Whey protein better than meat for fat loss

A study on rats conducted by the University of Adelaide has found that whey protein is more effective than meat in reducing body weight gain and increasing insulin sensitivity (reducing insulin resistance).

Researchers fed rats a high fat diet (300g of fat per kg) for nine weeks then switched to a diet containing either 80g or 320g of protein per kg, provided by either whey protein concentrate (WPC) or red meat, for 6 weeks.

They found that a high dietary protein reduced energy intake and visceral and subcutaneous and carcass fat in mature rats by up to 26 per cent, compared to a low protein diet. Moreover, by, increasing the dietary density of whey protein in particular, and not of red meat, body weight was reduced by 4 per cent, while also reducing plasma insulin concentration by 40 per cent, and increasing insulin sensitivity, compared to meat.

Insulin sensitivity is desirable because insulin acts as a fat-storing hormone and as such, is most often related with obesity and problems with weight maintenance. Syndrome X (or Metabolic Syndrome) is an increasing problem in the Western World.

The reduction in fat storage of rats fed a high-protein diet might be due to the metabolic cost of digesting protein, because energy expenditure increases by up to 160 per cent following a high protein meal. Another beneficial effect of the high-protein diet was a sparing of lean body mass, whereby the total muscle protein increased, and the total fat decreased.

If this can be correlated directly to human beings, these findings suggest that WPC is a better source of fat-burning, muscle-enhancing protein. Forget the steak… if you seek a lean healthy body, WPC is therefore the ultimate choice in terms of dietary protein.

Aussie Bodies has a wide range of products containing WPC, from protein powders, bars and nutritious snacks. Perfect Protein contains 91.5% WPC and is perfectly matched to the needs of the human body for muscle growth and recovery, tissue repair, weight loss and immune health. Free of artificial colours, flavours and sweetener, low in carbohydrates and high in amino acids, it's a delicious way to increase the protein content of your diet. Try some today!