How Much Protein Do You Really Need?

So you heard that too much protein is unhealthy and can raise your risk of diabetes, cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Or maybe you’ve heard that not enough protein can lead to muscle wastage and fatigue? One thing is sure: that right amount of protein is essential for the healthy growth of all of your body tissues – such as your muscles (including your heart), internal organs (such as your lungs and liver) and skin – and also for repair of these tissues. On top of this, it’s a good source of energy too. So how much is enough and are you getting enough?

There are plenty of research studies that suggest a high protein diet increases the risk of chronic disease but by simply delving a little deeper the picture is a little different. Firstly it’s important to know that when a diet is described as ‘high protein’ it doesn’t reveal the quality of the whole diet or where the protein comes from. The term “high protein” in research studies is often used for diets high in animal protein and processed food. But the reality is that a high protein diet that balances protein from lean sources of animal protein as well as whole plant food proteins can in fact be very healthy.

A good example of this is a recent research study from the University of California, which linked high protein diets to a reduced lifespan and increased cancer risk.

Looking at the study in more detail it is clear that those people eating diets high in animal protein had the higher risk of disease and cancer, not those eating protein from mostly plant sources. This is why its recommended to eat not just animal protein but also protein from plant foods such as legumes, grains and nuts, which helps you get a broader range of nutrients. Where high protein diets are linked to diabetes and other health problems it is likely to be the result of diets high in both processed food and animal protein, not just protein itself.

So that brings us back to what is a healthy amount of protein? Put simply, it depends on your age and sex. Men typically need more protein than women and the over 70s need more than younger adults. Current Australian Guidelines recommends 19 to 70 year old men should have about 64g protein every day, while women in the same age group require 46g per day. Men over 70 should have 81g daily whilst women need 57g per day.

To confuse matters further, your protein requirement also increases if you’re a regular exerciser. The 2010 International Olympic Committee Conference on Nutrition Sport recommends a protein intake of 1.3 to 1.8g per kilo of body weight per day for athletes and regular exercisers – and to consume some protein less than four hours before training and less than two hours after.

So now you know how much protein you need, its important to know where to get it. Here are some examples of high quality protein sources:

10 g of protein in 250mls of reduced fat milk, 120g tofu, and 200g yoghurt;

16g of protein in a cup of cooked legumes;

6g of protein in an egg;

36 g of protein in 150g cooked fish; and

40g of protein in 150g beef or chicken.

Other easy sources of protein are nuts and seeds, which can be eaten as snacks or added to other meals. Almonds and pistachios have the most protein with around 6g proteins per 30g handful; a tablespoon of chia seeds has around 3g of protein. Whole grain breads with added seeds are also typically higher in protein than other breads.  Using quinoa as a substitute for rice or couscous provides a good source of protein as it has double the amount of most grains.

So the last piece of the puzzle is when should you eat protein? For building muscle it’s suggested to spread protein intake evenly across the day rather than eating most of it at dinner because your body can only process around 25 to 30 g of protein at once.