Thursday, December 16, 2010

Nutrition: The Benefits of Snacks High In Protein

Protein bars, protein shakes, even protein water—what’s with all the protein snacks these days? Well, many people are learning the benefits of eating (and drinking) snacks high in protein. Whether they have major fitness goals or are just interested in maintaining a certain weight, protein is a valuable nutrient necessary to our optimal health in many ways. Let’s talk about how snacks high in protein can boost your fitness results and what sort of snacks are best.
When you exercise and especially when you weight train, your muscles experience trauma. Tiny tears in the muscle tissue is called catabolism and the repairs of these tissues is called anabolism. In most cases, the body uses proteins to sort of patch up the tears, strengthening the muscle tissue and even causing muscle growth. Increased protein consumption can only assist this process and this is where snacks high in protein come in.
In addition to assisting with muscle repairs, snack high in protein are often lower in calories and fat. Protein is likewise said to keep you fuller longer, allowing you to avoid the munchies in between meals that can spell disaster to your diet plan. A protein rich snack midmorning and one in the afternoon can keep you away from the vending machines at work and away from the value meals at a lunchtime drivethru.
Many people mistakenly think that they will have to increase meat consumption to get snacks high in protein and this simply isn’t true. Nuts are a great source of protein, as are eggs and dairy products. Bean products like hummus are an excellent way to get more protein without tiring of the same old solutions. 

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