“Protein is King” – Dr. Spencer Nadolsky
Protein is incredibly important.
If we don’t get enough from the diet, our health and body composition suffers.
However, there are vastly different opinions on how much protein we actually need.
Most official nutrition organizations recommend a fairly modest protein intake.
The DRI (Dietary Reference Intake) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound.
This amounts to:
56 grams per day for the average sedentary man.
46 grams per day for the average sedentary woman.
Although this meager amount may be enough to prevent downright deficiency, studies show that it is far from sufficient to ensure optimal health and body composition.
It turns out that the “right” amount of protein for any one individual depends on many factors… including activity levels, age, muscle mass, physique goals and current state of health.
There are also some plants that are fairly high in protein, like quinoa, legumes and nuts.
All of this being said, I don’t think there is any need for most people to actually tracktheir protein intake.
If you’re just a healthy person trying to stay healthy, then simply eating quality protein with most of your meals (along with nutritious plant foods) should bring your intake into an optimal range.
When I say “grams of protein” – I mean grams of the macronutrient protein, not grams of a protein containing food like meat or eggs.
An 8 ounce serving of beef weighs 226 grams, but it only contains 61 grams of actual protein. A large egg weighs 46 grams, but it only contains 6 grams of protein.
This amounts to:
56-91 grams per day for the average male.
46-75 grams per day for the average female.
But given that there is no evidence of harm and significant evidence of benefit, I think it is better for most people to err on the side of more protein rather than less.
Protein is incredibly important.
If we don’t get enough from the diet, our health and body composition suffers.
However, there are vastly different opinions on how much protein we actually need.
Most official nutrition organizations recommend a fairly modest protein intake.
The DRI (Dietary Reference Intake) is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound.
This amounts to:
56 grams per day for the average sedentary man.
46 grams per day for the average sedentary woman.
Although this meager amount may be enough to prevent downright deficiency, studies show that it is far from sufficient to ensure optimal health and body composition.
It turns out that the “right” amount of protein for any one individual depends on many factors… including activity levels, age, muscle mass, physique goals and current state of health.
How to Get Enough Protein in Your Diet
The best sources of protein are meats, fish, eggs and dairy products. They have all the essential amino acids that your body needs.There are also some plants that are fairly high in protein, like quinoa, legumes and nuts.
All of this being said, I don’t think there is any need for most people to actually tracktheir protein intake.
If you’re just a healthy person trying to stay healthy, then simply eating quality protein with most of your meals (along with nutritious plant foods) should bring your intake into an optimal range.
What “Grams of Protein” Really Means
This is a very common misunderstanding…When I say “grams of protein” – I mean grams of the macronutrient protein, not grams of a protein containing food like meat or eggs.
An 8 ounce serving of beef weighs 226 grams, but it only contains 61 grams of actual protein. A large egg weighs 46 grams, but it only contains 6 grams of protein.
What About The Average Person?
If you’re at a healthy weight, you don’t lift weights and you don’t exercise much, then aiming for 0.36 to 0.6 grams per pound (or 0.8 to 1.3 gram per kg) is a reasonable estimate.This amounts to:
56-91 grams per day for the average male.
46-75 grams per day for the average female.
But given that there is no evidence of harm and significant evidence of benefit, I think it is better for most people to err on the side of more protein rather than less.
