So, the latest craze: a high protein diet. Everyone's doing it. This new fad of consuming a very high protein diet is really doing the rounds, but what's the science behind it? What effect does protein have on satiety or on weight loss?
To be successful at losing weight or maintaining weight loss, one needs to feel full after a meal or till the next meal. It is very hard to do so if you're on one of those crazy and very limited diets. That's one reason the Atkins diet didn't work. You cannot eliminate a total food group and expect to keep the weight off, you can't and shouldn't live like that. So what does the research say about protein and satiety?
There are a lot of mixed results. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for protein for a normal healthy adult is 0.8g/kg. The upper limit for protein intake is 2g/kg and beyond this your body cannot proces the extra protein is just excreted out. Most of the studies that I have read suggested that a high protein meal does not have any effect on hunger, satiety or the amount that is eaten in the next meal/snack. I think more research should be done to isolate all the variables that can affect satiety and hunger: timing of the meal, amounts of protein, fat content, fiber intake.
There are better and more effective weight loss strategies rather than consuming a high protein meal. Eating a well-balanced meal with all the food groups, adequate physical activity, and plenty of fluids is the best way to lose those extra pounds.
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