How much protein do you actually need each day, and can real food provide enough? In this video, we look at protein recommendations and how needs change with age and activity level.
Protein and Real Food: Part 1 (Video)
A practical look at protein without hype, supplements, or fad diet messaging.
Read the video transcript
Protein is one of the most highly debated elements of food in modern nutrition. Faced with the latest US government recommendations, and the advertising of protein powders, high-protein snacks and fad diets, many people are left wondering, how much protein do I really need, and can I get enough from real food alone? The answers to these questions are a little complicated by fact that age, activity, health goals, and food quality all factor into protein needs. Let’s dig into the details, starting with how much protein people should eat every day.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance, or RDA, for protein is currently about 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. That’s about 46 grams per day for a 120 pound adult woman and 65 grams per day for a 180 pound man.
However, research suggests that that protein level is appropriate only for adults who are not active. Many experts consider it to be a minimum requirement rather than an optimum amount.
According to that research, active adults should get at least 1.0 to 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight. That’s around 60 to 65 grams per day for a 120 pound woman and 90 to 95 grams a day for a 180 pound man. And even if they are not very active, older adults also need that extra protein to develop and maintain muscle tissue.
Athletes need more protein, especially if they are doing strength training, and protein needs also rise during chronic illness or recovery from illness.
And it’s useful to know that that body doesn’t store protein, so it’s best to spread your protein intake over the day so there’s always enough in the body for its immediate needs.
The good news is that people who eat a real food diet will generally get the protein they need without having to pay much attention to it. That’s well above the RDA, and suitable for most of the American population. If you lead a physically active life or are over 65—or both—you might want to pay attention to the protein content of your meals. And if you’re an athlete, then you will want to monitor to your protein intake rather closely to make sure you’re getting enough.
That covers protein requirements. Part 2 of this video tells you what you can eat to meet those requirements. You might be surprised.
Fundamentals of Health Alliance
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Fundamentals of Health Alliance is a nonprofit public benefit corporation that provides reliable educational resources and programs to help individuals better understand matters related to human health.
