Protein is a powerhouse when it comes to healthy diets. It helps you stay fuller longer and can boost your metabolism, which is helpful if you’re trying to lose weight. It’s also an essential nutrient when it comes to building and repairing muscles, bones, skin, hair and nails, so you can’t go wrong if you’re looking to tone your body or enjoy more lustrous locks. And if that wasn’t enough, eating more protein may be an ideal way to boost your heart health by helping to lower blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

With so many benefits to eating protein, it seems like it should be a no-brainer to add more protein to your diet. Protein is derived from both animal and plant food sources. Of course, all types of meat, poultry and fish contain protein – they’re some of the best sources of this nutrient. You also get protein from dairy products, such as yogurt, milk and cheese. Additionally, there are plant-based sources of protein like beans, lentils, peas, soy products, nuts, seeds and whole-grains. In fact, almost every natural food contains protein, although there might not be much in foods like fruits or vegetables, and there are plenty of delicious high-protein recipes to enjoy.

How does protein help you lose weight?

Here are a few ways that eating protein may help you lose weight or maintain your current weight:

• Eating protein is very satiating so you may eat less food. This makes it easier to consume fewer calories, which helps with weight loss and maintenance.
• Protein affects levels of appetite-regulating hormones, so it keeps you from feeling hungry and helps you feel fuller longer. A higher protein intake reduces levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin while increasing levels of satiety hormones like GLP-1 and others.
• When you eat more protein, it helps you maintain lean muscle mass and may boost your metabolism. This increases the number of calories you burn even at rest.

How does protein boost heart health?

When you eat more protein, it may improve the health of your heart in these ways (as long as your diet is not too high in protein):

• Weight – Your heart health benefits from maintaining a healthy weight and eating protein helps you manage your weight better.
• Blood sugar – Keeping your blood sugar stable is a key component of a healthy heart and eating protein helps with blood sugar control.
• Blood pressure – Eating a balanced diet, including protein from a variety of sources, has been shown to lower the risk of developing high blood pressure. Plant-based protein may be especially beneficial.
• Cholesterol – If you eat lean protein that doesn’t contain a lot of saturated fat, such as fish, poultry (without the skin), lean red meats and plant-based protein like tofu, tempeh, beans and nuts, it can help improve cholesterol levels.
• Inflammation – Replacing simple carbohydrates, such as from sugar and white flour, with protein helps reduce inflammation and may also lead to a reduction in cholesterol and blood sugar levels, which are good for the heart.

You don’t need to eat very high levels of protein for it to offer these health benefits, but most people do not get enough protein in their diets. A high-protein diet is typically considered to be one in which you get more than 20% of your daily calories from protein, but determining how much protein to eat is based on several factors, including age, gender, weight, activity level and health status. It is best to talk to a dietitian or health professional for advice on your personal protein requirements.

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