Published May 31, 2022, 8:28 p.m. by None
Maintaining a balanced diet is vitally important to your overall health. Ensuring that your body is getting the right nutrients, minerals, and vitamins makes it possible for your body to function properly and fuel all the activities you enjoy. Let us discuss the goodness of PROTEIN for our bodies. Protein is a macronutrient, and it is known as one of the building blocks of life. It’s a crucial component of hair, nails, bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. Your body relies on protein to produce hormones, enzymes, and other chemicals. Protein helps your body in many other ways as well, it supports muscle growth, speeds recovery after exercise, heals injuries, and curbs hunger. Protein Builds and Repair body Tissue: Protein is an integral part of the building blocks of bones, muscles, cartilage, and skin. Protein helps in the formation of new cells, tissues, and other body chemicals. Human hair and nails are also composed mostly of protein. The human body uses protein to build and repair damaged or worn-out tissues. Protein Oxygenates: The protein compound; hemoglobin; present in human RBCs helps to carry oxygen to the entire body, thereby also supplying nutrients required by cells and tissues. Protein Helps to prevent Obesity: The protein we consume in our diets acts as a building block of enzymes that aid in digestion and boosts metabolism. Consuming more proteins in our diet helps to boost satiety thereby reducing the intake of calories and preventing obesity. Protein thereby helps in weight management while supplying the right nutrients to our cells. Protein Helps Regulate all body functions: Protein regulates virtually all activities of the body and is responsible for maintaining the physiological functions of the body. Consuming an adequate amount of protein and maintaining a balanced diet will provide the body with the necessary materials to ensure the proper functioning of the body which will overall improve your self-esteem and productivity. Fiber Fiber is a carbohydrate made up of the indigestible parts or compounds of plants that pass unchanged through the stomach and intestines. In simple words, fiber is important to keep the digestive system healthy and is not digested; they make up food mass and is known to control blood sugar levels and is therefore beneficial to fight and control diabetes. According to Jay Singh, M.D., a colorectal surgeon at Piedmont, certain types of soluble fiber reduce the absorption of cholesterol into our bloodstream. The fiber-rich diet also makes us feel fuller and help in digestion, preventing constipation. According to dietitians fiber is found only in plant foods. The best sources of fiber include whole grains, vegetables, fruit, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, and seeds. Whole wheat is another good source of fiber. Promotes the growth of beneficial gut bacteria Fiber is a fuel source for the beneficial microbes residing in our gut as we humans cannot digest fiber ourselves. Fiber also known as prebiotics encourages the growth of our microbes who are essential to building a healthy immune response, defending against infection, and calming inflammation. Reduces cravings and increases satiety The type of food you eat can contribute to or decrease cravings. One of the top foods to fight cravings is fiber. Why is this? Fiber stretches and adds bulk to the stomach, activating the satiety messages to the brain signaling you are full and content, and reducing hunger pangs. It also supports the stabilization of blood sugar, making it less likely for that blood sugar crash to appear promoting cravings for things like sweets and high carb foods. This in turn may influence weight management by regulating caloric intake and supporting weight loss. Stabilizes blood sugar The fiber found in carbohydrate sources such as fruits, vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, whole grains, and legumes can help to slow the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream compared to simple carbohydrates. This means fiber can contribute to better blood glucose control. Higher fiber intake has been associated with lower blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes, which means a fiber-rich diet may help to prevent as well as treat conditions such as type 2 diabetes. Supports healthy digestion and reduces the risk of gastrointestinal diseases Of course, it goes on to say fiber is essential to a healthy gut. But how so? As mentioned fiber is the fuel source for our healthy gut bacteria, contributing to a robust gut environment and strengthening the gut barrier. Fiber also helps to bulk up the stool promoting the removal of waste and, reducing the risk of constipation and the buildup of toxins in the body. Regular intake of fiber has been associated with a decreased risk of gastrointestinal diseases such as colorectal cancer, diverticular disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and Crohn's disease. Supports detoxification of waste and toxins As fiber helps to bulk up the stool and move waste through the digestive tract to be excreted, it plays a pivotal role in the detoxification process, and more precisely phase III of the detoxification process. If you do not have sufficient fiber they may be reabsorbed back into the bloodstream promoting a build-up of harmful compounds. Protects against cardiovascular disease As one of the leading killers in Western Society, cardiovascular disease is largely a preventable disease that can be avoided with dietary changes. Fiber is a heart-healthy food that can help to prevent and even reverse heart disease due to its ability to decrease cholesterol, lower inflammation, and improve insulin resistance. Studies have associated higher fiber intake with a lowered risk of incidences and mortality from cardiovascular disease. Fiber and protein have some overlapping benefits. However, they have a different way of proving these benefits. When combined, you can feel fuller longer, with fewer calories. You can increase your protein and fiber intake with foods like chicken, grass-fed beef, garbanzo beans, nuts, fish, and dark leafy greens, to name a few.
