Protein is an essential macronutrient that plays many important roles in the body. Consuming adequate protein is important for building and maintaining muscle mass, supporting weight loss, and keeping you feeling full. But how much protein do you really need each day? Many people aim for 30 grams, but is that enough?
What is protein and why do we need it?
Protein is a macronutrient that is made up of amino acids. There are 20 different amino acids that link together in different combinations to form the various proteins in foods and the body. Unlike fat and carbohydrates which can be stored in the body, protein cannot be stored for later use.
Protein plays a number of critical roles in the body:
– Building and repairing tissues: Protein is the building block for muscles, bones, skin, hair, and nearly every other part of the body. Consuming adequate protein allows for tissue growth and repair.
– Making hormones, enzymes, and other body chemicals: Many hormones, enzymes, neurotransmitters, and other essential chemicals in the body are made up partially or completely of protein.
– Supporting the immune system: Certain proteins act as antibodies to help defend the body from illness and infection.
– Transporting nutrients: Hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells, carries oxygen from the lungs to other tissues.
– Providing energy: Protein can be used for energy, but it is not the preferred energy source. Only after carbohydrate and fat stores are depleted does the body turn to protein for fuel.
Clearly protein serves many vital roles, which is why consuming enough of this macronutrient is so important.
How much protein do we need each day?
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. This breaks down to:
– 56 grams per day for the average sedentary man
– 46 grams per day for the average sedentary woman
The RDA is the minimum amount needed to prevent a protein deficiency. However, many experts argue that more protein than the RDA is ideal, especially for active individuals or those trying to lose weight. Higher intake recommendations for protein include:
– 1.2 to 2.0 grams per kilogram for athletes and bodybuilders
– 1.0 to 1.5 grams per kilogram for endurance athletes
– 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram for older adults to help maintain muscle mass
– Up to 25-30% of total daily calories from protein for weight loss
So while the RDA provides a minimum benchmark, protein needs likely exceed this amount for many people.
Is 30 grams of protein per day enough?
For a person who weighs around 150 pounds (68 kg), the RDA for protein would be 54g per day. At 30g per day, this person would be getting just over half of the minimum recommended amount.
For more active individuals, athletes, older adults, and those aiming to lose weight, 30g is likely not enough protein. But what about for a sedentary person? Let’s take a closer look.
Potential consequences of not consuming enough protein
Consistently not eating adequate protein over time can lead to the following issues:
– Loss of muscle mass. Without sufficient protein intake, the body will break down muscle for energy and to harvest amino acids for critical proteins.
– Fatigue and weakness. Lacking the amino acids needed to make proteins and chemicals for energy production may result in tiredness, decreased stamina, and reduced strength.
– Increased risk of bone fractures. Protein is a major component of bone, and low protein intake is linked to poorer bone health.
– Extended recovery from injury or illness. Adequate protein supports immune function and tissue repair needed to bounce back after sickness or trauma.
– Increased appetite and cravings. Protein increases satiety signals in the brain. Without enough protein, appetite control may suffer.
– Potential nutritional deficiencies. Protein foods deliver other nutrients like B vitamins, iron, and zinc. Low protein diets may lack these nutrients.
So chronically low protein intake can negatively impact muscle, performance, recovery, and overall health. For a sedentary person, this may translate to increased frailty, poorer quality of life, and loss of independence.
Benefits of consuming adequate protein
Getting sufficient protein – at least the RDA of 0.8g/kg – has been shown to provide the following benefits:
– Preservation of muscle mass. Protein synthesis exceeds breakdown, helping maintain lean muscle, which is particularly important as we age.
– Increased satiety. Protein increases levels of satiety hormones like GLP-1 and PYY to keep you feeling fuller for longer between meals.
– Support a healthy weight. Due to its effects on satiety, sufficient protein can aid weight management and fat loss.
– Improved body composition. Along with strength training, adequate protein helps increase or maintain lean body mass.
– Optimized bone health. Higher protein diets are associated with improved calcium absorption and bone metabolism.
– Lower blood pressure. Replacing refined carbs with protein has been shown to reduce blood pressure.
Getting at least 30g of protein daily allows a sedentary person to reap some of these benefits, but likely not to the full extent possible with higher protein intake.
