It is undeniable that protein is an essential substance or more scientifically – biomolecule for human nutrition.
Protein helps to function normally in different parts of the body: bones, hair, blood, cognitive tissue, enzymes, antibodies, etc. Some people might notice that some athletes and bodybuilders have overdosed on protein, and the body doesn’t look that healthy. That’s one of the cases when a question “How much protein should a person consume per day?” steps.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) states that protein should be 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. The RDA indicates “the amount of a nutrient you need to meet your basic nutritional requirements.”[1] The minimum amount prevents you from getting sick, so it is an absolute minimum, but the recommended amount is higher. According to RDA, eating 10% of the daily calories in the form of protein is enough.
How much protein to consume?
According to Nancy Rodriguez, one of 40 nutrition scientists who gathered to Washington, D.C., for a “Protein Summit”[2], even 15% -25% of daily calories is good. It can help to preserve muscle strength, have good fat-burning metabolism, even age. The number can be lower or higher depending on sex, age, and activity level. This estimation corresponds to the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans that suggests having 10%-35% daily calories from protein.
The effect of protein also becomes more visible if there is a proper diet. Board-certified nutrition specialist Chen Ben Asher suggests to avoid snacks and choose food with more proteins.
Good protein sources:
• Meat (beef, pork, poultry, turkey, chicken)
• Dietary products (cheese, milk, eggs)
• Plant foods (grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts) You might also be interested in how many fruits to eat per day.
• Greek yogurt
• Pasta
It is good to consider also other nutrients like fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, etc. that usually come along with protein. Good protein sources have a low level of saturated fat and processed carbohydrates but are rich in many other nutrients. Eating more protein also means that it is necessary to follow the daily calorie intake to make it steady. Also, processed foods like processed meat is not a good choice for health or weight loss.
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Protein is necessary for everyone’s daily meal. Every product has a label with an exact amount of protein, but it is also essential to understand what good sources are. The amount of protein needed also differs among various people, so it is good to visit a specialist to help you manage your diet so that your body would get the best amount of protein. That way, you can not only help your body to stay healthy but also lose some weight. This choice is like having a one-shot deal.
REFERENCE:
[1] How much protein do you need every day? Accessed from: http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-much-protein-do-you-need-every-day-201506188096rel=”nofollow”
[2] Introduction to Protein Summit 2.0: continued exploration of the impact of high-quality protein on optimal health. Accessed from: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/101/6/1317S.fullrel=”nofollow”