In the pursuit of a healthy and well-rounded diet, understanding your daily protein needs is crucial. Protein is an essential nutrient that plays a fundamental role in various bodily functions. But how do you determine the right amount of protein for your unique needs, and how can you ensure you’re getting the right kinds of protein from your diet? In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of calculating your daily protein requirements, explore the diverse protein content found in different foods, and offer insights into how protein can be a valuable ally in building and maintaining muscle mass, regardless of your fitness goals or age.
Your daily protein needs
To calculate your protein needs, you multiply your weight in kilograms by 0.8. Here is the pound-to-kilogram converter. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, your weight in kilograms is 68.
68 x 0.8 = 54.4
You need to eat about 55 grams of protein a day on average. It’s not a problem if you eat more protein one day and less the next day.
Wait a second, how much food is it? – you might be wondering. It gets complicated because foods vary in protein content.
Protein content in different foods
Different foods have different amounts of protein in them. In addition, the quality of protein varies. Animal sources of protein are much closer to what you need to build your own proteins, like muscle fibers, enzymes, receptors, etc. Plants have less protein, and it doesn’t match our needs as perfectly as animal proteins.
Each ounce of animal flesh – seafood, poultry, meats, and hard cheeses – has 7 grams of high-quality protein. So divide your daily protein needs – 55 grams in our example – by 7. So, our 150-pound person needs about 7-8 ounces of animal flesh to meet their daily protein needs. A chicken thigh and three slices of cheese will do the job!
You can see how easy it is for omnivores to get all the protein they need. For vegetarians and, even more so, vegans, it’s not that straightforward. Most plants have low protein content per ounce, at best 2-3 grams, and you must know how to combine foods to get high-quality protein or complete protein.
The best plant sources of protein are pumpkin seeds, pistachios, chia seeds, cashews, and quinoa.
Foods to build muscle
Hormonal stimulation or resistance exercise are two ways to build muscle. You can eat all the protein you want, but if you are not working your muscles, they won’t grow.
You can increase your protein intake to encourage muscle growth if you are already working out a lot. Take your weight in kilograms and multiply it by 1 or even 1.5. For our example of a 150-pound person, protein needs will go up to 70-100 grams daily.
For various reasons, primarily genetic, sex, or age, your muscles might grow slowly, even with exercise and sufficient protein.
Many studies show the importance of maintaining lean body mass for healthy aging. Adding 35 g of whey supplementation, especially after a workout, encourages muscle building even in older adults.
Here are two excellent examples of whey protein powders:
Preserving muscle during weight loss
Lastly, you might be concerned about losing muscle if you are actively losing weight. About 20% of lost weight is indeed lost muscle mass. Conversely, if you lose 20 pounds, about 4 pounds are muscle. However, it’s not a problem based on the current scientific research because:
- Weight loss reduces muscle mass without negatively affecting muscle strength and improves overall physical function.
- Adequate protein intake combined with exercise helps preserve muscle mass during weight loss.
In conclusion
It’s easy to get your daily protein needs met if you eat meat, fish, and dairy. If you are a vegetarian, learn to combine plant sources of protein to get the nutrients that your body requires.