Why do you need to add protein to balance your blood sugar? All day snacking sends our bodies on a wild ride. Blood sugar dips and swings demand sugary foods every 2-3 hours. On day one of balancing your blood sugar, we up-ed our water intake. Today, we’re changing our fuel source.
As we nourish our bodies with foods that are high energy, we will crowd out foods that provide low energy. Our focus, therefore, is on what we are adding to our diets, and not what we are restricting from our diets. There will be no ‘do not eat’ list of foods that must be remembered, instead we will tune into our bodies and consider how energetic we feel.
Protein is one of the three major macronutrients required by the body. Proteins are broken down into amino acids. These amino acids repair and maintain the body. When the amount of protein consumed is greater than the demand by the body for necessary repair, it is used for energy.
That’s right! Excess protein is converted to energy. So if too much protein is consumed in addition to carbohydrates, which are another type of macronutrient, the protein will be converted to fats. Then it’s stored on the body as fat.
In order to stabilize the coaster, we must consume protein in just the right amount so that any excess is converted to energy and not fat. What is the right amount of protein to eat? Unfortunately, this question isn’t easy to answer. The right amount of protein for one person isn’t the right amount for the next. Instead, we can identify the best protein source and the timing of that source in the best lab in the world — the body. Here’s how to figure out how much you need:
Start experimenting! Keep a journal and chart what you’re eating and when you are eating it. For best results, try proteins from both animal and plant sources. Animal sources of protein include:
Plant sources include:
Day One – Add a plant source at breakfast and check in with your energy level after a couple of hours – is your energy up or do you feel sluggish?
Day Two – Try an animal source the next day for breakfast. Check in after two hours – energy up or down?
Day Three – Have no protein for breakfast and check in on your energy in the same way. Follow the same guidelines for your other meals.
If you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, experiment with the types of foods you are choosing and the amount of protein in the serving. Perhaps you require more protein at breakfast to keep your blood sugar in check, while someone else requires less, or requires it from a specific source.
The idea here is to check in with your body, be curious and just notice what attributes to the rises and falls of your energy. In this way, the drastic highs and lows of the blood sugar roller coaster will start to stabilize and for longer periods of time.
Kudos to you for taking on this journey! Remember, start with drinking more water. Note what happened that you are particularly proud of. No matter how small the accomplishment may seem, no self- editing! Please comment on your progress or questions. We’re all in this together!
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