Protein facts.
It may surprise you, but most people don’t get enough protein in their diets or they’re not absorbing it properly. In this article, we’ll dive into the crucial role protein plays in your body, why it’s so important, how your protein needs change over time, the different sources of protein, and how to make sure you’re getting sufficient amounts.
Protein is the building block for tissues, muscles, enzymes, and hormones. It’s essential for growth, repair, and maintaining your cells. Protein helps build and sustain muscle mass and strength, supports your immune system by forming antibodies, and enables important biochemical reactions through enzymes. It also transports molecules throughout your body and keeps your fluid balance in check.
Without enough protein, your body can’t properly repair damaged tissues, maintain muscle mass, or produce vital enzymes and hormones. This can lead to impaired bodily functions and poor overall health. Getting adequate protein is key to keeping your body running smoothly like a well-oiled machine.
Key takeaways
- Protein is essential for your body. It supports tissue repair, immune function, and important biochemical processes. Without enough of it, your overall health can suffer.
- Your needs depend on your life stage, activity level, and health status. That’s why personalized intake recommendations are often needed.
- Fortunately, you can meet your protein needs from a variety of sources – both animal and plant-based. Eating a diverse range of protein-rich foods is key.
How to know if you have adequate intake or need more.
Not eating enough can severely impact your health and well-being. Without proper nutrition, you may experience low energy, muscle loss, declining brain function, poor skin health, weakened immunity, high blood sugar, fatty liver disease, swelling in the abdomen, legs, feet and hands, thinning or brittle hair, slow wound healing, and mood swings.
Overall, inadequate protein intake can significantly affect your physical performance, mental state, and quality of life. It’s important to maintain a balanced, nutritious diet to support your whole-body health.
How much do I need?
Your protein needs shift as you move through the different stages of life.
Infancy.
The amount needed per kilogram of body weight is actually higher in our early years of life. This may come as a surprise. Luckily, breast milk or infant formula provides the adequate protein necessary to support rapid growth and development during this crucial time. In fact, the recommended daily intake (RDI) for infants up to 6 months old is 1.12 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
Childhood.
As children grow, their protein needs change. While it is essential for building muscle and tissues during early development, by age 10, the recommended daily intake (RDI) drops to 0.74g per kilogram of body weight per day.
Adolescence.
During growth spurts, teenagers may need more protein to meet their increased nutritional demands. This can be challenging as they begin to establish their own eating habits, often moving away from family routines and gravitating towards ultra-processed snacks, fast food, and carb-heavy meals.
To help combat this, keep the kitchen stocked with pre-cooked options and easy protein-rich snacks. Encouraging teenagers to get involved in meal prep can also be a great strategy to ensure they’re fueling their bodies properly during these growth phases, rather than relying on “junk food” and carbohydrate-laden choices.
Adulthood.
Protein needs typically stabilize during adulthood, but they remain important for maintaining muscle mass, supporting immune function, and promoting overall health. The recommended daily intake (RDI) for adults is currently 0.8g/kg/day, but most people require more than that – often upwards of 1g/kg/day.
That said, your daily intake should be individualized based on your unique needs. For example, if you exercise 5 days a week (with a mix of cardio and strength training), the RDI of 0.8g/kg may not be enough to maintain good energy levels and muscle mass. For those looking to build muscle, the recommended protein intake ranges from 1.6g/kg/day to 2.2g/kg/day. And if you’re convalescing or recovering from surgery, you may need even more protein – around 1.5g/kg of body weight – to help your body heal.
To give you a concrete example, if you weigh 63 kg, your daily protein requirement would be 94.5g. You could divide this up into 30g of protein per meal and use the table further down this page to see how various foods can help you meet your needs.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding.
During pregnancy, your body’s protein needs rise substantially to fuel the growth and development of your baby. The general recommendation is to increase your protein intake by around 20 grams per day compared to when you’re not pregnant.
Older adults.
As we get older, our protein needs may increase slightly. This can help counteract age-related muscle loss and maintain our strength and function. However, protein digestion can become more challenging in the later years. So for some people, digestive support may be helpful.
When thinking about your intake, consider more than just your life stage. Also factor in your activity level, lifestyle, overall health, and whether your digestion could use a boost. A functional medicine practitioner can work with you to determine the ideal protein goal based on your unique health, age, and personal goals.
Top protein sources.
The protein food group encompasses a wide variety of options, both animal-based and plant-based. Animal-derived proteins include meat, fish, poultry, and eggs. Plant-based proteins can be found in foods like peas, tofu, tempeh, legumes, beans, nuts, and seeds. Protein powders can also be a convenient way to help meet your daily protein needs, whether mixed into smoothies or added to meals.
To give you a visual, here’s an overview of what 30 grams of protein looks like across some common protein sources.
- Eggs (small to medium) 5 eggs
- Chicken breast 100g
- Chicken thigh 80g
- Turkey breast 100g
- Turkey (other meat) 120g
- Veal 100g
- Minced beef 120g
- Steak 100g
- Lamb 100g
- Ham/pork 100g
- Fish (white) 120g
- Tuna (canned) 150g
- Salmon (canned) 135g
- Salmon (smoked) 135g
- Salmon (fillets) 125g
- Scallops 135g
- Pawns cooked 135g
- Cheese, Cheddar 120g
- Cheese, Cottage 180g
- Cheese, Ricotta 300g
- Low fat Yogurt 555g
- Skim Milk937 ml
- Soy, Tofu (not silken) 250g
- Soy, Tofu (silken) 430g
- Beans/Legumes 375g
- Tempeh 150g
To check if you’re getting enough, try tracking your food intake for a few days or, even better, a whole week. An app like Chronometer can make this easy – just log your meals and snacks, then see if you’re meeting your recommended daily intake (RDI). Keep in mind, though, that the standard RDI may not be sufficient for your individual needs.
When to eat protein.
Eating protein with every meal and snack is crucial. Protein helps stabilize your blood sugar and keeps you feeling full and satisfied.
Skimping can lead to blood sugar spikes, low energy, muscle loss, cognitive issues, skin problems, and a weakened immune system.
Can I eat too much protein?
While increasing your protein intake can have benefits, it’s important to find the right balance. Too much protein has a downside – it can’t be stored and may even be converted to fat, though it’s not a major contributor compared to fats and carbs. Excess protein can also create acidity in the body if it’s not balanced with plenty of fruits and veggies.
The key is to get your protein, carbs, and essential fatty acids in the right proportions for optimal health. You want to hit that sweet spot – not too little protein, but not too much either. With the right nutrient balance, you can maximize the benefits of a high-protein diet.
How digestive function affects absorption of protein.
Digestive problems like low stomach acid, SIBO, pancreatic issues, liver or gallbladder disease, and chronic stress can all make it harder for your body to properly break down and absorb protein.
But the good news is that working with our functional medicine practitioner to treat, support, and correct these digestive health issues can get your body back on track to efficiently digesting and absorbing the important nutrients in protein.
Are you getting enough protein?
When it comes to getting enough protein, a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work. Your individual protein needs depend on factors like your stage of life, physical activity level, health status (whether you’re well or recovering from an illness), your goals (weight loss, muscle gain), and your gender and age.
Working with a functional medicine practitioner is a great way to determine your personal protein requirements. They can provide testing and guidance on supplementation, if needed. This personalized approach will ensure you’re getting the right amount of this important nutrient.
