How many proteins do we need?

1.      Do we eat enough protein?

Generally, yes.

2.      How much protein do we need?

It really depends on several factors: your body weight, your level of physical activity, your age your gender, and whether you’re eating enough calories to maintain your current weight or if you’re dieting.

3.      What are the International guidelines for protein requirements?

Anywhere from 10% to 35% of your calories should come from protein. So if your needs are 2,000 calories, that’s 200–700 calories from protein or 50–175 grams. The recommended dietary allowance to prevent deficiency for an average sedentary adult is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. 

4.      Do we need more protein as getting older?

Once you reach ages 40–50 or losing muscle mass as you age, your protein intake should increase to about 1–1.2 grams per kilogram or 75–90 grams per day for a 75-kilogram person.

5.      What about professional athletes or serious trainers?

Professional athletes or people who exercise regularly have higher needs, about 1.1–1.5 grams per kilogram. People who regularly lift weights, or are training for a running or cycling event need 1.2–1.7 grams per kilogram.

6.      And if am I dieting?

If you’re eating fewer calories than needed to maintain your current body weight—that is, if you’re dieting—the numbers are slightly higher: 1 to 1.4 grams per kg of body weight per day.

7.      When is the best time to consume protein? Do we need to eat proteins right after exercise?

Spread out protein consumption evenly throughout the day. General recommendations are to consume 15–30 grams of protein at each meal. Studies show higher intakes — those more than 40 grams — in one sitting are no more beneficial than the recommended 15–30 grams at one time.

8.      What happens if I eat more protein than this?

It may not significantly increase your lean muscles or improve your results in terms of sports performance —so more is not necessarily better. In a 2014 study of resistance-trained people, those who ate two grams of protein per kg of body weight per day didn’t build more muscle than another group who ate less than one gram per kg of body weight per day. The “extra” proteins are likely going to be stored as adipose tissues as it occurs to extra carbs or extra fats.

9.      Where should we get our protein from? Plant versus animal-based protein food

When we eat food with proteins in it, our digestive system breaks them down into amino acids. There are 20 types of amino acids. Our body uses these 20 amino acids to build up everything we are made of (hormones, enzymes, neurotransmitters, etc), regardless if they come from a cow or an egg, or a broccoli flower. The real difference is to get them from clean, free-range, wild-caught, organic sources.

10.   Are protein shakes and protein bars healthy for most people?

 It depends. They are healthier than a cookie or a donut but less healthy than real natural food.

SOURCES:

Mayo Clinic

Harvard Health Publishing