Protein is an essential nutrient for good health. It is the “glue” that holds your body cells together. You need it to strengthen your bones and to make blood, antibodies, hair, connective tissues, enzymes, and much more.
That is the primary reason why consuming enough protein in your daily diet is critical. But, just how much protein do you need per day? The truth is that there is no universal answer to this question.
In fact, research shows that the amount of protein you need depends on a wide range of factors such as age, health status, gender, and activity level. In this article, we look at the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) and some of the best sources of this vital nutrient.
What Is the Recommended Daily Dietary Allowance?
According to the Harvard Medical School, the recommended dietary allowance for protein is 0.8 grams of lean protein per kilo of body weight. In this case, “grams of protein” refers to the exact amount of protein contained in your diet and not the grams of a protein-containing food such as eggs or meat.
For instance, an 8-ounce serving of beef steak weighs approximately 226 grams but only contains about 60 grams of protein. Similarly, an average-size egg that you may order in a Pointe Claire restaurant weighs approximately 46 grams, but it only packs five to six grams of protein.
However, you need to keep in mind that the recommended daily dietary allowance is the minimum amount of protein that you need to avoid developing diseases. It is not the specific amount of protein that you need to consume every day.
To determine your recommended daily protein intake, take your exact body weight in pounds and multiply it by 0.36 or your body weight in kilograms and multiply it by 0.8. For a healthy person who weighs 100 pounds and doesn’t exercise, he or she will require 100×0.36 = 36 grams of protein every day.
Do You Need More Protein?
For an active person, a daily protein intake required to meet the recommended daily allowance would supply as little as ten percent of his/her total daily calories. In comparison, the average Canadian consumes about 16% of his/her daily calories in the form of protein, from both animal and plant sources.
This is not excessive at all. In fact, research shows that Canadians consume too little protein, not too much. Some of the potential benefits of higher daily protein intake include a healthy immune system and strong muscles that contain less fat.
But, you need to keep in mind that protein is much more effective if you space it out over your day’s meals and snacks other than loading up at dinner, the way many Canadians do.
Make sure that you eat a small portion of it in the morning before you leave for work, another small portion at lunch in your favorite Pointe-Claire restaurant and the rest at dinner.
What Are the Good Sources of proteins?
A wide range of animal foods such as fish, dairy products, poultry, eggs, and meat are good sources of protein. The nutrient is also available in plant foods such as legumes, tempeh, tofu, beans, fermented soy products, and nuts.