How Much Protein Do You Really Need?

Protein is an essential macronutrient, meaning that your body requires it to function properly and fully recover from exercise. According to the Dietary Reference Intake, women ages 19-50 should consume 46 grams of protein per day, and men 56 grams per day; these values increase in tandem with age and physical activity level. However, unless you’re a highly competitive athlete training multiple times per day or struggling with malnutrition, you might not need as much protein as you think. Here are some of the ways you might be overdoing it with protein—and what you can do about it!

Calorie density in protein

Some people might think that high-protein diets will cause them to overeat or eat more because of the increased amount of protein they are consuming, but in reality it's the total amount of calories consumed in a day that affects weight and not just what types of macronutrients are present. Protein is important for building muscle mass and maintaining tissues, but there are limits to how much we actually need. Current dietary guidelines recommend that adults should aim for 0.36-0.4 grams of protein per kilogram body weight. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) states that there are 7 grams of protein in one egg, which equals about 4 percent of your daily allowance at breakfast. Other good sources include nuts and peanut butter, milk, eggs, chicken breast, turkey breast and fish like tilapia. 

Some people who are on low carb diets may be limiting their carbohydrates intake so some may worry about the lack of carbs being offset by eating too much meat. However if these individuals also have higher levels of physical activity then they can still meet their requirements without having to worry about cutting out other foods groups or putting themselves at risk for deficiencies like calcium which can be found primarily in dairy products like milk and cheese.

Macronutrients and Micronutrients

Protein is the building block of muscle and is found in many common foods such as meat, beans, eggs, and dairy. There are two types of proteins - complete proteins that provide all essential amino acids and incomplete proteins that lack one or more amino acids. Eggs, dairy products, soybeans and certain grains such as quinoa are good sources of complete proteins while meat, nuts and other plant-based products are good sources of incomplete proteins. Too much protein can lead to negative health outcomes such as kidney stones or impaired kidney function but not enough may also have negative effects. You don't necessarily need to have a diet high in protein for it to be beneficial for your body: rather the benefits lie in having a balanced diet rich in nutrients from various food groups. Studies show that most adults only need about 0.36 grams per kilogram per day which would mean someone who weighs 130 pounds would require about 46 grams of protein per day. A well-balanced meal consisting of lean meat, vegetables and whole grains would typically meet this requirement without any additional supplementation needed!

Carbohydrates

Protein is one of the most confusing nutrient categories, with many athletes and fitness enthusiasts wondering how much they really need. Let's take a look at the macronutrient to see if we can sort things out. Protein is a necessary part of human nutrition and important for building muscle and repairing tissue after exercise sessions. There are two types of protein-complete proteins and incomplete proteins. Complete proteins contain all nine essential amino acids, which are found in meat, fish, eggs, beans, soy products and quinoa (a gluten-free grain). Incomplete proteins do not contain all nine essential amino acids but still provide plenty of high-quality calories to help maintain healthy weight levels. These come from sources such as nuts, seeds, grains and vegetables. So what does this mean for people who want to eat less animal protein and more plant-based foods? If someone eats enough variety in their diet that includes some animal sources like poultry or seafood then they should be able to get adequate amounts of complete protein from other sources so long as they are eating enough food volume overall. Some people might be surprised to find that when following a vegetarian or vegan diet that there is still no shortage of complete proteins available!

Intra-Workout Protein Sources

When we exercise, our muscles break down and are rebuilt. That's where the protein from these foods becomes handy. A study at the University of Texas found that after an hour-long session of weight lifting, those who consumed whey post-workout had a 20% greater increase in muscle mass than those who did not have any supplemental protein at all. Whey is an excellent intra-workout source for rapidly replenishing lost muscle tissue - I mix a scoop in with my drink on training days so that I have it ready to go when I get back from my workout. For every 45g of carbohydrate intake your body can oxidize only 8g of fat.

Post-Workout Protein Consumption

There's a lot of misinformation floating around that people should consume a hefty amount of protein after their workout to recover. But is this really necessary? Should your calorie allotment be higher if you exercise intensely? These are the questions we hope to answer today. We reached out to Joy Lanovaz, RDN, LD and Boston-based registered dietician to find out if there is any truth in these beliefs and what we should be mindful of while exercising. 

Generally speaking, the conventional wisdom among health professionals recommends consuming about 25 grams of quality whey or soy protein powder within 30 minutes of ending an intense workout.

Other Important Nutrients

1. Which sources of protein are most important in your diet? 

2. What amount of protein do people actually need on a daily basis? 

3. What foods contain all 9 essential amino acids (I call them the complete proteins) ?

4. Why does it matter if we're not getting enough complete proteins, or eating too much of one kind of protein, in our diets? 

5. How can I get more complete proteins into my diet?

6. What about vegetarian and vegan options for protein-rich foods? Vegetarians should be mindful that they may not be consuming enough dairy products and eggs to meet their needs for high quality protein. Vegans should consume soy products, such as tempeh, tofu and soy milk to meet their needs for high quality protein; legumes (beans), nuts, seeds and whole grains also provide good sources of high quality plant proteins. 7. Remember that we should have at least one serving from each food group each day to get the nutrients we need! You might be surprised how easy this is with so many delicious choices!

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