Why does each PureFit protein bar pack 18 grams of protein, which is 30% of the bar?  Better yet, what is the 40/30/30 ratio found in every PureFit bar and what does that mean?  Protein is not just vital for muscle growth, repair and recovery.  Protein plays a vital role in fat-metabolism.  Not only does protein help “satiate” you, it also is critical in the fat-burning process. 

The most important discovery in the health and wellness industry over the past 25 years is the fact that we burn stored body fat faster, especially while working out, if we eat a diet composed of a moderate amount of carbohydrates (40%), a moderate amount of protein (30%) and a low to moderate amount of good dietary fats (30%). This is known as the 40/30/30 optimal fat burning ratio.

It is difficult to lose weight when eating a diet primarily composed of carbohydrates, because you force your body to burn carbohydrates (sugars). In comparison, when you eat a diet composed of 30% protein you allow your body to burn stored body fat—which is the reason most of us workout. In other words, the ratio of the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in your diet determines if you will predominately burn carbohydrates or stored body fat.

Let’s face it, we are always burning calories. Without getting too technical, it’s the hormonal reaction from the foods we eat that determines what we will burn for energy. The normal response in the body to eating carbohydrates, (breads, pastas, fruits, sweets) is a rise in blood-sugar levels. To counteract and prevent excessive blood-sugar levels, the body produces insulin. Insulin stores calories as fat and glycogen and any excess as body fat.

The opposite hormone to insulin is glucagon. Protein in the diet releases glucagon, which mobilizes stored glycogen in the liver and bloodstream— allowing the muscles to burn fat, their preferred energy source. That is why when you burn more stored body fat, not only do you lose body fat, but you have more energy and endurance.

Just think how good you feel when you eat a more balanced meal, like a chicken breast salad, versus a high-carbohydrate meal like pasta and bread. Not only are you usually not hungry for many hours after the more balanced meal, you probably don’t feel lethargic, irritable, or bloated. Simply put, by adding a little protein and subtracting a few carbohydrates from your diet, you will experience body fat loss, have better energy, and look and feel great.