The Benefits Of Protein

Protein is probably the most famous of the three macronutrients (three essential nutrients that your body requires in large quantities to survive) due to its muscle building properties. However, this is just one of its many health benefits. In this article I’m going to be taking a deeper look at the other roles of protein in your body and listing five of the top benefits of protein.

Benefit 1 – Bigger, Stronger Muscles

As mentioned above, protein is well known for its muscle building properties and if one of your main fitness goals is to build bigger, stronger muscles, you need to be eating lots of protein. When you lift weights, your muscles tear slightly (hence the muscle soreness during the days following a workout). Protein is then used to repair these tears and makes your muscles bigger and stronger in the process.

Benefit 2 – Cell Support

Protein doesn’t just build, maintain and repair your muscle cells – it builds, maintains and repairs every single cell in your body. If your body needs to produce more blood cells, it uses protein. If you cut yourself and your body needs to repair the wound, protein is what’s used to help it heal. Without protein, your body would not be able to function optimally and all your vital organs would shut down.

Benefit 3 – Increased Metabolism

Studies have shown that up to 25% of the calories in protein are burned off during digestion. This is a much higher percentage than carbohydrates or fats and so by eating a relatively high proportion of protein you can give your metabolism a natural boost, use more calories each day and blast through body fat.

Benefit 4 – Improved Digestion

Protein is used to produce a number of important chemicals in your body including digestive enzymes (chemicals that support, stimulate and enhance digestion). These digestive enzymes ensure that you extract the maximum energy and nutrition from the foods you eat and make you much healthier as a result.

Benefit 5 – Enhanced Immune System

In order to function effectively, your immune system needs to be able to produce adequate amounts of disease fighting cells. These cells are produced with protein, so by simply eating plenty of protein, you can give your immune system a significant boost and help your body stay disease and infection free.

Summary

As you can see, protein has plenty of health benefits. Even if you’re not interested in building muscle, it’s still important to consume lots of protein. So if you’re not doing so already, make sure you’re eating plenty of it and enjoy all the positive effects listed above.

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