There is no doubt your body needs protein. It’s important for muscle growth, tissue repair and recovery after exercise. But the biggest driver behind the current protein craze, is the idea that protein-rich diets can assist with weight loss.

The method in this is that protein will help regulate appetite and enhance satiety to help manage cravings and keep you feeling full. Therefore you are less likely to cave in to intense food cravings that cause you to reach for unhealthy high calories process foods in the moment and overeat them.

With the growing popularity of making sure you eat enough protein, dessert, snack and treat recipes that include a good hit of protein are as also becoming more popular changing the world of home cooking and baking.

As well as being really easy to make, these protein-rich recipes are healthier than your average treat as they are made with wholesome REAL food ingredients many of them require no baking.

With the added protein content it makes them more balanced than traditional high carb recipes. Old fashioned dessert, snack and treat recipes always had tons of sugar, carbs and fats. This new modern way is to add protein making the recipe more balanced and healthy.

Protein has greater satiety than either carbohydrates or fat, making people feel fuller and more satisfied for a longer period of time. As a result, they are better able to control their appetite and eat less.

Have you ever noticed how eggs for breakfast can keep you feeling full longer than cereal? A study showed that high-protein dieters also reported a reduced desire to eat late at night and a reduced preoccupation with thoughts of food compared with their counterparts consuming moderate amounts of protein during a longitudinal 12-week study on overweight and obese men.

The exact amount of protein needed to elicit these responses is not known, but it’s suggested that we aim for 25-35 grams of protein per meal. Other researchers suggest that the macronutrient of your diet be 25 percent protein

Your body can only absorb around 25-30 grams of protein at one time and you  likely need 80-100 plus grams a day so its important to spread it over all meals and snacks throughout the day so you can meet your required amount.

A well-balanced diet with proper ratios of macro nutrients (protein, healthy carbs and fats) provides all of the: energy you need to keep active throughout the day, and nutrients you need for growth and repair, helping you to stay strong and healthy and help to prevent diet-related illness.

When you find your optimal balance and amounts of macro nutrients, you take a major step toward reaching your health goals and this balance has been improved in this recipe by the addition of healthy protein.

Protein Is King When It Comes To Diet

Most people will enter nutrition coaching to upgrade the quality of food and understanding. If we were only allowed to give one lesson on nutrition; it would be to increase your protein intake and get adequate amounts. This will immediately have an impact on your total caloric intake and have you eating less of the undesirable food.

This means it’s a good idea to get some protein in at each meal and snack throughout the day so you meet your needs.

Keeping weight loss off.  Protein-rich diets are also more likely to help keep the weight from coming back, improving weight maintenance, due to better compliance and increased satiety. Studies show increased dietary protein leads to sustained weight loss over the long term (i.e. 12 months) compared to lower protein intake.

Helps you consume fewer calories.  Studies have shown that subjects who replace carbohydrate with protein eat roughly 200 to 400 fewer kcal per day than high-carbohydrate dieters and find it easier to self-regulate their intake.

How Protein Helps You Lose Weight

Decreased abdominal fat. Preliminary research published in 2012 in Nutrition & Metabolism found that eating higher amounts of high-quality protein (milk, eggs, and beef) was associated with a lower percentage of central abdominal fat.

This inverse relationship was not seen for carbohydrate and dietary fat. Another study in 2013 in Obesity found that consuming increased protein (35% of calories) more frequently (6×) throughout the day decreased body fat and abdominal fat and increased lean body mass and thermogenesis more than a 15% protein diet (the standard dietary recommendation) consumed over three meals/day in overweight individuals.

Does that have you convinced to eat adequate protein?

For the past few decades we have been led to believe that we need to eat less to lose weight. Thank goodness, common sense is prevailing and food and nutrition isn’t just about losing weight, despite what the media wants you to think.

Don’t get fooled into thinking less is more. In fact, one thing I coach as a fitness professional is that by eating more high quality food you will have more energy to move your body, train, and live a life of vitality.

This includes building quality muscle tissue, which is proven to increase your health span, metabolism, and quality of life. So, use protein as a tool to keep that tissue healthy, recovering quickly, and pain free.

Set yourself up for success and make yourself strong and healthy.

If you are looking for more delicious, healthy, protein-rich, no bake desserts and treats to help you reach your health, wellness and fitness goals, you will love my collection here: Blended Bites