Implementing a high protein meal diet has always been a top priority for those looking to add a little lean to their muscle and burn some belly fat. While the daily recommendation for protein intake equates to 60 grams, determining how to spread out your protein consumption throughout the course of the day can get tricky. For those who often find themselves guessing on which meal to incorporate protein to, a recent study suggests how to properly distribute your intake so that you see the results you’re looking for.
Researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston analyzed how consuming the majority of your protein intake either at the beginning or end of your day may not be doing your body justice. The importance of protein ranges on a number of levels, such as promoting efficient weight control, strengthening bone density and, of course, adding a little mass to your muscle.
In order to find out how your protein intake should be distributed throughout the day, the researchers took two separate groups of healthy adults to settle this health inquiry once and for all. Two diets were established that featured different portion sizes of protein being provided with each meal. One of the groups was given a diet that consisted of 30 grams of protein at each meal, while the other subjects were administered a meal plan that pertained to 10 grams at breakfast, 15 grams at lunch and 65 grams at dinner.
Muscle protein synthesis rates were then measured for all the participants every 24 hours after their daily diets were completed. The researchers decided to give all of the volunteers a 90 grams a day, because a meal plan that is significantly higher in protein content can provide an actively healthy adult with better muscle metabolism. After analyzing the daily protein synthesis rates provided by the subjects, the colleagues determined that those who exercised an evenly distributed protein diet of 30 grams per meal were able to achieve 25 percent greater muscle protein synthesis rate than those who had their meals slowly progress in protein content throughout the course of the day.
The study was led by Dr. Doug Paddon-Jones, a scientist whose expertise resides in muscle metabolism for the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Paddon-Jones called out the typical protein diet that is commonly used by people today, explaining that equality is everything when it comes to dividing up your protein content for the day.
“Usually, we eat very little protein at breakfast, a bit more at lunch and then consume a large amount at night,” Paddon-Jones said in a statement. “So we’re not taking enough protein on board for efficient muscle building and repair during the day, and at night we’re often taking in more than we can use. We run the risk of having this excess oxidized and ending up as glucose or fat.”
Alternative ways to get protein
While everyone can help pump up their muscle mass by increasing their protein intake, sometimes you don’t have time to sit down and eat a hearty protein meal to get the daily recommendation that you need. That’s why Naturade Pea Protein is a simple and effective method to consuming 40 percent your daily protein requirements, all in an 8 ounce glass of your favorite beverage. By adding two scoops to a glass of water, you will be packing a healthy plant-based protein that can offer your body all the essential qualities of protein, such as building muscle, maintaining proper metabolism and lowering blood pressure. If you need protein in a hurry, Naturade Pea Protein will have you covered.
