Protein is the building block of life. Protein is the glue that ties each cell in your body together and makes up numerous key hormones and antibodies, from your hair to your fingernails to your muscles. That is why it is important to include adequate protein in your daily diet. According to new research, how much you need depends on a variety of variables, including your diet, age, health, exercise level, and if you're pregnant. But how much do you truly need in a day? We'll show you how much protein you need to consume, how to calculate your requirements, how much protein is too much, and which folks may need more. Here's everything you need to know about getting the correct amount of protein should you eat per day in your diet.
How Much Protein Do You Require on a Daily Basis?
Adults 19 years of age and older should take 10 to 35 percent of their daily calories from protein, according to current Institute of Medicine recommendations published in 2002. For a 2,000-calorie diet, that's around 200 to 700 calories from protein. Multiplying 0.8 grammes of protein per kilogramme of your body weight is another technique to figure out how much protein you need each day. This equates to 54 grammes of protein for a 150-pound woman and 65 grammes for a 180-pound man, according to simple arithmetic.
Here are some examples of how 10 grammes of protein might be represented:
- 2 eggs (tiny)
- peanut butter, 2 1/2 tbsp.
- 1 cup quinoa (cooked)
- 3/4 cup black beans, cooked
- 1 cup oats, uncooked
- a half cup of Greek yoghurt
Meat is an apparent source of protein, and here's a quick way to figure out how much protein is in most meats: A single ounce of beef has 7 grammes of protein, whereas a 3- to 4-ounce serving (about the size of an iPhone 6) contains approximately 30 grammes. In this guide to protein serving sizes, you can see what normal protein portions look like and how much chicken, eggs, and other foods contain.
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However, the IOM's guidelines specify the minimal quantity of protein you should consume to prevent deficiency in this essential nutrient. (Not eating enough protein may lead to muscular atrophy and other health problems.) According to a new study, aiming for more, between 1.3 and 1.8 grams/kilogram of body weight (about 88 to 122 grammes for women, 105 to 145 grammes for men), may be beneficial to health, particularly when it comes to preventing age-related muscle loss.
Is it possible that I need more protein?
So, you're free to have the 12-ounce steak for dinner? No, not at all.
Protein shortage is uncommon in the United States, and there's no need to "beef" up your consumption if you consume a diversified diet. However, how you distribute your protein throughout the day may be just as important—if not more so—than how much you consume.
Protein intake in the United States is skewed: we generally eat less protein in the morning and more in the evening. However, research shows that equally dividing your protein intake is the most effective approach to maintain your muscles.
According to research published in the Journal of Nutrition, those who ate roughly 30 grammes of protein at each meal-breakfast, lunch, and dinner-had 25% more muscle gain than those who ate the same total amount predominantly in the evening.
read also: 10 Healthy Late-Night Snacks
"Because we don't have a storage form of protein in our bodies other than our muscles," explains Jessica Crandall, R.D.N, a certified personal trainer and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, "if we're not consuming protein at each meal, we may be losing muscle mass." Also, if you have reduced muscular mass, your metabolism may slow down (which makes it harder to lose weight).
Try two eggs, a cup of yoghurt, and some fruit for breakfast, or 3/4 cup oats, 1/2 cup Greek yoghurt, and a handful of pumpkin seeds. For a protein boost at lunch, put half a chicken breast or half a can of beans into your salad.
How Much Protein Is Too Much?
When you eat too much protein, you risk losing out on important nutrients like fibre and healthy fats. That's why doctors recommend sticking to a protein intake of one-third of your daily calories and a daily limit of 2 grammes per kilogramme of body weight. This equates to roughly 140-160 grammes each day. Overconsumption of some protein sources, such as red meat, has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and certain malignancies, so mix up your protein sources to get the most bang for your buck.
Also, don't worry about kidney stones or osteoporosis as a result of your protein consumption. (The issue is that protein digestion produces acids that must be neutralised by calcium, which may be drained from bones.) In fact, a new study suggests that eating within the higher suggested range may be advantageous to bone health, particularly when calcium is consumed in sufficient amounts. Protein consumption is unlikely to damage you unless you have renal problems.
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