Best protein food sources
To increase daily protein intake above 30g per day, focus on incorporating more of these high protein foods:
Animal proteins
| Food | Grams of protein (in 100g serving) |
| Chicken breast | 31 |
| Lean beef | 26 |
| Tuna | 25 |
| Salmon | 20 |
| Eggs | 13 |
| Milk | 3.3 |
| Cottage cheese | 11 |
| Yogurt | 10 |
Plant proteins
| Food | Grams of protein (in 100g serving) |
| Tofu | 8 |
| Edamame | 11 |
| Lentils | 9 |
| Black beans | 8.9 |
| Chickpeas | 7.6 |
| Green peas | 5 |
| Nuts & seeds | 10-30 |
Meal ideas to increase protein intake
Here are some meal ideas that provide around 30g protein each:
Breakfast:
– 3 eggs + 2 slices bacon + 1/2 cup cottage cheese (~30g protein)
– Protein smoothie with 1 scoop protein powder, 1 cup milk, 1 cup yogurt (~30g)
– Oatmeal made with milk, topped with nuts and seeds (~15g) + Greek yogurt on the side (~15g)
Lunch:
– Tuna or egg salad made with 3oz tuna or eggs (~20g) on 2 slices of whole grain bread (~8g protein)
– Veggie burger patty (~15g) + 1/4 cup edamame (~5g) + 1 cup milk (~8g)
Dinner:
– 5oz chicken breast (~30g) + 1 cup lentils (~18g)
– 8oz tofu (~20g) stir fry with 1 cup edamame (~11g)
– Veggie chili with kidney beans, lentils, and tofu (~25g per bowl)
– 6oz salmon fillet (~34g) with 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (~10g)
Is protein powder necessary?
It is possible to get all the protein you need through whole food sources. However, protein powder can be a convenient way to increase daily protein, especially if you are vegetarian/vegan or struggling to eat high protein foods.
Whey and casein protein powders are extracted from milk and are highly bioavailable sources. For plant-based options, look for powders made from soy, peas, rice, hemp, or blends.
Aim for 1-2 scoops per day to add 20-40g of supplemental protein on top of your dietary protein intake. Mix into smoothies, oatmeal, or even bake into high protein muffins and bars.
Should you eat more than 30g of protein per day?
While 30g meets the RDA for some sedentary individuals, research shows that more total protein and a higher percentage of calories from protein offers additional health and performance benefits. These benefits are most pronounced when combined with strength training or endurance exercise.
Some examples where higher protein intake is recommended:
– Athletes: 1.2 – 2.0 g/kg to support training demands
– Strength training: Up to 1.6 g/kg to build muscle
– Weight loss: 0.7 – 1.0 g/kg plus 25-30% of calories from protein
– Vegans/vegetarians: 0.9 – 1.3 g/kg to account for lower digestibility plant proteins
– Age 60+: At least 1.0 – 1.2 g/kg to maintain muscle mass
So while 30g per day meets basic needs, increasing total daily protein, particularly with higher quality animal sources, combined with exercise provides significant health and performance advantages for most populations.
Potential downsides of excessive protein
Very high protein intakes exceeding 2.0-2.5g/kg/day are unlikely to provide additional benefits. Protein in large excess can potentially lead to:
– Dehydration. Metabolizing protein requires more water. Increasing fluid intake is important with higher protein diets.
– Increased calcium loss. High protein intake increases calcium excretion but this effect is counteracted if calcium intake is also increased.
– Kidney strain. Healthy kidneys can handle high protein intake. Only those with existing chronic kidney disease need to restrict protein.
– Weight gain if over-consumed. Excess calories from any source leads to fat gain. Higher protein diets still require an overall calorie deficit for weight loss.
For healthy individuals, intakes up to 35% of total calories from protein appear safe and beneficial. Only those with kidney disease require active restriction of dietary protein.
Should you time your protein intake?
Protein timing around exercise and across meals can maximize the benefits of your protein intake:
– Pre/post workout: 20-40g of protein before and after strength training helps stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Whey protein is quickly absorbed.
– Evenly spaced: Distribute protein intake evenly throughout the day. Have ~30g protein per meal to consistently stimulate muscle growth.
– Nighttime: 30-40g of slow digesting casein protein before bed maintains muscle protein synthesis overnight.
So focus on getting sufficient protein at each meal and strategically supplementing around workouts and before bed to optimize results.
Conclusion
While the RDA for protein is 0.8g/kg of body weight per day, many experts recommend higher intakes for optimal health, especially if engaging in strength training, endurance exercise, or trying to lose weight.
Consuming adequate protein helps maintain lean muscle mass, supports satiety and weight management, improves body composition, enhances recovery, and reduces bone loss. More active individuals likely require 1.2-2.0g/kg daily.
For a 150 pound sedentary person, 30g of protein may meet basic minimum needs but provides only about half the recommended protein. Increasing to 50-100g daily from high quality sources like lean meats, eggs, dairy and plant proteins like beans, lentils and soy can help maximize benefits.
So while 30g per day is enough to prevent deficiency, more total protein, ideally evenly spaced throughout the day and timed around workouts, provides significant advantages. For overall health and performance, most individuals should aim for higher than 30g daily.
