How Much Protein Do You Actually Need

Have you been down the health food section of your local grocery store lately? Well if you have then you probably noticed the large range of protein products on offer. From protein bars, protein powders, protein supplements… the list goes on and on. Have you ever wondered what protein even is? Well proteins are the main building blocks of your body, used to make muscles, tendons, organs, skin as well as enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters and other various tiny molecules. Without protein, life as you know it would not be possible. 

The amount of protein for the body has been debated for a long time and will most likely continue to be debated. However we have looked into this for all of you lovely people and are here to tell you how much protein you actually need and how you can incorporate protein into your diet. 

Protein requirements change as you age and they vary depending on body weight and gender. Generally protein should make up 15-25% of your total energy intake. The government’s guidelines recommend the following daily intake for people aged 19-70. 

Men: 0.84kg per kilogram of body weight per day. For example, if a man weighs 85kg, his recommended intake is approximately 71g. 

Women: 0.75g per kilogram of body weight per day. For example if a woman weighs 70kg, her recommended intake is approximately 52g. 

For those aged over 70, the recommended daily intake is 81kg a day (or 1.07g per kg of body weight) for men and 57g a day (or 0.94g per kg of body weight) for women. 

Pregnant women need more protein in the second and third trimesters; their protein requirements go up to 1g per kilogram of body weight per day. 

The above information was taken from HCF’s website. 

If you’re wondering what the best sources of protein are then we can also help (don’t we always):

• 85g of cooked lean beef: 22g protein
• 85g salmon: 19g protein
• ½ cup raw oats: 13g protein 
• 1 cup full fat milk: 8g protein
• 1 cup quinoa: 8g protein 
• 1 egg: 6p protein 
• 28g almonds: 6g protein 
• 1 cup chopped broccoli: 3g protein

If you feel that your protein levels aren’t where they should be then we recommend looking into the 20 Delicious High-Protein Foods to Eat and start incorporating them into your diet. Alternatively look into these 22 Healthy High-Protein Recipes to get you started.