Your weight loss consultant on the importance of protein in your diet

Ask your weight loss consultant about the Protein Mix, Formula 1 Shake, and protein bars available from Herbalife to help you maintain weight control and a healthy body. Protein is an indispensable nutrient for tissue and muscle repair. It is also responsible for the effective control of several functions of the body. The amount of protein needed, depends on the ideal weight for your length and physical activity. Your weight loss consultant will be able to help you in determining your daily protein needs.

What is protein?

Protein is essentially a large molecule that consists of several amino acids arranged in a particular order. There are in total 22 different amino acids that can be found in protein. Not all food contains the same amino acids. Only about eight of these amino acids are important in our daily meals.

The Herbalife Protein Mix and the Formula 1 Shake Mix, available at your Herbalife weight loss consultant, contain all the essential amino acids for weight control and healthy bodily functions. These amino acids are included in the Herbalife protein products because your body cannot produce them and thus needs to obtain them through either supplements or food intake.

Protein in the Herbalife Formula 1 Shake

The protein found in the Formula 1 Shake is vital for the growth and repair of damaged cells in your body and for good vision. The shake also contains Vitamin C that helps with effective iron absorption and Vitamin E for healthy red cell production. The Riboflavin in the shake helps to convert proteins into energy, while the Biotin included is also vital in the protein metabolism. These are just a few of the many essential nutrients that form part of the Herbalife Formula 1 Shake. Your Herbalife weight loss consultant will give you a complete list of vitamins in this nutritional protein shake.

How much protein do we need?

Protein should at least form ten percent of our daily calorie intake. If you follow the World Health Organization's recommendations, then your daily intake of protein should be around 0.40 g to 0.50 g for every kilogram of ideal weight. This intake however, also depends on your level of physical activity. Athletes, swimmers, and body builders will for instance, need much higher levels of protein intake to sustain their bodies. Speak to your Herbalife weight loss consultant about your protein intake requirements if you are very active.

Should we focus on plant or animal proteins?

Animal related products are rich in protein, including, poultry, red meat, and pork. Milk and eggs are also good sources of protein. The downside is that animal products contain a lot of fat and we thus need to limit our daily portions of animal products.

Proteins from plants are however, less digestible than protein found in animal products, although soy bean is an excellent source of protein. Other plants rich in protein include, seeds, lentils, nuts and grains. Beans, lentils, soy, and peas contain around 26-28% protein. Nuts contain around 12-14% protein. This indicates that plants can be excellent sources of protein. Plants can substitute meat products as sources of protein altogether. If you don't want to eat meat, you can use the Formula 1 Shake Mix available at your Herbalife weight loss consultant as your source of protein.

What happens when we don't get enough protein in our diet?

A shortage of protein can cause a disease called Marasmus. This condition is caused when people try to lose weight through starvation. Body tissue is lost and energy levels are completely depleted. Many people around the world die every year because of this type of protein deficiency.

There are several types of protein deficiency disorders, although most can be cured through correct eating habits. When you plan your meals, you need to include enough protein to ensure healthy cells and growth. Speak to your Herbalife weight loss consultant about the benefits of Herbalife protein bars, the Formula 3 Personalized Protein Powder Mix and the Formula 1 Shake Mix in your diet plan.

If you would like to get in touch with an expert weight loss consultant so that you can improve your general health and well-being, why not Email Us info@shapelife.co.za

(The information on this page are the comments of an independent Herbalife distributor).