Consuming a high-protein diet has been popular for a long time among fitness enthusiasts looking for ways to bulk up and improve their physique. However, you don’t need to be a body builder who lives in the gym to benefit from increasing your protein intake.
The importance of protein for women is a subject that’s only attracted widespread awareness very recently. So, why is it important for women to ensure they are getting the recommended daily amount of protein and what are the benefits of doing this? Keep reading to find out more about the benefits of protein and why women need it.
Protein Benefits for Women
There are so many reasons ensuring you eat the recommended amount of protein as part of your daily diet is important. Here are just some of the benefits of protein for women:
Helps to build and maintain muscle mass
Building lean muscle mass is particularly important for women as they age, and can help to ensure mobility and strength in older age.
Increases metabolism
You’ve probably noticed that when you eat foods containing refined carbohydrates and simple sugars, you crave more and don’t feel full up even after eating lots. In contrast, eating more protein helps to improve your metabolism and ensures that you feel fuller for longer after eating.
Contains vital amino acids
Our bodies depend on amino acids to keep the healthy and functioning correctly. Many of the body’s processes rely on the 20 amino acids found in protein, and around half of these cannot be produced naturally by the body, so can only be gained through food sources.
Sources of Protein
Understanding the importance of protein and why women need it, is just the first step. Now it’s time to explore the different sources of protein available.
When you lead a busy, active life, making sure that you’re eating enough foods with protein in each day can be a challenging thing to do. Not everyone has the time for extensive meal prep and cooking carefully balanced meals. So, sometimes it’s helpful to increase your protein in a more convenient way, such as using protein powders. Understanding the benefits of plant protein powder in particular is useful if you follow a meat-free diet, and are still keen to boost your protein intake.
Protein rich foods that you may wish to include in your diet include:
- Eggs
- Nuts
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Beef
- Cottage cheese
- Greek yoghurt
- Legumes
How Much Protein Should Women Eat?
Finally, it’s helpful to understand the recommended daily amounts of protein for women so that you can check that you are meeting these requirements. The amount of protein you need varies between individuals as it is calculated using your height and weight. You can use an online calculator to find out the specific amount of protein, vitamins, and minerals are recommended for you as you begin to increase your protein intake. At certain stages of your life, increasing your protein intake beyond this may be advised, such as during pregnancy.
