Your Guide to Optimal Protein Intake

Protein is personal

Nevertheless, at Atria, we think most people need more than the official recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of 0.36 grams per pound of body weight per day.

We believe that for most people, something in the range of 0.5 to 0.7 grams per pound of body weight is appropriate—for a 165-pound person, that’s roughly between 80 and 120 grams of protein per day.

Someone who is intensely physically active may even consider a gram per pound of bodyweight, or 165 grams of protein for a highly active 165-pound person.

Why you need protein

Protein plays a major role in muscle, bone, brain, hormonal, and metabolic health. “Protein is the structure molecule for your entire body. Everything from your DNA to your hair, skin, and nails is all made up of proteins—it’s all constructed of amino acids,” says Adam Ross, RD, a performance nutrition specialist at Atria.

As we get older, consuming more protein can combat sarcopenia, which is the gradual loss of muscle that occurs with age. For this reason, it’s important to spread protein intake throughout the day, starting with breakfast.

As with any macronutrient, it is possible to overdo or underdo it. To assess what is optimal for an individual, Atria’s Director of Integrative Health Robert Kachko, ND, LAc, also looks for clues in people’s labs, including their lipid panels, hormones, IGF-1 level, and pancreatic elastase.

(Amino acids are molecules used by every living organism to make proteins.)

How to increase your protein

Protein is a highly satiating food, and a large serving can be hard to get through. These tips from Ross can make it easier to increase your overall consumption:

• Make sure there’s at least some protein in every meal.
• Don’t wait until dinner to have a substantial serving of protein.
• Getting just a few extra bites at each meal can make a big impact.
• Order double protein in a lunch salad or bowl.
• Add two eggs on the side of your morning oatmeal.
• Try a pea protein smoothie between breakfast and lunch.
• High–protein snacks include Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, and edamame.

Other considerations

Quality matters. We recommend organic meat and poultry and wild-caught fish whenever you can.

Is it complete? Sources that contain all nine essential amino acids that our bodies can’t produce themselves (aka complete proteins) include animal proteins and whole soy products like edamame and tofu.

Tips for plant-based diets:
Vegetarians and vegans should aim to eat a wide variety of plant proteins to ensure they cover all nine essential amino acids; supplementing some branch-chain amino acids may be necessary.

Be holistic: Don’t fixate on protein at the expense of other nutrients, says Atria’s Director of Integrative Health, Robert Kachko. “If that plate doesn’t have colorful veggies on it and doesn’t have healthy fats and fiber, it doesn’t matter what the protein amount is,” he says.