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High Protein Diet Foods – A Key Ingredient for Weight Loss

High protein diet foods have been proven track record to help you lose more weight. Protein is one of the basic building blocks of the human body. (Around 16% of your total body weight.) It plays a major role in all of the cells and most of the fluids found in your body.

In addition, many of your bodies' important chemicals, (enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters, and even DNA), are at least partially made up of protein. Muscle, hair, skin, and connective tissue are mainly made up of protein.

Proteins are made up of smaller units called amino acids. Your body cannot manufacture nine amino acids, so it is important to include all them in your diet. Animal proteins such as meat, eggs, and dairy products include all the amino acids, and many plants have some of them. Although your body is good at recycling protein, it uses up protein constantly so it has to be continually replaced.

Obesity has been increasing at an unprecedented rate in the United States and worldwide. 65% of the US population is considered overweight and about 33% are clinically Obese. This trend is also on the rise among children and teenagers. Due to the other health related problems associated with excess body weight, (such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, Diabetes, and cardiovascular disease), Obesity is now perceived as a world wide epidemic.

Your Protein Needs

Your protein needs depend on your age, size, and activity level. The standard method used by nutritionists to estimate your minimum daily protein requirement is to multiply your body weight in kilograms by .8, or weight in pounds by .37. The number you get is the minimum number of protein grams that your body requires to function properly. Using this method for example, a person weighing 150 pounds should get 55 grams of protein per day, a 200 pound person should get 74 grams, and a 250 pound person, should get 92 grams.

Benefits of High Protein Diet Foods in Weight Loss

Scientists now believe they know why protein rich diets, such as the Atkins diet, curb hunger pangs. High protein diet foods spark glucose production in the small intestine, which satiates hunger and makes you feel full. (satiety) Researchers concluded that the findings may help development of new treatments for eating disorders, such as bulimia and anorexia.

Researchers found that feeding rats high protein diet foods significantly increased the activity of genes involved in glucose production in the rat's small intestine. This action, led to increased glucose production, (recognized by the liver then relayed to the brain), which caused the animals to cut down their food consumption.

In simple terms, eating high protein diet foods suppresses your appetite, which helps you eat less food. Some evidence also suggest that diets higher in protein increase fat loss as compared to diets lower in protein.

High protein diet foods improve body composition, enhance weight loss, and improve glucose and insulin homeostasis. (balance) Proteins should be selected carefully however, as many high-protein foods are also high in fat. (Steak, bacon, sausage.) If you modify your diet to include more high protein diet foods, you should also include some plant protein food sources, such as soy, beans, and pulses, which they are naturally low in fat. Good sources of animal proteins are baked or broiled fish and chicken. They are low in saturated fat and high in unsaturated fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids. Fried chicken and fish are awfully good to eat, but are high in saturated fat and are not considered good sources of high protein diet foods.

A good protein rich diet is required for optimum health as your muscles, (which constitute about 40-50% of the body mass), are mostly composed of it. Amino acids supplied from dietary protein are needed for synthesis of body proteins in muscle, organs, bone and skin, and for synthesis of enzymes, certain hormones, antibodies and a host of specialized products. Certain amino acids are essential for proper functioning of the body and the brain, such as Tryptophan found in corn.

Various specific proteins, (produced as a result of gene expression), carry out all general functioning of the body. That is, the genetic pool of the human body that is composed of DNA and its associated genes give rise to specific proteins that carry out very specific functions. Deficiencies in protein of one or more of the essential amino acids can lead to reduced growth in children or loss of muscle mass in adults. In summary:

Higher protein diets have been associated with lower blood pressure and reduced risk of coronary heart disease.

The exchange of protein for carbohydrates has been shown to improve blood lipids.

Higher protein diets facilitate significant weight loss when compared to a lower protein diet.

Evidence suggests that protein exerts an increased thermic effect when compared to fats and carbohydrates.

High protein diet foods increase satiety when compared to lower protein diet foods.

List of High Protein Diet Foods

FOOD             AMOUNT          PROTEIN

Beef

Hamburger patty  4 oz 	        28 grams
Steak	         6 oz 	        42 grams
Beef cuts        1 oz           7 grams per ounce

Chicken

Chicken breast	 3.5 oz 	30 grams
Chicken thigh 	 1		10 grams 
Drumstick        1		11 grams
Wing		 1 		6 grams
Chicken, cooked	 4 oz 		35 grams 


Pork

Pork chop	average 	22 grams
Pork loin	4 oz 		29 grams
Ham		3 oz serving 	19 grams
Ground pork	1 oz raw	5 grams
                3 oz cooked 	22 grams
Bacon	        1 slice 	3 grams
Canadian bacon  1 slice 	5 – 6 grams

Eggs and Dairy

Egg		large 	        6 grams
Milk		1 cup 	        8 grams
Cottage cheese	1/2 cup 	15 grams
Yogurt		1 cup 	        8-12 grams, (check labels)
Soft cheeses (Mozzarella, Brie, Camembert) 
                                6 grams per oz.
Medium cheeses (Cheddar, Swiss)
                                7 - 8 grams per oz.
Hard cheeses (Parmesan) 
                                10 grams per oz.

Beans (including soy)

Tofu (soft)	1/2 cup 	 20 grams
Tofu (hard)	1 oz		 2.3 grams
Soy milk	1 cup 		 6 - 10 grams
Most beans 	1/2 cup cooked   7 - 10 grams	
Soy beans	1/2 cup cooked 	 14 grams
Split peas	1/2 cup cooked   8 grams

Nuts and Seeds

Peanut butter	2 Tablespoons     8 grams
Almonds		1/4 cup		  8 grams
Peanuts		1/4 cup 	  9 grams
Cashews		1/4 cup		  5 grams
Pecans		1/4 cup 	  2.5 grams
Sunflower seeds	1/4 cup 	  6 grams
Pumpkin seeds	1/4 cup 	  8 grams
Flax seeds 	1/4 cup 	  8 grams

Fish

Most fish fillets or steaks are about 22 grams of protein for 3 1/2 oz (100 grams) of cooked fish, or 6 grams per ounce of Tuna, 6 oz can - 40 grams of protein.

The National Academy of Sciences report that the only known danger from high protein diet foods, is for individuals with kidney disease. After careful study, they recommend that no more than 10% to 35% of daily calories come from protein. They also point out that increased protein could be helpful in treating Obesity. There is also accumulating evidence that consuming extra protein may help prevent Osteoporosis.

high protein foods image

The evidence is clear. High protein diet foods can help lower your weight and extend life expectancy. Carbohydrates are also important however, if you're used to exercising a lot. The key is to use good common sense when you're trying to lose weight. Consuming more low fat protein is a good place to start!

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