A high protein diet is an effective way of losing weight quickly. It favours the high intake of protein rich foods while decreasing the intake of carbohydrates. This diet has both positive and negative effects on your body.
A high protein diet plan is a type of weight loss plan that emphasizes on consumption of protein rich foods. In these diets 30% or more of the daily calories come from proteins. The main aim is to lose weight by eating foods that contain more proteins, which also means consuming fewer carbohydrates. It not only curbs appetite but also changes a person's metabolism. High protein diet plan is often recommended to body-builders and athletes to build muscles and lose fat.
There are many kinds of high protein diets. Many of them emphasise on the intake of meat, poultry, egg white which are also rich in saturated fat. They prove to be quite risky for one’s health. Plant proteins cannot be considered in this diet plan as they have a lower biological value. This is because they lack all the nine essential amino acids. High protein diets promote fast weight loss initially due to the fact that carbohydrates are strictly restricted. This makes the body burn its own fat for energy. This state is called ketosis and it causes a dramatic decrease in weight.
High protein diet offers numerous benefits as well:
- A fast weight loss.
- Chronic cardiovascular diseases can be prevented.
- It improves the immune system functioning.
- Decreases the signs of aging.
- Increases longevity.
- Improves an individual’s physical and mental performance.
Despite of these benefits, high protein diets pose many health risks too. As this diet plan boosts protein intake at the expense of fruits and vegetables, the body gets deprived of other important nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Several health problems may result if a high-protein diet is followed for an extended time:
- As the carbohydrate intake is restricted in these diet, it may result in nutritional deficiencies includig insufficient fibre in the body. This state can cause constipation and diverticulitis, and may increase the risk for certain types of cancer.
- High-protein diets often promote the intake of red meat and full-fat dairy products. These foods can increase the risk of heart disease.
- A high-protein diet may cause liver or kidney diseases because the body fails to eliminate all the waste products of protein metabolism.
Hence, it is always advisable for people who want to follow a high-protein diet, that they should do so for a short period of time.
High-protein diet has become a popular way to lose weight as it offers fast weight loss. But it does have its pros and cons. It is always suggested that the most nutritious high-protein plans are low in fat and moderate in carbohydrates, rather than high in fat and low in carbohydrates. So you need to make sure that this is the case with a particular high protein diet before indulging yourself in it.
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