How Much Protein Do You Need

People are often concerned about eating the right foods. In North America, however, we rarely worry about whether or not we eat enough protein.

The general recommendation for adults is to eat at least 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight per day. This is equivalent to.36 grams per pound of body weight, about 58 grams for an adult who weighs 160 pounds.

It is important to realize that this recommendation is a "minimum daily requirement." It's not the amount needed to keep you in great shape and is not an optimal amount for many people.

The mean protein intake

According to statistics, the US adults have an average of 15 percent of their calories from protein. It is generally accepted that increasing your intake so it provides you 20 to 25 percent of your total calories could significantly reduce the risk of heart disease.

It is also recommended that you reduce your carbohydrate intake. An additional advantage is that a high protein diet is also beneficial for weight loss.

The exception is that people who have diabetes or kidney disease at an early stage should stick to the recommended intake of 0.8 to 1.0 grams per kilogram of body weight.

Types of proteins

Proteins are made up of amino acids that are the body building blocks. These amino acids that can not be performed by the body are known as essential amino acids. They are called essential because we must get them from our diet.

Consequently, the protein is classified into two categories:

Whole protein - provide all the essential amino acids in food. They are also designated as high quality protein. Examples of complete protein sources are fish, meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products.

Incomplete protein - protein missing some essential amino acids. If you do not eat complete protein sources, you must combine incomplete proteins to make sure you get all the essential amino acids. These combinations of incomplete proteins are called complementary proteins.

Best source of protein

Fish is one of the best choices for protein because it is low in fat and high in omega-3 fatty acids. According to research, you can reduce the risk of heart disease by eating six ounces of fatty fish a week.

Beef and pork can also be a good source of omega-3 fatty acids provided they are grass-fed. Most beef and pork are grain fed and provide omega-6 fatty acids.

Diets rich in superior proteins are not bad for the heart

What about concerns that diets that are high in protein and fat and low in carbohydrates cause damage to your heart? Well, recent research does not support these claims. In fact, it seems that eating more protein, especially vegetable protein, while reducing the easily digested carbohydrates may benefit heart.

Who needs more protein

The recommended daily allowance for an adult in good health typical. Growing children, pregnant and lactating women, very active people, the elderly and people under stress or illness, probably need more protein. In such cases, protein intake should be increased to 1.2 to 1.8 g / kg.

How to get enough protein

Good sources of protein are generally not as readily available as carbohydrates. The best way to increase your protein intake is to have protein at every meal.

Protein and Weight Loss

If you are dieting and trying to lose weight, you can increase your protein intake more. Recent studies show that a low glycemic load diet that provides about a third of calories from protein is the best approach to weight loss. (1)

Conclusion:

If you are in one of the groups that could use a little more protein, you should get 20 to 25 percent of your calories from protein. If you are dieting and trying to lose weight, it is best if you get a third of your calories from protein.

It is not necessary to obsess on calories and the exact protein. The simplest way to get the right amount of protein is to have a source of protein take about 20 to 30 percent of your plate at each meal.