Nowadays, protein shakes have become a staple in high-protein diet practices. They have also been gaining popularity for their weight loss effects. There are lots of controversies regarding the role of protein shakes in weight loss. However, studies have found it to be true to some extent. There are different types of protein (whey, casein, soy, hemp, rice, pea, etc.) to add to daily shakes and all of them come with different characteristics. However, the weight loss effects of all these protein shakes are almost same.
Protein is essential for proper cell functioning. Protein shake diet must be an essential part of one’s diet. These shakes are protein supplements. They are available in powdered form. They can be mixed with milk or water. It has a taste similar to milkshake or a fruit smoothie. Most of these products are soy based. Some contain egg, dairy protein or egg protein.
Mentioned below are some of the ways how they actually help in losing weight.
How Protein Shakes helps in Weight Loss?
1. Keeps Appetite Under Control
One of the leading causes behind the popularity of protein shakes as a weight loss remedy is that they keep appetite in check. Proteins raise the levels of hormones like Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 (GLP-1), Peptide Tyrosine Tyrosine (PYY), and Cholecystokinin (CCK) in our body. This reduce appetite to a great extent. They also bring down the levels of Ghrelin or ‘hunger hormone’, thereby decreasing hunger pangs. It has also been found that consuming protein shakes helps us feel full for longer, which means less eating and more loss of body fat.
Based on several studies, we have listed down a few facts about how protein shakes can impact our appetite and hunger:
- Having protein shakes in breakfast helps in consumption of as much as 135 fewer calories throughout the day
- Increasing protein intake up to 25% of the total calorie intake reduces cravings by almost 60%. It also cuts the habit of late-night snacking significantly
- Shakes providing protein to make up for 30% of total calorie intake aids in consuming 441 lesser calories a day
- To reduce hunger by 65%, the amount of protein in a shake can be anywhere between 20 gm and 80 gm
2. Gives Metabolism A Boost
Protein shakes deliver high amounts of protein to our body, which impacts metabolism positively and contributes to weight loss. According to the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF), when more protein is incorporated in diet, the body needs a larger amount of calories to digest as well as metabolize it. This increases our bodily metabolism and burns slightly more calories. Precisely, the amounts of calories burnt during digestion are 0-3% for fats, 5-10% for carbs, and 15-30% for proteins respectively.
Regular consumption of protein shakes combined with moderate strength training also helps in developing muscles and achieving weight loss goals. This burns a lot of calories instead of fat, which leads to better metabolism. Here are a few study-based facts one must know:
- Adding 200 gm of extra protein to shakes every day can increase muscle mass up to 2.8 lbs in a span of 13 weeks
- Having shakes with 1.1 gm of protein per lb per day along with other healthy foods can help lose almost 2.9 lbs of fat and develop more muscles in 6 weeks
3. Cuts Down Belly Fat
Belly fat is considered to be the most stubborn body fat. One needs to put lots of efforts in getting rid of it. Protein shakes raise the amount of daily protein intake considerably. This then can target the mid-section of the body better than other weight loss foods. Different studies have revealed the following facts regarding how protein shakes cut the abdominal fat down:
- Making the amount of protein almost 25% of the total calorie intake per day can increase the loss of belly fat up to 10%
- Adding 56 gm of extra whey protein to the daily shake (with no other changes in the diet) can help lose 5 lbs of more belly fat in 23 weeks
- Consuming more protein through shakes leads to 23% more loss of belly fat in a span of 3 months than living on other low-protein weight loss diets
- Increasing the amount of daily protein intake to double up the amount of calories produced from it can help get rid of around 8.1 lbs of belly fat
4. Prevents Metabolic Slowdown
When it comes to following weight loss diets, most people experience significant muscle loss which reverses the results of their efforts. Typically, losing muscles at a rapid pace means slowing down the bodily metabolism. This eventually leads to fast regain of weight as soon as the diet is stopped. However, a diet containing protein-rich shakes paired with strength training can trigger weight loss more effectively without causing muscle loss or metabolic slowdown.
Below are some evidence-based facts uncovered by scientists regarding how protein shakes assist in weight loss:
- A weight loss diet delivering around 36% of its calories as protein through shakes can reduce the slowdown in metabolism to half
- Having protein shakes daily can boost weight loss while aiding in muscle maintenance up to 3.5 times more efficiently
- Two types of weight loss diet, one offering 30% and the other offering 15% of calories from protein, will help lose the same amount of fat while the first one will result in 38% less muscle loss
- An adult should add at least 0.5 g. of protein per 1 lb of shake every day to lose fat without compromising with the muscle mass
5. Prevents Fast Regain Of Fat
All the aforementioned benefits of protein shake add to its capacity of averting weight regain once the specific diet practice is stopped. The extra protein in these shakes impacts human appetite, the rate of metabolism, and muscle mass so that the amount of regained fat remains negligible. Find below some statistics backed by scientific studies:
- A weight loss diet containing protein-rich shakes leads to only 9% of weight regain while a diet with half of the amount of protein can raise it to 23%
- Adding 48.2 grams of protein to your daily shake can reduce weight regain as much as 50% after 6 months
Protein Shakes for Weight Loss
The average adult requires about 45 to 60 grams of protein every day. A diet which is properly balanced with sufficient amount of carbohydrates and protein can build up one’s muscle mass.
Other very good sources of protein apart from protein shakes are tofu, milk, yogurt, cheese, chicken, eggs, fish, lamb, beef, soy, lentils.
One can lose up to 4 to 6 pounds every month.
Recipe for protein shake
One can get a good amount of protein through protein shakes. One can make these in one’s own kitchen. Here’s a recipe for you:
- Get hold of some protein powder. It must be of good quality. Whey is good as it is digested very easily. In case one is a vegetarian and has allergies, one can go in for soy, egg white or rice protein.
- Select a particular liquid. One can go in for regular milk or any other alternatives such as soy , almond, hemp, rice or goat milk.
- Take some fruit. This will enhance the fiber content which will keep you full longer and slow down the digestion problem. This would also ensure less calories taken throughout the day.
- Add coconut oil. This contains “medium chain fatty acids” These are considered to be healthy fats.
- Add yogurt. It can be frozen or regular. It has a fairly good quantity of protein. Yogurt will make the shake more thicker.
Protein shakes are very beneficial for health. One can have them as substitutes to one’s regular meals. They taste good too.
In a nutshell, shakes are not ‘a must’ for losing extra body weight. Rather, they can help you achieve your goals in a fast, easy, and delicious way. In fact, if the protein type and dosage are chosen properly, shakes can turn out to be the most powerful tool for your weight loss success.
