Todays paper said LOW CARBOHYDRATE diest dont work but HIGH PROTEIN diets do. It said you can eat carbs like fruits, grains, veggies etc.but if you get your protein up high you will feel much fuller and will not want as much to eat. Folks in the study who did that ate 400 some calories LESS per day.

I knew protein was helpful to curb cravings, but now I am really going to be conscious of it.

But isn't a diet that is very high protein hard on your liver function?

A link to the article you're referring to would be good...

I did a google news search and the closest article I could find was this one from today's Washington Post.

Something to note that the study quoted in the article (you can find the abstract on Medline linked here) involved only NINETEEN subjects. IMO, that's not what I'd call a major, all-inclusive study, which is probably one reason why I haven't seen it as yet on CNN's, San Francisco Chronicle, or MSNBC's websites.

Also worth noting (in response to Marbleflys' post) is that 'high protein' is defined both in the article and the study as 30% of total calories. Since I've known people on Atkins who told me that they were shooting for 50% or more of calories from protein, 30% doesn't seem particularly high to me.

What needs to be mentioned is that even with a 'high protein diet' weight loss still comes down to the basic equation: calories in - calories out or "eat less, move more". No matter how healthy or 'natural' or whatever a food is, if you eat too much of it, you're going to get fat.

And of course, eating a good percentage of your calories from lean protein is not "new" news - many healthy weight loss programs or plans feature a healthy balance of protein, carbs, and fat - just a few off the top of my head are the Zone (which has been around for well over 10 years!), Body for Life (in fact most fitness programs involving strength training), and so on. It's not like it's a big secret - it's been well-known for years that protein in your diet 'sticks to your ribs' longer. Additionally, standard eating advice for WLS patients following surgery is to eat their protein FIRST, then veggies.

Kind of makes one wonder why this study was even done in the first place!

Before we get another protein/low-carb mania going on again it's important to note that we all need carbs - healthy, complex carbs - for ENERGY. We ALL need protein, carbs, and fats to keep our bodies running smoothly. Again, what it all comes down to is QUANTITY (watching calorie/portion intake) and QUALITY (keeping junque food down to a minimum at most).

I think everyone's bodies are different, however, I can certainly vouch that protein works great for me. It keeps me fuller longer and it suppresses cravings and hunger. I read somewhere AGES ago that if you eat too many refined carbohydrates, it can mess with your insulin levels and it actually makes you crave sweets. (Things like white pasta, white rice, etc.) It's kind of sad because if I could live on french bread, cheese, grapes and red wine for the rest of my life I'd be a happy camper - but I'd probably weigh 400lbs. So yes, I'd have to say that diets higher in protein, especially for people who are fairly sedentary during the day, reap more benefit than if they ate a high amount of carbs because it can turn to sugar rapidly.

However, if you're on a low carb diet, aren't you eating more protein anyway? Rather it be through soy, meat or dairy products? Am I missing something or does that study sound a lot like playing with semantics? I mean, if you're not eating a lot of carbs, what else are you eating? A higher amount of protein! High protein diet, low carb diet.. you say tomato, I say toe-mah-toe...

I know when I read it I was like WHAT !...and yeah its been said before. Regardless this time I decided to try it and I am only on day 2 so far so good as far as cravings go..
BTW I will let you all know how it works..the green tea pills didnt!

It does seem like an odd study to publish, if it only had 19 participants Protein does help a lot of people feel fuller longer. I wouldn't consider 30% to be "high protein" either, lol.

I wonder if there is something more going on here. Protein may make you feel fuller so you eat less, but if you take the time to figure 30% of your daily calories so you can choose your foods, then you are obviously going to be more conscious of your choices and calorie limits. So you would be less likely to overeat anyway. Just an opinion

Better watch those green tea pills. They seem to be a boost in the baby making department.