What is the actual amount of protein I need to function properly in life?
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The rule of thumb I remember using is the portion size of a pack of cards, now also remember that you can get proteins from other sources as well Some are complete proteins & some you need other ingredients to complete.
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Just to double check, you weigh around ~87kg? For that weight I’d guess you’re eating 2500kcal/day+ right?
And you’re counting protein from all sources, not just meat or meat equivalents? Eating some yogurt, lentils, beans, etc all of that protein content can add up pretty quickly but you might not be counting it.
As a final note, they recommend that for healthy but that doesn’t mean you can’t be healthy without it. But you could consider adding a little bit of high protein sources (chicken, tofu, etc) to your diet to hit closer to that goal and see if it makes a difference for you.
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https://www.dietdoctor.com/food-policy/protein
2g per kg ideal body weight, look at citation 5 for references
Not all sources of protein is the same, you need ALL the essential amino acids to actually be able to use protein. A good way to see what food are bioavailable protein is to reference it's DIAAS score.
https://www.diaas-calculator.com/
If you eat your daily target of protein but it's missing amino acids, your body can't use it, and you haven't actually eaten your target protein.
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Isn't that dried chickpeas and dried lentils? Cooked you are looking at roughly a third, unless I am mistaken
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A bit less, so that I'm aiming for about 2000kcal/day
I am using the cronometer app. I enter everything I eat I they count the nutrients. So I hope they are counting everything.And yes, I am trying to add some high protein sources right now but it still is rather hard to hit the daily goal.
But thanks for the tips. -
if you eat the recommended amount of protein (and a little extra as a buffer) then you would not notice any particularly striking change, but statistically your quality of life will improve for myriad subtle reasons. Hormone production will be more stable, you will be less likely to get diseases associated with protein deficiency, you will build muscle slightly more easily, your brain will technically function slightly better in subtle metabolic ways, as with all your other organs. etc. You will likely, not notice any of it. But across your life it will statistically make a difference in your health outcomes. this is true of all phytonutrients, not just protein.
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That diet doctor suggest feels wildly high for a "what is actually necessary". Like 2 g/kg is near the target for bodybuilders.
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Im going to say the Harvard estimate is probably pretty close. It is probably a bit higher than what you would need on a day to day basis for survival, but enough to help your body maintain some muscle over the long term.
Its not enough for someone wanting to be fit or muscular though.
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If your recommend protein intake is 70 grams per day (meaning you weigh about 195 pounds / 87 kg) and you’re only getting 20 grams per day, then you are likely already experiencing health issues.
From https://www.verywellhealth.com/protein-deficiency-symptoms-8756264 you could expect to experience:
- Weakness and fatigue, meaning you’ll feel exhausted - mentally, physically, or both
- Skin, Hair, and Nail Problems
- Mood changes, including the development of mood disorders, such as depression
- Compromised immune system
- Slowed wound healing
- Decline in bone strength
- Fatty liver
- Weight loss due to your muscles and organs being broken down - but my understanding is this is mostly relevant if your overall caloric intake is quite low (starvation levels)
- Weight gain due to fluid retention or increased hunger
Not all of those are immediately noticeable.
However, I’m with the other commenter who said that they think it’s likely that you’re under-estimating your daily protein intake. What method did you use for tracking and calculating it?
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Best AskLemmy question I've seen in years
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Why does 2/3 of the protein vanish when you cook it?
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This is a good question but you're going to get a wild range of information because of a number of factors.
That number is a good starting point but it's likely low especially if you're physically active or using a vegan/vegetarian source.
Also, something one must keep in mind is that the vast majority of research in the field is built on the fundamental assumption carbs should be the largest part of the diet which is likely wrong as the body seems to run better the less sugar you give it.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE8LmUoWei5Qp5Nz7C4FMNs6hGNx7M3Jg
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I have a very monotonous food that I am fed, so, I just calculated how much protein I am getting from it and it turned out to be no more than 20 grams average per day. Boy, I need to add more proteins to my diet, can protein powders be digested by the body well or should I look for natural sources of protein?
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Hehe... Thank you!
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Also, thanks for the detailed answer!
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“Because there appears to be a limited amount of protein that can be absorbed at a meal, it may be best to evenly space out your protein throughout the day, if possible.”
Here is there reference for that advice: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3197704/
Moderating the portion size of a protein-rich meal improves anabolic efficiency in young and elderly - Randomized Trial; Moderate evidence.Second is the comment about vegetarians/vegans.
Here is their reference for that advice: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5521049/ Determination of the protein quality of cooked Canadian pulses - [mechanistic study; ungraded]
Although the quality of protein in different legumes varies, many appear to be about 20-50% less digestible than animal protein
They cited references and papers for each of their comments, which improves their credibility. I would have liked them to mention DIAAS scores, for completeness, rather then referring to a paper on pulses, but that doesn't remove from their advice.
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It doesn't it just gets diluted because of the water you add during cooking. Same amount of protein is there but 100g dry lentils is aprox 300g cooked
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I mean most powders are from natural sources. Pea protein, whey comes from milk. Depends on the person, some people have digestive issues if they start taking a ton of protein and don't adjust bit by bit. If you're lactose intolerant, watch out for powders that are Whey based, some contain enough lactose to upset your gut. Some say lactose-free.
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Too much protein can fuck up your sleeping schedule. Especially if it’s lean protein with little fat. Happened to me when I was eating too many chili cheese smoked sausages all the time because I was lazy. They’re delicious though.
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If u wanna build muscle eat at least 1g per pound of body weight (or 2.2 per kg).
Make sure ur getting enough carbs and fat too though, they're equally important.
