Obesity is a growing problem among many people today. Because of certain health factors, obese people are placed in higher risk of diabetes and heart disease. Apart from weight loss, researchers are trying to find ways in reducing the risk factors among the obese. Diet and exercise seems to provide the best solution to lower diabetes and heart disease risk among the obese. When it comes to food and diet, researchers have recently discovered the health benefits that whey protein can offer among people who are obese.
A recent study, which appears in the Journal of Proteome Research of the American Chemical Society, looked into how different types of protein sources may have an effect on the metabolism in humans. In people who are considered obese, high levels of fat in the blood can lead to higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Recent research indicates that fat levels in the blood can be a result of the type of protein taken during meals.
The said study suggested that taking whey protein can lower fat levels. It can also help increase the body’s insulin production, which helps regulate glucose in the blood and maintain it at normal levels. The details of how whey protein does this are still not clear, so the researchers tried to take a closer look.
The study involved volunteers who were considered obese but are non-diabetic. The participants were grouped to receive the same meal of soup and bread plus one kind of protein, which is either whey, casein, gluten or cod. The researchers noted that the group that received whey protein showed stomachs that emptied slower than the other groups. The whey protein group also had lower levels of fatty acids in the blood than the other volunteer groups. They also had higher amounts of amino acids that help boost insulin levels for better blood sugar regulation.
Source: American Chemical Society. (2014, April 30). Whey beneficially affects diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk factors in obese adults. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 8, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140430112249.htm
Tags: blood sugar, Diabetes News, diabetes risk, heart disease risk, whey protein