There has been a lot of press coverage of protein foods in recent years - so why the big fuss, and what exactly are they?
Protein foods are one of the three main food groups - carbs and fats are the others - all of which are essential for a healthy diet.
However, while first fats and now carbs have been demonised as responsible for a whole host of problems - chiefly obesity - protein foods seem to have escaped unscathed. In fact, they are now being seen as the one type of food that many of us don't get enough of.
The benefits of protein foods include:
- Muscle building: This is the main form of nutrition your body needs to build muscle - and in case you hadn't noticed, the more muscle you carry, the more calories you burn, 24/7.
- Satiety: This is the word dieticians use to mean the feeling of being full. Quite simply, including more of this type of food in your diet will help you to feel full for longer, thus reducing the temptation to snack.
So where do you find this wondrous source or nutrition? There are a number of sources including:
- Meat
- Fish
- Eggs
- Dairy
- Beans
- Soya
- Tofu
Getting enough of this essential nutrient can be difficult for vegetarians, and indeed many people struggle to eat enough. Ideally you should have a little with each meal - this means that a breakfast of toast and jam doesn't cut it.
Planning to include some in every meal will go a long way towards helping you to control your eating and your weight.
