If you've been told you need to eat more protein then usually the hardest thing to figure out is how much protein that is, and what that looks like on your plate! This article is here to help.
What's the recommended daily intake of protein?
The amount of protein we need depends on body mass, lean body mass, net energy balance, and physical activity. The current Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8g per kg of body weight per day. It’s been established as the minimum amount necessary to meet essential amino acid requirements, establish nitrogen balance, and prevent muscle mass loss.
However, this guideline is often misinterpreted as the advised optimal intake. Over the last twenty years, it has become increasingly evident that diets higher in protein may offer significant benefits for general health, including muscle health.
As we mentioned in our blog post ‘Top 10 Facts You Need to Know About Protein and Exercise’, the range of 1.4–2.0 g protein/kg body weight/day (g/kg/d) is more appropriate for active/exercising individuals. This value aligns with the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range published by the Institute of Medicine for protein.
Even higher protein intakes (2.3–3.1 g/kg/d) are needed to maintain muscle mass when you eat less while physically active (i.e. intermittent fasting, dieting or while in negative energy balance due to increased training demands) or when you are ill or aging.
How much protein do I need?
So, to translate that, here are some simple tables to help:
| Weight | Minimum Daily Protein |
|---|---|
| 50kg | 40g of protein |
| 60kg | 48g of protein |
| 70kg | 56g of protein |
| 80kg | 64g of protein |
| 90kg | 72g of protein |
| 100kg | 80g of protein |
| 110kg | 88g of protein |
| 120kg | 90g of protein |
| Weight | Daily Protein for Active People |
|---|---|
| 50kg | 70g to 100g of protein |
| 60kg | 84g to 120g of protein |
| 70kg | 98g to 140g of protein |
| 80kg | 112g to 160g of protein |
| 90kg | 126g to 180g of protein |
| 100kg | 140g to 200g of protein |
| 110kg | 154g to 220g of protein |
| 120kg | 168g to 240g of protein |
| Weight | Daily Protein when Exercising and Fasting |
|---|---|
| 50kg | 115g to 155g of protein |
| 60kg | 138g to 186g of protein |
| 70kg | 161g to 217g of protein |
| 80kg | 184g to 248g of protein |
| 90kg | 207g to 279g of protein |
| 100kg | 230g to 310g of protein |
| 110kg | 253g to 341g of protein |
| 120kg | 276g to 372g of protein |
How should I consume protein throughout the day?
The general recommendation is to spread your protein across all meals. You must ensure that you cover all nine essential amino acids, which the body cannot synthesise on its own and must be obtained through diet.
These are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.
Animal protein sources such as meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs have a complete essential amino acid profile.
Most plant proteins (except for soy and quinoa) don't contain all nine essential amino acids. Furthermore, beef has the highest leucine content, which has the greatest anabolic (muscle-building response).
What's the best source of protein?
Red meat is the best source of protein. Covering your protein needs by eating red meat has many advantages, including:
- A complete amino acid profile
- Contains the greatest amount of leucine
- A high bioavailability (meaning the body can easily digest, absorb, and utilise these proteins, which is especially important for muscle synthesis and repair).
- Nutrient density (especially iron, zinc, vitamin B12, selenium, and other B vitamins).
- The iron in beef is heme iron which is much more bioavailable. Research suggests that protein synthesis is impaired in iron-deficient states.
It’s important to ensure you are eating red meat the right way. Read our guide here.
How do I figure out how much protein is in my meals?
The easiest way is to look at the amount of protein in 100g which gives you a percentage that you can apply. Here are some common foods, including some of our Chief products:
| Food | Protein Per 100g |
|---|---|
| Chief Biltong | 45g of protein (14g per bag)* |
| Chief Beef Bar | 45g of protein (18g per bar)* |
| Chicken breast | 32.8g of protein |
| Lean beef | 26.4g of protein |
| Pork Loin | 22.2g of protein |
| Skinless raw salmon | 19.3g of protein |
| Cashews | 17g of protein (about 5g per handful) |
| Eggs | 13g of protein (about 6g per large egg) |
* Note that our biltong and beef bars are dried beef, which means we remove over 50% of the weight when we remove the water (which has no nutrients) and only keep the nutrients in the beef. This makes them a highly nutrient dense snack, packed full of protein.
An Example
If you're 60kg + active + looking for maximum benefits from protein you want to be aiming for 120g of protein per day. If you split this into 3 meals, you want to be aiming for 40g of protein per meal. That might be a 150g of steak, or 120g of chicken breast. If you're finding it hard to get enough protein per meal, read on!
Does collagen count as protein?
Yes! Collagen protein also counts towards your daily protein intake, although it does not contain all nine essential amino acids. Collagen is a type of protein abundant in the body, playing a crucial role in the structure and integrity of skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissues.
When you consume collagen through foods or supplements, your body breaks it down into amino acids, which can then be used for various bodily functions, including repairing tissues, making hormones and enzymes, and providing energy.
We produce less collagen and utilise it more as we age, so consuming extra collagen is recommended for joints, bones, and skin. To boost your collagen intake via diet, you would have to eat animal skin and cartilage and drink bucketloads of bone broth.
Grabbing a Chief Collagen Protein Bar for a snack or adding Chief Collagen Protein Powder to your coffee or smoothie is much easier.
Hacks to increase your protein
If you're finding it hard to fit in enough protein per meal, it's easy to supplement! For example, if you're rushing from the gym to work, or on the road all day and don't have time to stop for a proper meal, here are our go-to hacks:
| Meal | Ideas |
|---|---|
| Breakfast |
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| Lunch |
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| Snack |
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| Dinner |
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| After Dinner |
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The result? You just added at least 70g of protein with ZERO EFFORT and NO NASTY ADDITIVES.
HOT TIP FOR PARENTS: If you're wanting to get more protein in your kids' diets then our Dark Chocolate Protein Powder is a winner to replace sugary options like Milo. It's a sure fire crowd pleaser on top of Weet-bix or Porridge.
WANT MORE IDEAS? Grab the Chief Recipes e-book.
Why is protein so important to your diet?
Protein is a critical nutrient that provides the building blocks of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. Our body uses protein to build and repair tissues and make enzymes, hormones, and other chemicals. When we don’t eat enough protein, our body breaks down muscle tissue to provide amino acids for critical physiological functions.
Ensuring we consume an adequate protein for our body helps to:
- Support immune function
- Assist lean muscle growth, maintenance and repair
- Support our digestive system
- Facilitate weight loss and increase satiety
- Maintain healthy skin and hair
- Stabilise our blood sugar levels
- Assist in hormone production
When our body is experiencing protein deficiency, it will express this via:
- Poor immune function
- Mood swings
- Delayed wound healing
- Muscle wastage
- Impaired cognitive function
- Failure to thrive in children
- Poor sleep
- Skin problems
- Hormonal issues (such as low testosterone)
- Digestive issues due to impaired enzyme function
Veronika Larisova
Co-Founder, Registered Nutritionist, Exercise Physiologist
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