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\nUnlike fat and carbohydrates, protein has a saintly reputation –\u00a0\u00a0but do the experts agree?
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Protein is one of the big three nutrient groups the body needs to function properly \u2013 together with fats and carbohydrates, they form the basis of a healthy diet.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the main component of our muscle fibres, and is vital for a functioning heart, immune system and endocrine system \u2013 and it\u2019s also a vital energy source.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no argument that we all need protein in our diets, but there is confusion about how much we should be eating<\/a> on a daily basis. The i Paper talks to the experts.<\/p>\n How to get the right amount in a day<\/p>\n NHS guidelines recommend around 0.75g to 0.8g per kilogramme of bodyweight per day \u2013 that\u2019s around 64g a day for an average man, or 55g for a woman.<\/p>\n This is the equivalent to eating 40g of oats (5g of protein) one 100g greek yoghurt (10g), two medium eggs (12g), two slices of wholewheat toast (8g) and one chicken breast (30g) \u2013 this totals 65g protein.<\/p>\n These are the requirements you need \u201cin order to not be deficient\u201d, says Adam Collins, associate professor of nutrition at the University of Surrey, \u201cand if you look at typical intakes of protein, people are eating about 50 per cent more than that, by about 1.1g to 1.2g per kilogramme per day.\u201d This is why dietitians will often say that in the Western world nobody needs more protein.<\/p>\n However, \u201cthere is an argument to say that we are being too conservative with our nutritional reference values,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n There are many more moving parts that determine what is closer to an optimum protein intake for an individual person \u2013 firstly, the source and quality of the protein they\u2019re eating. <\/p>\n Do I need more protein if I\u2019m vegan or vegetarian?<\/p>\n Dietary protein can come from both animal and plant-based sources, though the animal sources are more likely to be \u201ccomplete\u201d proteins, where the molecule has all the essential amino acids. This means they are better at helping you repair and build tissues, says Dr Collins. However, you can combine different plant protein sources to make sure you get all your essential amino acids \u2013 for example pea and rice protein.<\/p>\n People on more plant-based diets, therefore, will have to eat a greater variety of sources of protein to make sure they\u2019re getting all their required amino acids. To get the equivalent protein as the omnivore above, you would need to eat: 40g of oats (5g of protein), 100g plain soy yoghurt (6g), two tablespoons of peanut butter (7g), two tablespoons of chia seeds (10g), 100g of whole grain rice (6g), half a tin of black beans (8g), two handfuls of mixed nuts (10g), one portion of quinoa (4.4g), one tablespoon hemp seeds (5g) and one slice of wholemeal toast (4g).<\/p>\n They may also need to eat slightly more protein in total, says Dr Collins, as the body can\u2019t absorb as much from plant sources as from animal ones, but the discrepancy is not huge.<\/p>\n What if I\u2019m building muscle \u2013 or losing weight?<\/p>\n If you want to gain weight, gain muscle, or just get stronger, dramatically increasing your protein intake is recommended. It makes sense that if you want to build body protein, you need to supply it in dietary form.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you want to build muscle, you probably need more than your baseline level of protein in order to supply that increase in body protein that you\u2019re trying for. So that might go up to 1.2g or 1.5g per kilogramme of bodyweight, <\/strong>or maybe even more,\u201d says Dr Collins.<\/p>\n This is not just for those who are lifting heavy weights: \u201cIf you\u2019re doing a lot of exercise generally, your protein requirements may be slightly higher as a consequence.\u201d Crucially though, he says that consuming protein isn\u2019t going to equal muscle gains on its own: \u201cYou also need to trigger the muscle to build that protein. That\u2019s where any form of resistance exercise comes in.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, people who are trying to lose weight may also have a higher level of optimum protein. Dr Oliver Witard, of King\u2019s College, London, says that there is some evidence higher protein intake is beneficial for people looking to lose weight.<\/p>\n \u201cIf an individual wants to lose weight then of course what they want to lose is fat \u2013 not muscle. So during weight loss there is evidence that you need to elevate protein,\u201d adds Whitard a reader in exercise metabolism and nutrition at KCL\u2019s Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine.<\/p>\n Protein is also proven to help with weight loss because it keeps you fuller for longer than carbs.<\/p>\n In that vein, as we age, our muscles lose their ability to use protein as effectively, particularly for post-menopausal<\/a> women. So a protein increase in your later years can be beneficial as you need more to be able to stimulate the muscles to the same extent.<\/p>\n \u201cBeyond the age of 60 to 65, you might need to increase your protein intake,\u201d Dr Collins says. \u201cThere\u2019s only so much you can cope with though, because sometimes you\u2019ve got gastric insufficiency where you can\u2019t eat 100 grams of protein in one sitting.\u201d In all cases, they recommend eating a bit more protein throughout the day in smaller increments, but this must, again, be coupled with physical activity.<\/p>\n Can protein ever be unhealthy?<\/p>\n Unlike the other macronutrients (carbohydrates and fats) protein has a pretty spotless reputation: fat and carbs have both been lambasted as the cause of metabolic diseases<\/a> and weight problems<\/a>, but protein has avoided that label. As such, people will happily recommend huge increases in protein for anyone. You only need to look on the supermarket shelves to see the protein label on endless products, including supplements<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cProtein is seen as an almost magic macronutrient that is different to fats and carbohydrates, and to some extent that\u2019s true, says Dr Collins. \u201cBut if you eat more protein than you need, it is going to end up turning into sugar which drives fat storage. In a roundabout way, a calorie is still a calorie, whether it comes from fat, carbohydrate, protein or alcohol.\u201d<\/p>\n Remember too that the source of the protein you\u2019re eating is all-important. It\u2019s no good meeting your target through just sausages or cheese \u2013 as these will raise levels of saturated fat intake. So quality, rather than quantity, is a better protein-related goal<\/p>\n