Should you be using a protein powder?
Many ask if a protein powder is needed when it comes to daily nutrition, and although not everyone needs to supplement with a powder, here are a few ways to know if you should start supplementing.
The role of protein is to build, repair, oxygenate, digest, and regulate. All of these functions are vital to the human body, especially considering that a vast majority of people under consume protein on the daily, meaning they are not meeting the daily requirements needed to aid in these functions. The daily recommended protein intake is 0.8g of protein per kg of body weight, and if that can’t be reached by consuming whole foods alone, that is when supplementation comes into play. Here are some ways to know if adding in a protein supplement would be beneficial to you.
Recovery: Greater protein synthesis accelerates muscle & tissue repair while strengthening connective tissues to help reduce the risk of injury. If you’re an athlete involved in any sport, you know that recovery is a key factor to optimized performance. Don’t neglect sufficient protein intake when it comes to this.
Athletic Performance: Proteins are the building blocks of muscle tissue and eating enough will improve muscle growth and recovery after exercise. After a hard workout, muscles are damaged and need to be repaired so they can come back stronger, aka building muscle. Without protein, this wouldn’t happen. High quality proteins contain all of the essential amino acids needed are are rich in branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs).
Fat loss: Protein can help you feel fuller for longer and retain lean muscle mass, even while eating in a caloric deficit and is the single most important nutrient for weight loss and a better looking body. If you want to lose weight and belly fat, a high protein intake tends to boost the metabolism due to its high thermic effect. Remember, fat loss is different than weight loss and often people are looking to reveal the muscle underneath which equates to fat loss over weight loss.
On the go nutrition: Many of us live our lives on the go, meaning convenience is a big play when looking for solid nutrition choices. Adding in a protein powder to your daily routine helps to minimize prep time. Some great options include adding into shakes, greek yogurt, cereal, or even baked goods. You don’t have to over complicate nutrition.
If any of these resonate with you, my go to protein powder that has minimal ingredients as well as additives is from Levels Protein, you can shop all their flavors here and use code: MIC20 for 20% off your purchase.
Credits:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23446962/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12566476/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19927027/