To lose weight, you could eat less protein rather than fewer calories, a new study suggests. Scientists say restricting protein may be a "more attractive" strategy to shed pounds for some dieters.
Protein - which includes meat, beans and pulses - is an important part of a healthy diet. However, new research has found eating less of the stuff could be as effective as restricting calories.
The study was conducted on participants with metabolic syndrome - a term that combines diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. The findings suggest cutting protein may be an easier way to shed pounds for people with these health problems.
"The study showed that cutting protein intake to 0.8 g per kg of body weight was sufficient to achieve almost the same clinical results as restricting calories, but without the need to reduce calorie intake," said first author Rafael Ferraz-Bannitz, a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard Medical School.
"The results suggest that protein restriction may be one of the key factors leading to the known benefits of dietary restriction. Protein restriction dieting may therefore be a more attractive nutritional strategy and easier to follow for people with metabolic syndrome."
In the study, scientists analysed and monitored the diets of 21 volunteers with metabolic syndrome. The participants were inpatients at University of São Paulo's teaching hospital during the 27-day period.
One group was fed what the authors call a standard Western diet (50% carbohydrate, 20% protein and 30% fat) but with 25% fewer calories. For the second group, protein intake was reduced to 10%.
Both groups had similar results, meaning that those who ate less protein lose weight without cutting calories.
Due to a decrease in body fat, both groups lost weight and the symptoms of their metabolic syndrome improved. Losing body fat is associated with reduced blood sugar and more normal levels of lipids and blood pressure.
Co-author Maria Cristina Foss de Freitas summarised: "After 27 days of monitoring, both groups had similar results in terms of lower blood sugar, weight loss, controlled blood pressure, and lower levels of triglycerides and cholesterol."
Notably, the volunteers lost weight without losing muscle.
Ferraz-Bannitz explained the significance of the finding: "We demonstrated that protein restriction reduces body fat while maintaining muscle mass. That's important since the weight loss resulting from restrictive diets is often associated with loss of muscle mass."
The study by researchers in Brazil and Denmark was published in the journal Nutrients.
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