Why Does Protein Give You A Lot Of Energy?

Why does protein give you a lot of energy? Protein provides 4 calories of energy for every gram of protein you consume. You can get energy from protein but it’s not the best source of energy as carbs are the most suitable macronutrient to obtain energy from. Protein isn’t your body’s first or even second choice for getting high energy levels. It is reserved for fats and carbohydrates.

Why does protein give you a lot of energy? Photo credit: iStock-Prostock-studio

Protein’s number one main role is to build and maintain muscle. And if you combine lifting weights with consuming enough protein, you will be able to build and maintain muscle mass. If you keep your protein high while you are on a low-calorie diet, then it will prevent muscle loss in that caloric deficit phase.

 Research studies have shown that the right amount of protein can help maintain bone health. Women as they approach menopause are at a high risk of osteoporosis. So, protein consumption will help to minimize and lower the chance of osteoporosis.

There have been research studies that have shown that eating more protein will help curb cravings and late-night snacking. There was a specific study in overweight men that showed that increasing protein to 25% of calories reduced cravings by 60%. And it reduced the desire to snack by 50%.

Protein has the highest thermal effect, and the thermal effect of food is how your body uses calories to digest food. Protein has a higher thermal effect than carbs and fats at 35% compared to 15%. Because protein consumption is tied to muscle building and muscle maintenance then it impacts your metabolism. The more muscle you have the faster your metabolism will be. That is why it is important to never neglect protein in your diet.

There have been research studies that have shown that eating protein can help with weight loss. One study found that overweight women who ate 30% of their calories from protein lost 11 pounds in 12 weeks. And in that study those women did not intentionally restrict their diet.

There was also a 1-year study in 130 overweight people that were on calorie restricted diet. The high protein group lost 53% more body fat than the normal protein group eating the same number of calories.

Eating more protein can help your body repair after an injury. There have been research studies that have shown that eating more protein can help your body repair after injury and it can help speed up recovery.

The Bottom Line is protein can give you energy but is not the 1^st or 2^nd choice macronutrient when it comes to an energy source. It is carbs and fats. But what protein can give you is the main nutrient needed to build and gain muscle. And it helps to improve bone density.

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