Are You Eating Enough Protein?

When most people hear the word “protein,” they think of a nutrient that builds big or healthy muscles.

But it takes at least 10,000 different proteins, working together, to keep the human body fully functional:

• As dietary nutrients, proteins help your body build and support critical components beyond muscles, including bones, skin, and hair.
• Proteins foster essential hormones and enzymes that help carry oxygen throughout your body and support transmissions between nerve cells vital to brain health.
• Proteins also provide fundamental building blocks for antibodies and a strong immune system.
• Some proteins break down into a robust energy source.

Proteins are made up of amino acids. Of the 22 defined amino acids, nine cannot be manufactured by your body and are therefore essential to obtain via your diet.

Food sources that contain the nine amino acids the body doesn’t make are considered complete proteins. Foods considered incomplete proteins carry fewer (or nonessential) amino acids. If your body is deficient in even one amino acid, you may feel fatigued or have trouble concentrating.

Best Sources of Protein

To support your body’s need for those nine key amino acids, you can choose two beneficial sources: animal and plant.

Animal proteins are considered complete proteins because they contain all nine essential amino acids, but not all animal proteins are created equal.

Fish

Fish gets high marks on the animal protein hierarchy because it embodies the principles of a healthy Mediterranean diet. Here are some tips for a nutritional fish selection:

• Two servings of fatty fish a week (salmon, tuna, mackerel) provide recommended high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and healthy unsaturated fats.
• Fish quality and freshness matter because they indicate good nutrient density. Use your senses when choosing a filet: A fishy odor means the fish is an older cut. Look for brighter colors and a firm texture.
• Wild-caught fish have a more varied and natural diet than farm-raised fish, giving wild fish a higher nutritional profile and less potential for contaminants. Farmed fish are often fed a more limited, manufactured diet.
• Grilling fish is a healthier choice than frying.

Meats

• Select lean cuts of pork tenderloin and trimmed poultry.
• For a healthy burger, aim for a 90/10 ratio of lean meat to fat in ground meat.
• Many processed hot dogs and deli meats contain nitrites and other carcinogenic preservatives. Substitute nitrite-free or organic products and those with fewer preservatives.
• For non-vegans, dairy and eggs are wonderful complete proteins.

Plant-Based

• Charlotte ranks among the top vegan- and vegetarian-friendly cities in North Carolina.
• Vegetarians have plenty of protein choices, from legumes (lentils, beans) and whole grains (quinoa) to tofu, nuts (especially walnuts), and seeds (pumpkin, sesame, poppy).
• Although most plant-based proteins are incomplete proteins, there are exceptions: Quinoa and soy products are complete-protein foods.
• Plant-based proteins have added health value over animal proteins — plant-based proteins contain complex carbs, vitamins, more fiber content, and less saturated fat.
• Combine complementary plant protein sources to ensure you get all the amino acids you need. Here are some examples:
  • Lentils and rice
  • Red beans and rice
  • Corn tortillas and black beans
  • Chickpea hummus with sesame tahini
  • Peanut butter with whole grains

It’s not necessary to consume complementary proteins within the same meal — but same-day is beneficial, so your body processes them together as a complete protein.

How Much Daily Protein Is Enough?

Throughout life, protein needs vary from individual to individual, and there’s no standard answer to how much you need at any given time. Here’s what we do know:

• Children’s needs shift continually from infancy through adolescence as they develop and build muscle, bone, and tissue.
• The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight (or 0.36 grams per pound) for most adults.
• Because men tend to have greater skeletal and muscle mass than women, they generally need more protein.
• Special circumstances — competitive athletics, pregnancy and lactation, chronic health conditions, recovery from illness, etc. — increase an individual’s protein needs.
• Ongoing studies are considering whether we should increase protein requirements as we age.

For a 180-pound man, the RDA is approximately 65 grams of protein (260 calories) per day; for a 140-pound woman, about 53 grams (212 calories) per day.

The USDA’s MyPlate guidelines suggest a balanced approach to daily food intake, with half the plate dedicated to fruits and vegetables, one-quarter to protein foods, and one-quarter to whole grains. Dairy is included as a separate component, typically in smaller quantities.

The recommended portion size for meat protein is four ounces, equivalent in size to a deck of cards or the palm of your hand. That’s a smaller portion of steak or chicken than restaurants typically serve!

Recent data indicates that the average adult male in the U.S. consumes 55% more animal protein than recommended; women, about 35% more.

Compared to plant proteins, most of this excess intake is high in saturated fat, low in fiber, and lower in other nutrients. Your body processes the excess as extra calories, to be stored as fat or used for energy.

If you eat a lot of protein but not other components of a healthy diet, you won’t get the nutrition you need. For further guidance, explore the UNC Health Sciences Library’s free dietary planning information.

Protein for Weight Loss

Today, social media influencers, menopause experts, exercise pros, and other well-known names tout the importance of protein for weight control. Is this opinion credible?

For individuals trying to lose or maintain weight, research shows consuming additional protein has possible merit, especially for those taking GLP-1 weight loss medications, which suppress appetite.

Short-term trials show that people who eat 1.5–2 times the RDA protein requirements compared to lower protein diets experienced greater weight loss, perhaps because they feel fuller during meals or because steadier hormone or insulin levels throughout the day eliminate cravings.

Key Takeaways About Protein

Here’s what to remember about the importance of protein in your diet:

• Although your protein needs change throughout your lifetime, protein is always an essential macronutrient in your diet to support normal body functioning.
• Animal proteins are valuable complete proteins… but portion size matters.
• The main goal with weight loss is to lose fat, not muscle. Coupled with strength training, a higher-protein diet can help you preserve skeletal muscle mass when eating fewer calories, as your body dips into fat stores and protein resources for energy.
• Ideally, get half your protein intake from plant-based complementary proteins to add fiber, complex carbs, and variety to your diet.

Questions about protein and weight loss? Your Signature Healthcare physicians have answers.

We invite you to contact us to get your nutrition on track and develop a healthy regimen emphasizing beneficial protein.