Cassidy Morrison, Senior Health Correspondent, DailyMail.com
Updated on June 16, 2024 at 15:12 and June 16, 2024 at 15:14
A question that many nutritionists have debated for decades is, “What is the best diet for weight loss?”
Now, researchers at the University of Illinois have made a discovery that may help find the answer.
Scientists have found that feeding mice a diet made up of one of two types of protein led them to eat less body fat than those on a standard diet.
They also found that eating a high-protein diet may have a positive effect on the millions of healthy bacteria in the gut that are involved in hunger and appetite control.
The study, conducted in mice, aimed to determine how a high-protein diet affected the animals’ gut microbiome and their overall body weight and body composition, including fat.
The scientists conducted a month-long study on 16 mice, in which for the first two weeks the mice were fed a standard diet made up mostly of carbohydrates.
For the next two weeks, the subjects were divided into four groups and given a new diet that contained one of two proteins found in meat, poultry, or seafood.
The scientists collected daily fecal samples from the mice to monitor the proportion of healthy gut bacteria and measurements of body fat.
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At the end of the study period, the mice on the high-protein diet had lost more weight and fat than those on a standard carbohydrate-rich diet.
Branched-chain amino acids, given to one group of proteins, came out on top as the most influential.
Branched-chain amino acids are commonly found in chicken, beef, turkey, salmon, tuna, shrimp, and milk.
Also, undigested protein is fermented in the intestine, producing beneficial by-products such as short-chain fatty acids, which help regulate appetite and Absorbs vitamins.
Previous studies have shown that a protein-rich diet has a positive effect on the gut microbiome.
The fermentation of proteins allows certain beneficial strains of bacteria, such as lactic acid bacteria, to develop, which can hunt down and destroy harmful bacteria.
Samson Adejumo, a biology doctoral candidate at the University of Illinois who led the study, said the discovery provides an “important foundation” for understanding how proteins affect the gut microbiome and ultimately our health.
Previous studies have shown that a rich gut microbiome can increase the rate at which calories are burned and regulate hunger signals sent between the brain and stomach.
It also regulates the movement of bile in the digestive tract and plays a role in the digestion and absorption of fats.
While the experiment was conducted on mice, other studies have concluded that increasing the amount of protein in the diet promotes muscle tone, growth and strength.
Official guidelines recommend that protein should make up 10-35% of daily calories and that athletes should consume 1-2 grams per kilogram of body weight.