Let's get into it: how much protein do you actually need?

There's a lot of focus on protein in the last little while on social media and in the world at large. And, this is for good reason! We need protein; however, the optimal levels of protein can differ based on your age, activity levels, medical history, and goals.

The Baseline: What Do the Canadian Guidelines Say?

0.8g of protein per kg of body weight per day is the recommendation for adults.

So, for e.g., if you weight ~65kg (~143lb), then that comes out to 52g of protein per day.

This is actually a great place for many people to start, especially if you're not particularly active.

That said, research shows that we should be aiming higher, especially to preserve our muscle and BUILD more muscle (something we should be striving for!)

How Much Protein Should You Be Aiming For?

So, studies show that 1.2-1.6g of protein per kg of body weight per day is a better range if you're someone trying to:

• build muscle
• improve satiety
• protect your bones
• support recovery

Recent research suggests these updated targets:

• For general health and muscle maintenance: 1.2g of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. This equates to 78g of protein daily for that 65kg person example from above.
• For active individuals: 1.4-1.6g of protein per kg of body weight. This equates to 91 to 104g of protein per day for that 65kg person example.
• If you're someone trying to lose weight: bump it up to 1.6g per kilogram to preserve lean muscle as you eat less overall fuel (aka calories) per day. This is 104g of protein per day for that 65kg person.

This translates to approximately 20% of your total daily energy (aka calories) coming from protein. Most people have to actually learn and put effort to get this amount.

My tip: start slowly and work your way up as this is going to be the long game!

Once we hit our 30s, our lean mass (think bone and muscle) starts to decrease year by year and decade by decade.

Perimenopause brings on a big transition, including hormonal changes that can lead to increased protein breakdown. This makes it even more important to focus on getting enough protein! This way you can preserve muscle mass, prevent sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss), prevent excessive bone loss, and support overall metabolic health. This helps you do all the things you want to do as you age!

Let's Make it More Pratical

Here are some tips as you start to think about and incorporate more protein into your diet:

• Don't rush it, start by increasing protein at one meal and make it easy!
• There will be days when you eat less than your target--this is okay! Focus on how much you get on most days, not the odd day when you eat less (especially if on vacation or if highly stressed, etc.)
• If you have some protein at each meal, it will help balance out your meals and help with satiety, aka appetite regulation!
• If you're plantbased (like me!), it is very possible to hit your protein targets. I help my vegetarian and vegan patients with this all the time.
• Focus on lean sources of proteins like plant-based proteins (beans, chickpeas, soy, lentils), Greek yoghurt, turkey, chicken, fish, etc.
• Avoid processed meats like bacon, sausages, hot dogs, etc. as they are linked to a higher risk of heart disease and certain cancers (colon, prostate, uterine, etc.)
• Minimize red meat intake as more than ~2 servings per week have been associated with a higher risk of heart disease and cancer as well
• Protein powder can be a great tool to help you achieve your protein goals easily

Here are some easy ideas to boost protein in your meals:

• 1 cup soy milk = 6-8g (a great way to get isoflavones for the perimenopause transition and/or PMS + you also get 300mg of calcium!)
• 1/2 cup shelled edamame = ~12g
• 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas = ~10g
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yoghurt = ~10g
• 1/2 scoop of protein powder = 10-15g depending on which kind
• 1 cup green peas = ~9g

There's also this Plant-based Quinoa & Bean Bowl as well as this Plant-based Protein-filled Penne that have 30 whopping grams of protein each (and lots of fibre!) that you can try.

I'll also post a few more recipes over the coming months to make your journey toward having more protein easier. The Canadian Nutrition Society is a great resource too.