Protein, for those of u who like to read medical studies.

Source: http://onhealth.webmd.com Protein Triggers Weight Loss Hormone High-Protein Foods Sate Hunger Best - by Setting Off Antiobesity Hormone By Daniel J. DeNoon WebMD Medical News Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD Sept. 5, 2006 -- Eating protein triggers a natural weight-loss hormone, British researchers say. When released in the gut, the hormone known as PYY reduces hunger. And high-protein foods set off PYY better than other foods, according to Rachel L. Batterham, MD, of University College London, and colleagues. Recent studies suggest PYY is part of the solution to obesity. Compared with a normal-weight person, for example, an obese person has to eat twice as many calories to trigger PYY. "We've now found that increasing the protein content of the diet augments the body's own PYY, helping to reduce hunger and aid weight loss," Batterham says, in a news release. If this sounds like the Atkins Diet, Batterham and colleagues say it's not. They note that many people on the Atkins Diet eat a lot of saturated fat as well as a lot of protein. Obesity, Men, and Mice Is PYY really the key to obesity? Batterham's team first looked at what kind of food best satisfies hunger. They studied nine obese men and 10 normal-weight men. After brief fasts, the men ate different meals. Each of the meals -- a high-protein meal, a high-fat meal, and a high-carbohydrate meal -- had the same number of calories. All the men said the high-protein meal best satisfied their hunger. Interestingly, the normal-weight men found the high-fat meal more satisfying than the high-carb meal, while the obese men did not. Measurements showed the high-protein meal triggered the most PYY in all of the men. In the normal-weight men -- but not the obese men -- the high-fat meal triggered more PYY than the high-carb meal. Batterham's team genetically engineered a mouse strain that did not have the PYY gene. These mice ate huge amounts of food, and quickly became obese. Normally, obese mice fed a high-protein diet will eat less and lose weight. But a high-protein diet didn't help the PYY-defective mice lose weight -- unless they also got PYY treatments. Hunters vs. Farmers Why does protein trigger PYY and satisfy hunger so well? It's not entirely clear. But Batterham and colleagues suggest we blame our ancestors. The prehistoric humans whose genes we inherit had a different diet than we do. They got 19% to 35% of their energy from protein and 22% to 40% from carbs. Our modern diet gets 49% of its energy from carbs and only 16% protein. "One potential weight loss strategy is therefore to increase the satiating power of the diet and promote weight loss through the addition of dietary protein -- harnessing our own satiety system," Batterham says. "Such a diet is perhaps more typical to that of our hunter-gatherer ancestors." The findings appear in the September issue of the journal Cell Metabolism. Published September 5, 2006.

I am totally on board with this. I feel like it is totally true for me. Thanks for the great read. I sent the info to my hubby so he could gain the knowledge. Carmen

Im glad u liked it. Guess its the nurse coming out in me but I love a good study that confirms what Ive been thinking. I love my protein!!! Thats the reason I try and stay away from the potatos and high carb/starch items....they really cause me to crave more food. When I stay on all my protein I dont crave food..... God bless us and our protein. Mariah ps: I got registered for Lex this morning...after I woke up. Probably about 4 am or so. So Im ready to travel. Cant wait for the clothing exchange so I'll have something that I can wear to it...LOL

In the past week I have truly come to appreciate my protein. Seems like when I slack on it, that's when I stall my weight loss. So now I am a true protein addict!! Great article! Thanks for posting! Sam