So in today’s post, we will take a closer look at the role of protein in our diet. We will delve into the quality of the protein you are eating. And we will help you calculate out how much protein you need yourself!

First, lets take a look at the protein fact file:

Protein is a macronutrient, meaning that we need it in relatively large amounts in our diet. We measure our protein needs in grams rather than micrograms.

Protein provides us with energy, also known as calories. We get 4 kcal per gram of protein.

Proteins are mostly made of carbons, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen, and can have other elements as part of their structure.

Proteins are made from smaller components called amino acids, which form chains. Our bodies can make several of these amino acids ourselves, which we call non-essential amino acids.

Some amino acids however can not be made by our body. Therefor it is essential that we get these from our diet. We call these essential amino acids.

Proteins play many important roles in our body.

Their main role is the growth and repair of our cells and tissues. They also form many key enzymes and hormones. And they are involved in keeping our immune systems healthy and transporting nutrients, hormones and other important structures around our bodies.

Another benefit of including regular portions of proteins in your meals are that it can help you to feel fuller for longer. It will therefore delay you feeling hungry so quickly. This is something I often recommend to my clients when supporting them to manage their weights.

So you may have heard of people referring to some foods as being a source of “good quality protein”. And then others as “bad quality proteins”.

This may refer to the biological value of a protein. When a food contains all of the 9 essential amino acids (the ones that our body cannot make) then we call that protein a “high biological value” protein. So a good quality protein. A protein that has “low biological value” simply means it is missing one or more of these essential amino acids.

Foods with high biological value protein are mostly animal foods such as meat, fish, chicken, eggs and dairy foods.

However, you may wonder how vegans (people who do not eat any animals foods) get their full range of essential amino acids.

Well, for example, rice in certain quantities may not provide enough of an essential amino acid called lysine. However, it has plenty of another essential amino acid called methionine.

Meanwhile, chickpeas in a similar quantity does not provide enough of the Methionine, but has plenty of Lysine. So, by combining the rice and chickpeas in a meal, they complement each other. In doing so, they provide you with the full range of essential amino acids.

Basically, if vegans eat a varied diet, with a lovely mixture of pulses and grains over the course of their day, they are likely to get their full range of amino acids.

By the way, I have included a great reference guide on the amounts of protein in foods in this link. This can help you figure out your daily protein intake. And it will allow you to pick foods that will add up to your daily protein needs.

So how much protein do you actually need in a day?

Well this will depend a lot on your age, your activity levels and your levels of inflammation.

Firstly looking at how our age affects our protein needs.

We see that as you get older, your muscles become less sensitive to protein. This can lead to muscle wasting and can make it harder for older people to build muscle when exercising.

Adults under 65 years of age are recommended to take about 0.75grams of protein per kilo of body weight. However we would recommend for healthy older adults to aim for possibly 1 gram per kilo.

We also recommend that older adults spread out their protein evenly between breakfast, lunch and dinner. This will allow their muscles to get a consistent supply of protein throughout the day. It often means a little more protein is needed at breakfast, which is usually the meal that is lowest in protein.

Eggs, milk and yoghurts are great ways in to include some extra protein at breakfast.

Next, we need to look at your activity levels when recommending how much protein you need.

If you occasionally go for a run, or to the gym, you will unlikely need to supplement your diet with extra protein.

Our average diet usually exceeds the recommended protein needs for most people already. So you are likely already getting more than enough protein. However, research suggests that athletes who do regular heavy and strenuous training sessions may benefit from a small amount of extra protein with their post-training carbohydrate and fluid snack. We recommend that this snack should contain approximately 0.2g per kilo body weight.

And lastly, when your body is struggling with an infection or inflammation, you may benefit from some extra protein also.

This may help your recovery and may reduce muscle wasting. Protein needs may go as high as 1.2 to 2grams per kilo of body weight. Yet this will vary greatly based on your condition.

Be aware that protein needs can vary greatly from person to person, and the advice in this post is generalised. If you would like to learn more about your specific protein needs, you may benefit from speaking to a qualified dietitian. They can help you toevaluate your diet and your health and provide you with more specific advice!

So realistically, while protein shakes and bars may have their role in the diet of a top athlete, the majority of us can benefit just as much from eating a healthy and well balanced diet. This diet should that contain small amounts of lean meat, low fat dairy and eggs. Or otherwise a nice variety of vegetarian alternatives and pulses and grains. And these foods taste a little better that a protein shake as well, if you ask me!

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