When dieting, people say I must make sure to eat protein. Why is that exactly?
When the body lacks energy, it starts breaking down muscle tissue. If protein is also insufficient, muscle mass decreases and basal metabolic rate drops, making you prone to gaining weight even with small meals. Adequate protein preserves muscle, maintains metabolism, and eases weight management—it’s not just fuel for fat loss but a support to keep the metabolic engine running.
I’ve been there myself—once eager to lose weight, I skipped meals only to feel dizzy and drained. Later I learned my body was consuming muscle for energy. In modern medicine, protein builds muscle and slows post-meal blood sugar spikes, preventing insulin surges. From a Traditional Korean Medicine perspective, protein deficiency leads to qi deficiency (氣虛), a sinking of vitality, which often progresses to spleen deficiency (脾虛) with poor digestion and absorption. A weakened spleen fails to transport nutrients properly, leaving metabolic waste called phlegm-fluid retention (痰飮). When metabolism falters due to lack of protein, phlegm-fluid and blood stasis (瘀血) accumulate, making the body feel heavy and puffy. Rather than blindly cutting calories, it’s wiser to supply enough protein to keep the metabolic engine running. Digestion varies, so you don’t have to stick to chicken breast—find a protein source that suits your digestive capacity. I recommend assessing your current metabolic state before deciding.
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