Protein is one of the three macronutrients.
The current recommendation, based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, is that 10-35% of your calories come from protein. To be more specific, the suggested amount of protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, for an average and moderately active person.
How to calculate grams of protein needed:
To convert your body weight into kilograms, simply divide your weight in pounds by 2.2, then multiply this number by 0.8 grams and this will give you an estimate of the number of grams of protein you need per day.
For example, a 140 pound person weighs 64 kilograms (140/2.2). The recommended amount of protein for this individual is 51 grams (64 x 0.8) per day minimum, spread over meals and snacks.
However, this recommendation does not take into consideration muscular activity, metabolic needs based on genetics or exercise. Therefore, slightly increasing this number to 0.9-1.1 grams of protein per kilogram or higher may be beneficial if you are a regular exerciser or altering your macronutrients due to individual goals. Just remember that this general recommendation is per kilogram of body weight.
Is it more difficult to get protein from plant foods?
Adequate protein intake is a common concern associated with vegetarian diets due to the fact that most plant proteins are considered incomplete – that is, they do not contain all of the essential amino acids like animal foods do. (Essential amino acids are the amino acids our body cannot produce on its own and, therefore, must be ingested through the diet.) However, plant foods can be consumed together or throughout the day to provide all of the essential amino acids. While one item may be low in one essential amino acid, the other item may be high in that amino acid and low in another. Consuming them together, or throughout the day, will provide all of the essential amino acids by adding to the “amino acid pool” in the body. These are called complementary proteins. It takes two to four days for the endogenous amino acid pool to flux so, although variety is important, complementary plant proteins do not need to be consumed at the same meal. As long as complementary plant proteins are consumed within a day or two of each other, all of the essential amino acids will be adequately consumed. In addition, almost all foods, except alcohol and sugar, contain some protein. A half-cup of beans has about the same amount of protein as one ounce of meat.
If the numbers are too much, don’t worry! Most important is that you are eating a variety of protein sources throughout the day. Ideally, to minimize muscle loss, it’s advised to consume protein about every 4 hours – really looking to ingest about 2.5 g of Leucine, an essential branched chain amino acid that the body cannot produce. Leucine is found in a variety of protein rich foods, including nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, cheese – as well as fish, chicken, beef, and pork.
If you would like to book an initial consultation and learn how we can help you get started on the road to optimal health and fitness, please contact me.
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