you motivated to start your diet? Did you also think of creating a nutrition plan? The basics of nutrition are macronutrients and micronutrients. With us you can find out everything you need to know for your diet, for example the egg diet.
Would you like to share your experiences with diets with others? Then take a look at our Brigitte Community!
Swell:
DGE: Reference values protein