Sports and nutrition go hand in hand and everyone has different goals when it comes to sports and nutrition. Some want to lose weight, others want to gain weight, some exercise for relaxation and others want to improve their performance. To achieve these goals, it is important to align your nutrition and exercise. In this article, we will delve deeper into the topic of " How protein helps you achieve your goals." Read along.
What is protein?
Protein is our body's building blocks. Protein is a nutrient, just like carbohydrates and fat. Protein provides calories and amino acids. Amino acids in protein strengthen and repair the body's cells and muscle tissue. Therefore, to live a healthy life, it is important to get enough protein. There are different types of proteins. For example, a distinction is made between high-quality and less high-quality. When we talk about high-quality protein, we are talking about protein with a high-quality protein content that is excellent for the body to absorb. In general, we get protein from our diet.
What foods are high in protein?
- Fish: salmon, tuna, cod, mackerel, pollock, flounder & seafood
- Poultry: chicken, turkey & duck (+ eggs!)
- Meat: steak, roast beef, tartare, smoked beef, & liver
- Nuts: almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios & cashews
- Beans: soybeans, lentils, aduki beans, chickpeas, capuchins, broad beans & peanuts
- Dairy: cottage cheese & yogurt, whey protein shakes
What goal do you want to achieve?
Protein can certainly help you reach your goal. Do you want to lose weight? Then a high-protein diet or protein shake can support you. Research shows that a diet with a relatively high amount of protein can help you lose weight without the yo-yo effect. This is because protein makes you feel satiated faster and your body has to work harder to burn the protein. Food with a lot of protein and a low glycemic index seems to work best for maintaining weight. The glycemic index, abbreviated to GI, indicates how quickly carbohydrates are digested in the gut and absorbed into the blood as glucose. Does food break down quickly and release glucose quickly? Then it has a high GI. Slow carbohydrates that release glucose gradually or little have a low GI and thus are less likely to cause a fluctuation in your blood sugar levels, making you less likely to feel the urge to snack.
More muscle mass or faster recovery through protein!
Eating enough protein is necessary for high protein synthesis, the process in which your body builds new cells from the proteins you get through your diet. During exercise, be it fitness or running or any workout, you damage your muscles. Micro damage occurs in your muscle fibers. To recover, get stronger or grow, muscles require more protein than when they are at rest. So your protein needs increase and you will have to eat more to get enough protein. Your body cannot make essential protein itself, so it must get it through protein-rich foods.
Proteins can lower your blood pressure
Are you struggling with high blood pressure? Then increasing your protein intake could possibly help control blood pressure. Cardiovascular disease accounts for more than a quarter of all deaths in the Netherlands. High blood pressure increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. A British study shows that if subjects take a protein (egg white) shake twice a day for 8 weeks and adjust their diet, it has a significant blood pressure lowering effect. The protein shakes lower blood pressure, cholesterol and make blood vessels more flexible.
Protein shake
Drinking a protein shake is an easy way to get the necessary nutrients that supports the body with muscle growth and recovery. Protein shakes are not only tasty but you can vary them endlessly. Be careful though because many protein shakes contain unhealthy additives and are produced without care for the environment. Ekopura therefore offers a healthy and organic alternative. Protein without artificial and unhealthy additives and produced with respect for people, animals and nature.
Need inspiration for a protein shake? Click here for our recipes. For responsible protein products you can look here .
