Why protein makes you feel full and burns calories
Diet induced thermogenesis
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Alcohol’s thermogenic effect rivals protein’s—10–30% of its calories are burned during digestion.
People assume alcohol is pure empty calories with no metabolic cost, but this study shows your body treats it like a high-effort fuel source.
Practical Takeaways
Swap some carbs or fats in your meals for lean protein to increase post-meal calorie burn and feel fuller longer.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Alcohol’s thermogenic effect rivals protein’s—10–30% of its calories are burned during digestion.
People assume alcohol is pure empty calories with no metabolic cost, but this study shows your body treats it like a high-effort fuel source.
Practical Takeaways
Swap some carbs or fats in your meals for lean protein to increase post-meal calorie burn and feel fuller longer.
Publication
Journal
Nutrition & Metabolism
Year
2004
Authors
K. R. Westerterp
Related Content
Claims (5)
Your body uses a lot more energy to digest protein than it does to digest carbs or fat — up to 30% of the calories from protein are used just for digestion, while fat barely uses any.
When you eat food, your body burns extra calories just to digest it — this extra burn is about 5% to 15% of your total daily calorie use, and it’s higher when you eat more protein or alcohol, and lower when you eat more fat.
Drinking alcohol makes your body burn more calories during digestion — almost as much as eating protein — even though alcohol isn’t a nutrient your body needs.
Eating more protein makes you feel fuller for longer, which can help you eat less overall and avoid gaining weight.
The net energy yield from dietary protein is approximately 75% of its caloric content, with only ~25% expended as diet-induced thermogenesis.