Is Plant Protein Good For Weight Loss?

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eople today have become more concerned with their health, the planet, and the sources of their food. The demand for plant protein has started to grow globally due to the call for better and more sustainable nutrition. Plant Protein is no longer a trend, it’s here to stay!

In our latest blog post, ‘The Future of Plant Protein in India’, we discussed several aspects like, what is plant protein, how it is made, we also briefed about the reasons for the surge in popularity of plant protein in the health and fitness sector.

Today, we’re here to answer a new question – Can plant protein help with weight loss? With weight management being a major concern for many, people are on the lookout for natural ways to support their fitness goals. The big question is – Can plant protein help you lose weight while still providing the energy and nutrition you need? Okay, we’ll break it down in our blog today.

We can’t directly conclude as to yes, how and things like that, let’s go step by step…whatever is the protein source, either dairy-based or plant-based, protein comes first…

Also Read: Whey Protein Vs Plant Protein For Muscle Building

Understanding The Protein-Weight Loss Connection

Protein as known is an important macronutrient just like carbohydrates and fats. Here’s why protein can contribute to weight loss:

1. Keeps You Fuller for Longer: One important strategy to help prevent hunger and eliminate excessive snacking or eating is to increase satiety. A diet consisting of protein can increase satiety levels in the body by decreasing levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin and increasing levels of satiety hormones GLP-1 and PYY. 

2. Thermogenic food: Protein is a high thermic food group compared to carbs and fats. A high thermic food goes through more metabolic processes, burning more calories while your body digests the food. When your metabolism is increased, you are burning more calories.

3. Preserve Lean Muscle Mass: If you are currently on a calorie-restricted diet to obtain weight loss, your goal should always be to inhibit fat mass and initiate an increase in lean muscle mass. Muscle requires more energy to maintain than fat, particularly at rest. Protein is a fuel for muscle, its primary role is to maintain lean muscle mass which initiates calorie burning through the causal processes even when you are not actively exercising. 

4. Stabilizes Blood Sugar and Energy Levels: Protein consists of long chain amino acids that take longer to digest than carbohydrates. So, protein has little effect on blood sugar, providing a more consistent release of energy while also keeping you fuller longer in between meals and snacks. 

Now, that we’ve made clear the critical role of protein in metabolism and weight loss, let’s next head to discussing whether plant protein can help in weight loss.

Also Read: Pea Protein – 100% Vegan Protein Powder

Can Plant Protein Help In Weight Loss?

This question is rooted in the trust people have about Whey Protein. No wonder, Whey has long been the favourite and go-to protein choice for fitness enthusiasts and weight watchers. The high bioavailability, quick digestion, and high BCAA content have earned it unquestionable trust. Plant protein is often met with scepticism, with concerns about its amino acid profile and effectiveness.

We have talked about this topic also in our previous blog and told you the truth that plant protein has evolved, and studies prove its efficiency in muscle building and weight management. 

Also Read: Health Benefits of Plant Protein You Need To Know

What Makes Plant Protein Efficient in Supporting Weight Loss?

1.  High in Fiber: A great thing about plant protein is that it contains fiber. Chickpeas, beans, lentils and quinoa all have a good amount of fiber. Fiber contributes to keeping you fuller for longer by delaying digestion, and reducing cravings.

2.  Promote Gut Health: Plant protein contains several phytonutrients, fiber which help to feed the gut microbiota allowing for easier digestion and thus better nutrient absorption. Good gut health helps with metabolism, which can help in weight management. You get tremendously more nutrients in a protein-rich food such as plant protein. All the nutrient density allows you to prevent deficiencies, and keep yourself energized, which helps you minimize snacking from hunger.

3.  Digests Slower: Plant protein does not digest as rapidly as Whey Protein, and so digests slowly contributing to satiety and preventing the sudden rises in energy that can lead to cravings.

4.  Eco-friendly & Versatile: Plant protein is a more sustainable protein choice and is more versatile. You can easily incorporate it into your weight loss diet. From salads, soups and curries, there are many ways to get enough protein from plant-based sources. Plant protein powders can be easily mixed with your regular soups, curries, or roti atta to fortify the protein content of your daily meals. 

Also Read: What Makes a Protein High-Quality Protein?

Practical Tips To Incorporate Plant Protein For Weight Loss

By incorporating plant-based protein into your diet, you can create satisfying, nutrient-rich meals that support a calorie deficit while promoting weight loss…

1. Upgrade Your Breakfast

Indians generally go for the carb-heavy options for breakfast, make your breakfast protein-rich instead.

Eat protein-rich tofu seasoned with veggies and spices, cook quinoa, oats and add chia seeds to it and consume.

2.  Make Lunch & Dinner Protein-Centric

You can have lentils and chickpea salad in your afternoon meals, and consume whole grains with quinoa, hummus and greens for dinner.

3.  Snack On Protein

Consume roasted chickpeas, nuts and seeds mix and ditch the processed snacks.

4.  Use Plant Protein Powder For Easy Nutrition

Plant protein powders serve as a convenient, and efficient protein source which can be easily mixed into oatmeal, smoothies, yogurt, and used in baking muffins, pancakes, energy balls, or even pizzas and rotis.

Also Read: Plant Protein Recipes

AS-IT-IS ATOM PLANT PROTEIN COMPLEX

AS-IT-IS ATOM Plant protein complex is a 100% vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free protein that packs 26g protein, 5.8g BCAA, 11.6g EAA, and 300g ashwagandha per serving. It includes a complementary blend of pea protein and brown rice protein which both provide a well-rounded, high-quality, complete amino acid profile. The clinical trials have proven our plant protein to produce similar results of muscle recovery, physical strength, and endurance as observed with Whey Protein. The plant protein powder includes an enzyme blend, tastes delicious and is fortified with vitamins and minerals for extra nutrition. 

Even after learning all this, if you still want us to answer, if plant protein can support weight loss, then take our answer, definitely yes.

Plant protein is a sustainable, clean, vegan protein powerhouse that supports weight loss by contributing to satiety, and boosting metabolism.

We have moved beyond the era of questioning whether plant protein was a legitimate form of protein - the science is in and it is proven effective in weight management and muscle growth...

Plant protein is more than an environmentally sustainable choice - it is a key ingredient in weight loss...

Also Read: The Best Plant-Based Protein Supplement in India

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Reference:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23666746/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9416027/