This Summer Head to the Produce Isle to find some High Protein Veggie Options!

We at Serious Foods are serious about our protein so we were delighted to come across this post at Women's Health Magazine. This summer don't feel pressured to crush that hamburger in order to get your protein fill. Check out these veggies that boost high amounts of protein along with great taste and nutrient content!

Peas 
Each half-cup contains three and a half grams of protein. 

Spinach
You'll find three grams of protein in a half cup of spinach. 

Baked Potato
Another stealth source of protein? Potatoes! A medium-sized one contains three grams. Try one with some fun healthy and delicious toppings - Double your protein intake with some Broccoli and Cheese on top! 

Broccoli
Broccoli's not just filled with fiber (2.6 grams per half cup)—it's also a great source of protein, with two grams per serving.   

Brussels Sprouts
These little green guys get a bad rap, but they're actually nutritional superstars: Each half cup packs two grams of protein, along with 247 milligrams of potassium and 110 micrograms of vitamin K.  

Corn
OK, we know that corn is technically a grain. But you can find it in the produce aisle—and you'll be glad to know that half a cup of kernels provides two grams of filling protein. 

Eating a Protein Rich Breakfast Helps Curb Your Appetite

According to a recent article released by Daily Science, eating a protein rich breakfast helps curb your appetite through out the morning and helps you make smarter eating decisions throughout the day.

“While Americans generally consume enough protein, they tend to eat a small amount at breakfast, moderate amounts at lunch, and the largest amount at dinner. New research presented today at The Obesity Society's annual scientific meeting in Atlanta shows that eating high protein sausage and egg-based breakfasts curbed hunger throughout the morning, compared with a low-protein breakfast (pancakes and syrup) or skipping breakfast, in 18-55-year-old women.

"Eating a breakfast rich in protein significantly improves appetite control and may help women to avoid overeating later in the day," said Kevin C. Maki, principal investigator of the study and a research scientist with Biofortis Clinical Research, a Mérieux NutriSciences company.

All of the breakfast meals contained approximately 300 calories and similar quantities of fat and fiber. The protein-rich breakfast bowls contained 30 to 39 grams of protein. Participants completed questionnaires to rate aspects of appetite -- such as hunger, fullness, and desire to eat -- before breakfast and at 30 minute intervals between breakfast and lunch. A standard lunch meal of tortellini and sauce was served and subjects were asked to eat until comfortably full. Study participants had improved appetite ratings (lower hunger, more fullness, less desire to eat) throughout the morning after eating each protein-rich breakfast, and also ate fewer calories at lunch, compared with the low-protein breakfast and breakfast skipping (water only).

"In the USA, many people choose to skip breakfast or choose low protein foods because of lack of high protein convenient choices. These results demonstrate that commercially prepared convenient protein-rich meals can help women feel full until lunch time and potentially avoid overeating and improve diet quality," said Heather Leidy, an assistant professor specializing in appetite regulation at the University of Missouri and a co-author on the study.”

This article solidifies Dr. Scharper’s mission to provide a convenient and affordable high protein breakfast option to you. The lack of options in the mornings coupled with the ever growing list of responsibilities we have at the start of our day make it difficult to prioritize eating right over eating quick. But, Dr. Scharper’s Serious Oats boast 20g of protein in each individual cup and provides the perfect foundation to start your day off with good nutrition. 

The Hunger Hormone

I recently read this quote:

“You use twice as much energy to metabolize protein as carbohydrates – due to the thermic effect of food, protein also reduces hunger hormones more than carbs do.“

It is a simple concept. I get it. But if I think about it a little more … I have questions. I know protein helps stave off hunger, but what does that have to do with hormones? Is there a way to manage this hunger hormone? And if it takes twice as much energy to metabolize protein as carbohydrates, is that a good thing or a bad thing?

So I hit the books and did some research to understand exactly what this information means.

I started with the basics: Metabolism. Metabolism basically refers to all the chemical reactions within the body used to produce energy. Simply put, Metabolism is the process used by a body to take or make energy from the food we consumed. The human digestive system converts the carbohydrates, fats and proteins it consumes food into sugars and acids to be used for fuel. This fuel can be used immediately or stored until it is needed.

The expression "thermic effect of food" is used to describe the energy expended by our bodies in order to consume and process food. We "expend energy" by burning calories.

Here is the important part; processing protein requires the greatest outflow of energy. Dietary fat, on the other hand, is so easily processed and turned into body fat that there is very little thermic effect. So our bodies burn more calories while metabolizing protein.  –That’s Awesome!

The Hunger Hormone:

The hunger hormone, also known as Ghrelin, is food intake inducer. Ghrelin is a hormone located in the stomach that sends hunger signals to the brain. When ghrelin levels are too high, the brain wants food – even if we are full. It is interesting to note that Ghrelin levels increase before meals and decrease after meals.

But here is the cool part - protein in our diet suppresses ghrelin.  In a study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers determined that protein is the best way to lower post meal ghrelin levels. And meals high in carbohydrates are actually counter productive. For example, carbohydrates suppress ghrelin well at first, but levels rebound later, rising to an even higher level. Carbohydrates eventually make people even hungrier than before they had eaten. So eating lots of carbohydrates might also be counterproductive. It looks like protein is your best choice at meal time. 

Protein for Women

So what is the deal with protein? As a woman, I really don’t want to bulk up like a greasy, dumbbell curling, muscle head, so can I just skip the protein?

This morning I got down and dirty with the real benefits of protein and all I have to say is, ladies don’t skip the protein.  Here is what I learned.

Rev up your metabolism.

Think about it this way, metabolism is the process of breaking down proteins, carbohydrates and fat to yield the energy your body needs to maintain itself. The rate of your metabolism depends on the interaction between the calories you consume and the calories you burn. Thanks to genetics everyone’s metabolic rate is slightly different, but there is no better way to rev up your metabolism than to increase your bodies need for energy.

Your body can burn calories from fat, carbohydrates or protein. Interestingly, the energy needed to metabolize protein is more than double that of fats and carbohydrates. This basically means that eating regular servings of good quality protein will ramp up your metabolism twice as much as eating anything else, meaning greater fat loss when dieting. And let us not forget that the more muscle you have, the more energy your body will expel just to maintain itself. So a little muscle, isn't so bad. 

Muscle Tone.

Speaking of muscle, a diet that restricts calories will atrophy not only fat but muscle as well. The more lean muscle you have, the higher your metabolism and the better your overall body tone will be. If you want to shed only fat and hold onto your lean muscle, remember to consume enough protein for your body to continually restore muscle.

Your Hormones.

Protein stimulates the release of glucagon, which stimulates the liver to release stored carbohydrates from its glycogen stores and from fat. Glucagon also inhibits the release of insulin. By controlling your intake of protein and spreading it throughout the day, you can constantly produce adequate amounts of glucagon and decrease the enzymes responsible for making/storing fat in fat cells and in your liver, which means you'll ultimately get leaner a lot faster.

A Diet High in Protein.

Next time you head to the grocery store, fill your cart with some healthy high protein items like, eggs, cottage cheese, legumes, nuts, yogurt, chicken and yummy seeds.

Sincerely, 

Your Serious Oats Girl - Tara