A high Casein protein diet improves appetite control and burns more body fat and calories in both men and women

Researchers from Maastricht University in the Netherlands note that increasing the level of protein in your diet improves satiety and increases the burning of calories. During a 36-hour stay in a respiration chamber, 24 healthy men and women consumed one of 2 diets supplying either 25% or 10% of their total calories from protein with casein being the only protein source. In the 25% diet 25% of calories were from protein, 20% from fat, and 55% from carbohydrate. In the 10% diet it was 10% from protein, 35% from fat, and 55% from carbohydrate; the study was performed in a randomized crossover design so that each participant tried each diet. Three days before the diets began the subjects consumed a similar diet at home. Energy expenditure, substrate oxidation, and appetite scores were measured. During the 25% diet more fat was burnt and more protein was loaded onto the body. The 25% casein diet resulted in a greater amount of calories burnt per day and satiety was 33% higher with the 25% casein diet versus the 10% diet. The study is published in the March 2009 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.