Doubling Protein Intake Burns More Calories and Reduces Energy Intake, a New Study Finds.
The short-term effects of consuming high-protein, lower-carbohydrate ultra-processed foods.
This study addresses a common dilemma for health-conscious people: can protein-enriched ultra-processed foods (UPFs), often marketed as healthy and weight-friendly, truly help manage energy balance and prevent overeating? Given the widespread consumption of UPFs and their association with weight gain, this research offers valuable insights into how altering the macronutrient composition of UPFs affects energy intake, expenditure, and related hormonal responses.
Key Points
Aim
The study aimed to investigate the short-term effects of a high-protein, lower-carbohydrate ultra-processed food diet (HPLC-UPF) versus a normal-protein, normal-carbohydrate UPF diet (NPNC-UPF) on energy intake, energy expenditure, energy balance, and appetite-related hormones in healthy young adults.
Methods
Design: Single-blind crossover trial with 21 healthy young adults.
Intervention: Participants consumed two different UPF diets for 54 hours each in a whole-room calorimeter.
HPLC-UPF: 30% protein, 29% carbohydrates.
NPNC-UPF: 13% protein, 46% carbohydrates.
Diet Matching: Both diets were matched for calories, fat, fiber, and palatability, and consumed ad libitum.
Measurements: Energy intake, energy expenditure, eating behaviour (eating rate, bites, chews), appetite hormones (ghrelin, glucagon, peptide YY), and gastric emptying.
Results
Energy Intake and Expenditure:
HPLC-UPF diet led to a significantly lower energy intake by about 196 kcal/day compared to NPNC-UPF.
Energy expenditure was higher by approximately 128 kcal/day on the HPLC-UPF diet.
This resulted in a less positive energy balance (18% vs. 32% of resting energy expenditure), indicating better energy regulation.
Eating Behaviour:
Participants ate more slowly and took fewer bites but chewed more per bite on the HPLC-UPF diet.
A slower eating rate likely contributed to reduced energy intake.
Appetite Hormones:
Postprandial ghrelin (hunger hormone) levels were lower, while glucagon and peptide YY (satiety hormones) were higher after HPLC-UPF meals.
Gastric Emptying:
Contrary to expectations, gastric emptying was faster with the high-protein diet, suggesting satiety effects were not due to delayed gastric emptying.
Glycemic Control:
Despite higher glucagon and insulin secretion, basal and postprandial glucose levels were lower with the HPLC-UPF diet, indicating improved glycemic control.
