A previous post shared ideas for portioning out large pieces of protein into smaller “Protein Paks” that you keep stocked in the freezer. It’s a great way to make sure you always have some easily accessible protein.

While that is certainly a handy tip, it can leave you wondering why the big fuss about protein in the first place. Fortunately, just a couple days after my article, Nutritionist Julie Thenell’s newsletter arrived with some answers. It was filled with helpful information that you’ll want to read, but here is a quick summary of the two big reasons for paying attention to protein.

1. It’s Critical to Everything! We know protein is key to building muscle, but it also plays a crucial role in nearly every body part and process, from skin, hair and immunity to tissue repair and hormone production.
2. It Tamps Down Hunger This is one of the features I love most about getting protein into every meal: I don’t get so hungry between meals! That’s because of protein’s influence on your hunger hormones (leptin and ghrelin) and its slower digestion rate compared to carbohydrates.

Besides explaining these protein benefits in more detail, Julie’s article addresses a number of practical questions:

• How much protein should you be eating?
• How can you get that much into your daily diet?
• Why is timing your protein intake important?
• Are there differences in the quality of protein varieties?
• Is variety the spice of your “protein life?”

What It Looks Like on the Plate Julie’s article links to a fun protein calculator. I was surprised that its recommended intake isn’t hard to meet at all–just 59 to 106 grams per day. I could reach the high end of 106 grams by just eating three to three and a half palm-sized (4-oz.) portions of e.g., chicken breast, hamburger or fish.

Renowned health expert Dr. Mark Hyman so believes in the power of protein that he challenges his readers to experiment with increasing intake by 50 to 100 percent–and then monitoring whether that improves appetite, metabolism, blood sugar levels, energy or just the body in general.

Balanced Eating Over the last several years, I’ve had to make sure I include protein at every meal. One big advantage is that it has helped me become less of a carb-aholic. I could easily live on (whole grain) bread and rice, but with a portion of protein (and a big portion of vegetables!) I can keep carbs at a more reasonable level.

Age and Protein And if you are someone who is aging : ) note that aging makes us “less responsive to the anabolic stimulus of low doses of amino acid intake compared to younger individuals. However, this lack of responsiveness in elderly adults can be overcome with higher levels of protein consumption.” (1)

Yet another reason to pay attention to protein!

(1) Protein Consumption and the Elderly: What Is the Optimal Level of Intake?