Can Protein Powder Help with Weight Loss? Here’s What Science Says

Struggling with weight loss? Maybe it's time to up your protein intake. You read that right: adding more protein to your meals can help you lose weight. Every other post on social media seems to be guiding on weight loss tips and tricks. With too much information and misinformation spreading on social media around weight loss, it can be overwhelming and confusing at the same time. Before you blindly start following any trend from social media for weight loss, make sure you do a bit of research rather as these quick fixes can have their cons. For now, we have some research-based information that promises weight loss.

In this article today, we shed light on the less popular but significant role of protein intake in weight loss. Through this article, we will explore does protein powder can help with weight loss and what science has to say.

How Protein helps with weight loss

Thermogenesis

Out of the total calories that you consume throughout the day, some of it is burned to break down, digest, absorb and metabolise the food, which is termed as the Thermic Effect Of Food. The more your body burns calories, the more you will be in a calorie deficit, which aids in weight reduction. Out of the three macronutrients, viz, Carbohydrates, proteins and fats, Proteins have the highest thermic effect. Proteins can help burn 20-30 % more calories than carbohydrates and fats. The higher the thermic effect of food, the more calories you will need to burn it. The more calories you burn than what you consume, you create a calorie deficit. When in a caloric deficit, your body turns towards metabolising stored fat, thereby leading to weight reduction.

Appetite Suppression

As compared to carbs and fats, protein can keep you feeling full for a long period. That’s because protein plays an important role in appetite regulation by influencing your hunger and satiety hormones. Studies have shown that an increase in protein intake increases the levels of satiety hormones-GLP-1, PYY and CCK, while it simultaneously decreases the hunger hormone-Ghrehlin. This process of hormone signalling takes place when protein-rich foods enter the GI system, which then signals the brain to release these hormones.

Muscle mass

More protein intake can help build more muscle mass when coupled with the right type of exercise. More muscle mass. Our muscles are more metabolically active, and so the more muscle mass. Muscle tissues burn more calories than fat tissues even in the resting state. Thus, by increasing muscle mass load, protein intake can aid in weight reduction.

How to increase Natural sources of protein

Here is a guide to increase your protein consumption naturally through dietary intake:

Ensure eating protein-rich foods with all 3 major meals
Include Dairy products, dals, Pulses, and lean pieces of non-veg regularly.
Have a Glass of Pro Protein as your pre-workout or post-workout drink
Add soya/besan flour to your wheat flour for making rotis.
Snack on munchies like almonds/walnuts/roasted chana/makhana as fillers.
Prepare vegetables/curries/dals in curd-based gravies.
Opt for Sattu Sherbat or Salted Lassi over soft drinks or cold drinks
Add paneer(made from double skimmed milk) to vegetables/dal
preparations/parathas.
Replace fryums in poha, bhel, and raita with sprouts.
Knead the chapati dough with double-skimmed curds or whey

Protein powders for weight loss

So, if we can increase our protein intake through a natural diet, why do we need protein supplements for weight loss? And can protein powder help lose weight in real time?
We wouldn't need protein powders for weight loss if our protein intake through diet was sufficient, but the harsh truth is that most of us are not able to meet our daily protein requirement including non vegetarians due to our dietary restrictions, lack of awareness, age related changes, gastrointestinal disturbances or some health constraints.

Every healthy individual on average needs a daily protein intake ranging between 0.8-1.5g/Kg body weight, depending upon their physical activity, where the upper limit may go up to 2g/Kg body weight for athletes for muscle growth and recovery. Maybe not all, but most of us find it difficult to meet our daily protein intake through natural food sources, as

Eating too many sources of protein from food can make you feel too full/bloated.
Balancing sufficient proteins through diet can be a tedious process.
One may not have access to or have dietary restrictions for certain protein-rich food sources.

Protein Powders for Weight Loss

That's where protein powders come in handy. Protein powders help in meeting daily requirements.
They are easy to incorporate into a daily routine
They provide a substantial amount of protein in a single serve
They can be easily mixed with other foods and beverages
They are mostly fortified with additional nutrients and superfoods

How to incorporate protein powder for weight loss into your daily regimen

Have a glass of Protein shake along with breakfast

Drink it up as your mid-meal
Add it to your oatmeal
Mix it with your yoghurt
Blend it with fruits

Selecting the best protein powder for weight loss

Note that some protein powders may also come with additional calories through the presence of sugar/jaggery or hidden sugars like maltodextrin. When looking for protein powders with the intent to lose weight, make sure you select protein powders with low calorie-based ingredients and which has overall low calorie content per serve.

Another sign of a good protein powder for weight loss is that it contains fibres and additional ingredients that help promote satiety.

Selecting protein powders with organic ingredients is another criteria that you can consider while opting for the best protein powder for weight loss. Protein powders made with natural ingredients without the use of synthetic ingredients and that are free from pesticides and herbicides are indicators of good organic protein powders.

Note: Even if you are using one of the best plant protein powders, it is also necessary to couple it with a healthy weight loss diet and regular exercise and physical activity regimen.

Protein powders that do not help with weight loss

Since protein has calories, consuming too much can make it harder to lose weight. This can happen if you drink protein shakes along with your usual diet, and you're not eating fewer calories or exercising.

Protein powders that do not help with weight loss

Protein powder does contain calories. Certain components of protein powders can lead to weight gain instead of weight loss.
Protein powders with high caloric content per serve.
Protein powders, when consumed with full-fat dairy products
Protein powders containing added sugars or hidden sugars
Protein powder consumption without physical activity and exercise

Summary

Whether you are trying to lose weight, have already lost weight or are planning to lose weight, you must have heard about the new concept of eating sufficient protein to lose weight. But does it have anything to do with weight loss, or is it just a myth? The above write-up provides science-backed information on how protein intake can help with weight loss.