High protein diets have been promoted as the way to lose weight. Do they work and are they safe?
Proteins are essential and make up about 15% of our body. The average person needs 50 – 65 gm of protein each day and most Americans get or exceed their protein requirements.
It appears weight loss is more related to calorie intake rather than protein intake. In other words, dont eat too much carbohydrate, fat and protein, the three sources of calories.
There may be insufficient data to determine if excess protein causes harm. However Zeratsky notes that excess protein is converted to fat or excreted by the kidneys and liver. Excessive waste products have shown to damage the kidneys. Zeratsky also notes that if you are on a long-term high protein diet you may be limiting the amount of healthy food you are eating such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
News in Health, March, 2008
K Zerassky, MayoClinic.com, June, 2008
So eat a balance of food to lose weight. Get adequate protein but don’t forget your fruit and veges.
While a high protein diet may also be a low-glycemic diet and allow you to lose weight you can get the benefits of a low-glycemic diet through eating a balance of protein, carbohydrate and good fat. This will provide for longer term healthy weight loss.
Regards, Keith
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