The Role of Timing in Meal Planning
Protein is an essential macronutrient, and it plays a vital role in creating a healthy diet. This nutrient helps the body repair damaged tissues and create new ones. In addition to that, it supports the production of valuable enzymes and hormones and makes the immune system stronger. Although most researchers suggest that the ideal protein intake is between 50 to 60 grams daily, there are several situations where your body may need more. A high protein intake can enhance weight gain and contribute to muscle growth while supporting overall health. Let’s discuss some effective methods of boosting your protein intake.
Do you struggle with consuming adequate protein or require a protein boost? Follow these simple tips to raise your daily intake.
Increasing the portion of protein foods you contain each day is a surefire way to increase your intake of the macronutrients. Were you eating one egg for breakfast before? Raise it to two. If you were eating half a can of tuna for lunch, try eating the full can alone.
By simply increasing the portion size you contain, you’ll raise your protein intake. If you can’t drastically increase your food intake, Do it little by little until you achieve the desired result.
The easiest way to increase your protein intake is by focusing on protein food sources when eating. When you consume protein, it increases the production of peptide hormones in your system. The peptides, in turn, make you feel satisfied even when you haven’t much. Due to this, you may not consume enough protein if you save them for last.
As a side benefit, eating protein before starches during meals can help prevent your blood sugar levels from rising. A study of type 2 diabetes patients showed that their blood sugar levels were much lower when eating protein and vegetables before eating carbohydrates.
When raising your protein intake, your focus shouldn’t be on increasing food portions alone. Also, ensure that you get enough at each meal. Consume more foods rich in protein, such as lean meat, fish, eggs, legumes, poultry, and milk.
Research has shown that each meal’s ideal protein intake should be between 20 and 30 grams. In fact, studies reveal that this amount helps maintain your body mass better than eating smaller amounts at various times of the day.
Your protein intake doesn’t have to stop at food. Snacking is another excellent time to eat more of this essential macronutrient. You can avoid snacks with high carbohydrate content and replace them with high-protein snacks. Some snacks that you should avoid include; fruits, crackers, pretzels, and granola bars.
Snacks that can contribute to your protein intake include hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, turkey roll-ups, tuna, and celery with peanut butter. If you can’t eat these items on their own, you can add them to other foods to create high-protein snacks that you enjoy. You can eat these protein snacks between meals or during work.
Even though both plant and animal protein are essential for a healthy diet, ensure that you consume more of the latter. Animal protein sources are often more saturated with nutrients than plant protein. On average, animal proteins contain more protein than carbohydrates or fat, while plant proteins are primary sources of other macronutrients.
It is also worth noting that animal proteins are complete proteins, and provide all the vital amino acids. You should prioritize food such as meat, poultry, seafood, and milk above lentils, beans, tofu, and green peas.
Although whole grains aren’t classified as protein foods, they can contribute to your protein intake. For example, eating a cup of cooked quinoa will increase your protein intake by 8 grams. Also, Cooked amaranth adds 9 grams of protein for every cup you consume. On the other hand, refined grains, such as white rice will only provide you with a fraction of this protein.
Other whole-grain meals rich in protein include buckwheat, couscous, wild rice, bulgur, and millet. In addition to protein, these meals are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, fiber, and minerals.
You can increase your protein intake by simply eating more edamame. Edamame is another name for unripened soybeans. They are usually green and contain more protein than other legume foods. One cup of edamame can provide almost 19 grams of protein when eaten.
You can buy fresh or frozen edamame and eat it as a snack between meals. You can also add it to meals like salads, stews, and rice dishes. It’s worth noting that edamame is also rich in kaempferol antioxidants, making it great for reducing blood glucose.
Protein has many benefits, so increasing your macronutrient intake is essential. Raising your protein intake doesn’t have to be complex. A better dietary plan can solve all your protein needs problems. Fortunately, this guide provides you with the answer, and you can follow it to get started.
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