Most of us are aware of the fact that when it comes to weight loss, diet plays an important role. Now dieting doesn't mean to one has to starve themselves and deprive of food completely. A balanced diet is required when it comes to weight loss. Apart from keeping calorie count in check, a balanced diet must also fulfil macronutrients and micronutrients requirement. The macronutrients in our diet are carbohydrates, proteins and fats, properly balanced in the ratio of 2:1:1. Now under these macros, many people have a perception that a good amount of proteins should only be eaten by people who do weight training. However, that's not the case as a certain amount of protein intake is a must even for an average person to meet the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). Foods to Eat After a Workout: How A Protein-Rich Meal Can Help You Build Muscles.

How Proteins Can Help in Weight Loss

Protein is the most important macronutrient responsible for weight loss. Most of us are only aware about proteins being the building block of muscle, however, there are many more benefits related to it. Proteins if eaten with a carbohydrate-rich food slows down the absorption of sugar from the stomach into the bloodstream. This can help in avoiding the increase in blood sugar level and also reduce craving.  Also, when it comes to weight loss, it is important that the body does not lose fat-free mass, i.e. the lean muscle that helps in burning calories. Hence it is necessary to eat adequate protein during weight loss to preserve the muscle in the body. Health Benefits of Quinoa: Why this High-Protein Superfood is Important for Vegans & Vegetarians.

How Much Protein Should You Eat

An average male should eat at least 56 g of protein every day, while for female it is 46 g to meet the RDA. However, if you are regular to the gym and do some resistance training, then both male and female should eat 1.6 g to 2 g of protein per kg of body weight. Anaerobic training assisted with good protein intake helps in synthesising more protein which is known as Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS). This leads to the development of muscle which in turn reduces the fat percentage of the body.

The best source of protein as per biological value is dairy in which whey tops the list. After that comes eggs, which is rich in amino acids. Apart from that eating chicken, animal flesh and fatty fish like salmon can also fulfil the requirement of protein. Vegetarians should consider lentils, tofu, soybeans and black-eyed peas in their diet to meet the daily protein requirement.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 28, 2020 04:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).