How does a high-protein diet affect your body?
Protein is a key component of a healthy diet - but how does protein work in your body? What amount of protein should you eat every day? Which foods are considered good sources of protein - and is plant or animal protein better? In this article, you will find out everything you need to know about protein-rich diets and their impact on health, muscle building and weight loss.
What does protein-rich and protein source mean?
In addition to carbohydrates and fats, a healthy diet is also characterized by protein. Basically, all protein-rich foods contain protein.
- Source of protein: Foods with at least 12% protein of the total calorific value
- High in protein: Foods containing 20% or more protein
How much protein does the body need per day?
The optimum protein requirement is individual and depends on various factors such as age, gender and lifestyle. In principle, an average adult should consume around 0.8 to 1 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. For older or sick people, a protein intake of 1.2 to 1.5 g protein per kilogram of body weight is recommended to support muscles and mobility. Pregnant women and professional athletes also have an increased protein requirement.
Plant or animal protein?
A balanced diet combines plant and animal proteins. In principle, plant proteins are healthier, as they contain other health-promoting substances such as valuable fiber and plant substances in addition to proteins. Animal proteins contain all the essential amino acids and are therefore considered to be of “higher quality”, as they are more similar to the proteins in the human body and are therefore of higher quality and better suited for muscle building.
Good to know: A mix of approximately one third animal and two thirds plant proteins is ideal. Fish, white meat, pulses, chickpeas, lentils and beans should be the main sources.
Protein intake for vegetarians
Vegetable protein is generally not bad and protein intake can also be met with a vegan, vegetarian or reduced meat consumption diet. In these cases, conscious care should be taken to consume enough protein and, above all, a combination of different proteins to ensure that all the necessary amino acids are consumed.
Shopping list of protein-rich foods
Dairy products:
- parmesan cheese
- low-fat quark
- emmental cheese
Fish:
- tuna
- salmon
- anchovies
Vegan:
- soybeans
- lentils
- peas
- pumpkin seeds
- almonds
- tofu
- mushrooms
Meat:
- chicken
- fillet of beef
- turkey meat
Functions of proteins
Protein is one of the three main nutrients, but why is protein intake so important? On the one hand, proteins help to increase and maintain muscle mass, and on the other, they maintain bones. Proteins are formed from amino acids, which in turn are a chain of different combinations of protein molecules. Substances are transported via these chains.
Proteins also help with
- the absorption of iron,
- the immune defense against pathogens,
- cell renewal,
- the growth of healthy nails and hair,
- and the production of connective tissue and cartilage.
Protein for sport, muscle building & weight loss
Protein intake can have an impact on weight or muscle gain and loss. This is because the protein requirement increases significantly with more than 5 hours of sport per week. A protein-rich diet in combination with training is crucial for targeted muscle building.
But proteins are also helpful when losing weight, as proteins keep you full for longer compared to carbohydrates and can prevent cravings. For this reason, many diets focus on high-protein and low-carbohydrate (low carb) recipes.
If you have any further questions about suitable protein intake, consult your doctor or get information from pharmacies in your area. On APO24 you will find the opening hours and on-call services of Austrian pharmacies.
Your APO24 team