High-Protein Diet

The high-protein diet used by bodybuilders and commonly recommended by nutritionists for burning body fat and building muscle should not be confused with low-carb diets, such as the Atkins diet, allowing unlimited consumption of fat and restricting carbohydrates sufficiently to cause ketosis. The high protein diet is not ketogenic. Discouraging excess consumption of fat, it emphasizes eggs (without yolks) and lean meat—mostly fish and skinless chicken breasts—as the source of protein.

What is protein deficiency?

According to Food and Nutrition Board, every day an average man or women needs about 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight (0.36 grams of protein for every pound of body weight). If you eat only 50 to 70 percent of this amount, your diet is deficient in protein.

How much protein should I eat a day?

Protein should make up 10 to 35 percent of daily calorie intake. If you get 25 to 35 percent of daily calorie intake from protein, you diet is considered high in protein.

How much protein is too much?

If protein makes up more than 35 percent of your calorie intake, you diet may become ketogenic due to the lack of carbohydrates in the diet. See Side Effects of the Low Carbohydrate Diet.

Is the high-protein diet effective for weight loss?

Adding some high-quality protein (lean meat, fish or egg whites) to each meal increases satiety and helps stop late-night binge eating. Researchers at Purdue University proved that higher protein intake helps control appetite in obese patients and can potentially lead to better compliance with calorie-restricted diets.

References

1. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids (Macronutrients).
2. Protein May Help Dieters Resist Late-Night Munchies.
3. Too much protein can harm your body – on MedicineNet.com.