My brain is hurting after a very busy spring, so I thought I’d take a ‘back to basics’ approach to the summer columns, with a series on macronutrients. The three macronutrients include carbohydrates, protein and fat, and there is a lot of confusion out there about how much of each to eat. In fact, there are a lot of swirling opinions on when and how to eat them too, but for now we’ll try to stay focused on the basics.
First, I’ll talk about protein. Everyone (myself included!) seems to be saying, “I need to eat more protein.” Spoiler alert: Yes, you probably should.
You probably think about muscles when you think about protein. But protein does a lot more than just contribute to growth; it also helps repair and maintain our tissues, hormones, immune system, and more. We can also get energy from protein, to the tune of 4 calories per gram.
The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for protein is .8 grams per kilogram of body weight. (You can easily convert your weight in pounds to kilograms by dividing by 2.2.) Generally, 10-35% of your daily calorie intake should come from protein. So, someone on a 2,000 calorie diet should consume about 200-700 calories from protein, which works out to 50-178 grams of protein per day.
As you can see, that’s a pretty large range. I already told you that you probably aren’t eating enough protein. Why?
First of all, protein foods like meat and eggs are more expensive than carbohydrates, like potatoes and apples. Also, almost all require some degree of preparation, such as cooking, while packaged, ‘convenience’ foods are easier to grab and go during our busy days.
Second, the RDA is designed to meet basic nutrition needs, so think of it as a ‘minimum.’ For an active adult, the minimum amount of protein—or any nutrient—may be too little.
Instead, consider your activity level and wellness goals. If you are active or looking to build muscle, increasing your protein intake would be wise. Likewise, if you’re trying to lose weight, increasing protein at the expense of low-quality carbohydrates is a good idea. Even if you’re older and more sedentary, your goals should still include maintaining muscle mass, so don’t skimp on the protein.
Instead, aim for about 1.6 grams of protein per kg of body weight, as studies have shown that amount is sufficient for muscle growth and athletic improvement. That looks like 109 grams of protein per day for a 150-pound person, and 145 grams for a 200-pound person.
Timing matters when it comes to protein intake, too. There is an upper limit to how much protein your body can metabolize at a certain time, so consuming more would be a waste. Aim for about 30 grams of protein at each meal, and 10-15 grams with a snack. Also, if your goal is to build muscle, consuming protein within 30 minutes of weight training is ideal. Lastly, protein (as well as fat!) promotes satiety and feelings of fullness, which are especially helpful if you’re trying to lose weight. Make sure every meal and snack you consume includes protein so you aren’t reaching for another snack soon after.
Lastly, consider a protein’s quality. Proteins are made up of amino acids, which are the building blocks of our bodies. We can make some of them on our own, but we have to consume the rest, which are called ‘essential’ amino acids. Most meat and dairy proteins are what we call ‘complete’ proteins, which means they include all nine essential amino acids. Very few plant-based proteins are complete proteins, so it’s important for vegetarians and vegans to consume ‘complementary’ proteins at each meal, like beans and rice together.
Also, animal-based proteins tend to be higher in grams of protein per ounce than plant proteins. For example, meat (beef, poultry and fish) has about 7 grams of protein per ounce, while a half-cup of beans has 7 grams of protein. So, in a serving of meat, you would consume about 21 grams of protein, while you’d still get only 7 grams in your half-cup serving of beans.
Protein foods include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, beans, nuts and seeds. Be sure to read your nutrition labels to find out how many grams of protein are in each serving. Additionally, protein powders can be used to help increase protein intake. Protein powders now come in a variety of types (dairy or plant-based) and flavors; they make a great addition to smoothies alongside some plain Greek yogurt.
I encourage everyone to calculate your approximate protein needs, and then take a day or two to assess how much you’re consuming. If it’s not enough, try adding more into your diet and see how you feel!
Next month: Fats!
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