Have you ever noticed that some foods keep you full all day, while others have you heading back to the fridge before you’ve barely finished your last bite? That’s because feeling full isn’t just about eating food, it’s about what food you eat.
Want to feel fuller, more energized, and more satisfied? Make sure you’re getting enough protein throughout the day.
Protein keeps you fuller for longer
Protein is in it for the long haul. While your body can quickly burn through carbs or store fat, protein takes much longer to digest1. Which means that a stomach full of protein is literally a stomach that’s full longer. And because it’s full for longer, your stomach doesn’t beg your brain for more food before it’s done fully digesting2.
That’s why protein can tide you over between meals while sugary snacks give you a quick boost followed by an even faster crash. Protein’s more of a steady burn. It leaves your gut and enters your body more slowly, keeping you feeling full for longer.
But even amongst proteins, not all of them are created equal. While whey quickly floods your body with the “I’m full” hormones, casein (the kind of protein in cow’s milk) digests more slowly for longer lasting fullness.
Protein makes you feel more energized
Getting a good boost of protein feels like exactly that – a boost. But it’s actually the exact opposite. When you eat sugary snacks, your body experiences an explosion of energy that it can burn. But that energy doesn’t stick around. It spikes the amount of sugar in your blood for a moment, and then quickly goes away3. It’s sort of like thinking you won the lottery and then realizing you were looking at the numbers for the wrong day. Going from such an extreme high to an extreme low makes the low feel even worse. That’s what leaves you feeling fatigued, foggy, and cranky4.
Protein does things differently. Instead of a big spike, it slowly releases energy to your body. Which means no spike of energy, but it also means no sudden drop. It makes sure your body always has enough fuel to keep you going5. The energy you feel isn’t a boost, it’s just what it feels like to give your body what it needs.
If you feel like protein makes you smarter, that isn’t all your imagination. Your brain is powered in part by protein. So making sure you have enough of it can help you feel more clear, more motivated, and less tired6. So if you want to take on the world, you should probably take some protein with you.
Protein more often means needing a snack less often
Everyone knows that slow and steady wins the race. So next time your body tells you that you need food fast, make sure it’s filled with the energy source that takes things slowly. Getting a quick boost of protein from a snack like a PROfeel® pudding or adding more protein to your plate at the dinner table can make a huge difference in how you feel.
Whether it’s less rumbling in your stomach, more time between meals, or more focus on your to-do-list, protein can be a powerful way to help you power through your day.
