Protein, Nature's Most Effective 'Fat Burner'

Those of you who have read some of my past posts will soon recognise that I am a firm believer that simple calorie restriction is by no means the most efficient way to achieve body re-composition or weight loss. Unfortunately, with the pressure on at work I’ve been unable to (as yet) complete the article I’m writing about why a calories is NOT a calorie, and why macro-nutrient distribution is the true path to achieving fat loss. So, in the mean time I’ll be posting some tidbits of interesting research that might make even the most firm believers of calorie restriction look at other means of achieving their goals.

The first study comes from two Dutch researchers, Hursel, Van Der Zee & Westerterp-Plantenga (2009), whose aim was to investigate diet-induced energy expenditure & satiety by manipulating the amount of protein consumed during breakfast. The men & women in their study consumed three breakfasts containing a little over 400 calories on average –

Whole Milk Yoghurt consisting of 15% protein (16g), 47% carbs & 38% fat.
Equal calorie, higher-protein meal including whey protein comprised of 41% (42g) protein, 47% carbs & 12% fat.
Identical high-protein meal, with the whey protein was enriched with alpha-lactalbumin.

The results showed that, when compared to the low-protein ‘control’ breakfast,the two high-protein breakfasts increased thermogenesis by 21% and 30% respectively during the four-hour period after the meal. Moreover, participants reported the greatest decreases in hunger after the meal containing whey alpha-lactalbumin.

With the findings of this study (and other non-referenced studies like it) suggesting that higher-protein meals have the ability to increase your body’s expenditure of energy by a significant amount AND reduce hunger, the question should really change from “why should I eat protein?” Into “what can I do to get MORE protein?”

Reference:

Hursel, R., Van Der Zee, L., & Westerterp-Plantenga, M.S. (2009). Effects of a breakfast yoghurt with additional total whey protein or caseinomacropeptide-depleted alpha-lactalblumin-enriched whey protein on diet-induced Thermogenesis and appetite suppression, Br J Nut, 29, 1-6.