Proteins are the bricks of our body. They are the building blocks that build up the muscles, bones, and organs of the body. The muscles of our body break down and build up every day. Thus, we need the fuel to build that broken-down muscle every day. This fuel is provided by protein. Our body requires a certain amount of protein every day. Our daily diet fulfils this need for protein.
Our diet should consist of a certain amount of protein that can fulfil everyday protein needs. But how do we know that our diet is sufficient to fulfill the daily need for protein? Or, how do we know how much protein we are eating every day? Well, medical science has provided a simple method to calculate the daily need of your body's protein.
In this article, we are discussing everything that you may need to fulfill your daily need for protein. Keep on reading to learn about it.
What does protein consist of?
Protein is one of the most important nutrients of the body. It is the building block of muscles, bones, blood, and organs. However, protein is not just as easy as its name. Various points are concerned related to the protein. Protein is of various types. It is a complex molecular formula that is made of simple amino acids. Several amino acids join together to form a specific chain. This chain is further complex to form protein. Different types of amino acids react to form different types of proteins.
There are two types of protein. One is essential and the other is non-essential protein. Well, some protein is manufactured by the body itself. While other is taken from outside in the form of food. Different types of food material provide different proteins. It is important to ensure that your body is getting all types of it. Both plants and animals are good sources of protein. However, animals tend to provide more protein than plants.
Protein is not just about its quantity. It is also about quality. Food materials like seafood contain high-quality protein that is rare to find otherwise. Common protein can easily be found almost in every food material, especially in animal products. Well, different people have different needs for protein. Athletes and sportsmen need comparatively higher protein than other people. On the other hand, people who have sitting jobs or housewives who don't work hard need comparatively less protein.
How much protein should you take every day?
The amount of protein you need depends on several factors. Whether you are working or you are staying at home, how old you are, etc. If you are a person who works in the field and involves physical work, your muscles break down at a higher rate. Thus, you need more protein to rebuild those muscles. Whereas, if you are the kind of person who has a sitting job, then your body does not tear out much. Thus, the need for protein in your body is quite less.
According to the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) report, a person should take protein of about 0.8 gm per kilogram of their weight. In simple terms, if a person is 50 kg, then he should take about 40 gm of protein every day. Children and older people need more protein as compared to their body mass index allows. On average, a normal man should take 56 gm of protein while a normal woman should take 46 gm of protein.
Certain health conditions increase the need for protein in the body. People who are suffering from chronic diseases and surgery need more protein. Factors affecting the amount of protein per day - Some habits and lifestyle conditions affect the amount of protein needed in the body.
Exercise
During exercise, more and more muscles are torn out. To rebuild those muscles, we need protein. The calorie we burn during exercise can easily be fulfilled by protein. In fact, the calorie need of the body, when fulfilled by protein, it is comparatively healthier than others. Calorie gained from protein is even known to lose weight and satiate hunger. Protein is known to effectively reduce the weight of the body. However, do not each much protein because it may even give an opposite reaction.
Dieting
Dieting decreases the number of calories in our bodies. Thus, it increases the need for protein. You can use calorie-rich protein that is quite better than calorie-rich fat and carbohydrate. Also, it helps to maintain the strength of muscles.
Weight
How much do you weigh determines how much protein you should take? The more weight you have means more muscles torn out every day. Hence, more protein you need to repair the muscles every day. In fact, the universal protein calculator is based on the weight of the person.
Height
Height is also a deciding feature for protein intake. The more your height is, the more you need protein. The body mass index of a person is determined by the height and weight of his body. And the body mass index of a person is a determining part of daily recommended protein intake.
Work Profession
The type of work you are doing is important in determining how much protein you should eat. If you have a laborious job, you need more protein. However, if you have a sitting job, then you need not take much of it. In fact, you should decrease your calorie intake as well if you have a sitting job.
Advantages of protein
Apart from building muscles and bones, protein also offers various benefits. Different types of protein have their role and functions. Some are used to build muscles, while some are used to build nails, cuticles, hair, etc. Let us discuss some advantages apart from building blocks.
Weight Loss
To lose weight, we need to decrease our calorie intake. It will help to burn the extra fat present in our bodies. Protein actively increases metabolisms and supports burning fat. Reports have shown that the calorie taken from protein is more effective in losing weight. Most Americans take their 15 to 18 per cent calorie from protein. This helps to maintain their health and protect them from obesity. However, nearly 12 percent of the American population is suffering from obesity. The reason behind this is the daily intake of harmful fats has increased alarmingly.
To increase the pace of weight loss, you can add up to 50 percent of calories from protein. However, try to avoid over-eating as it may give opposite responses. Increasing the protein diet also increases the carb and satisfaction. You feel satisfied after eating. Even helps to control late-night snacks urge. Try to add a protein-rich diet at night. We should take protein after dividing it into smaller parts. A general misconception is that we should take protein only at night. However, this conception is entirely a myth. The best way to take protein is to divide it into different parts.
Muscle Strength
As we all know, a large part of muscles is made of protein. But when we are dieting or exercising, our muscles suffer the most. It is a general problem that people lose their muscle strength while dieting. To maintain the strength of muscle, we need to ensure that the rate of building muscles is higher than its breaking down speed. This cycle is known as the nitrogen cycle. A large part of protein consists of nitrogen. As per this cycle, if you want to build muscles and strength, you need to outcast the daily need for protein to rebuild muscles. The extra protein that will be left after rebuilding the torn-out muscles is used to build new muscles and strength.
Protein also provides calories in moderate amounts. Eating an excess amount of protein might lead to obesity. Thus, it is important to ensure that you are taking protein in a moderate amount. So that your protein can be used to gain muscles and strength, not weight.
Scientists have concluded that to gain healthy muscles and strength daily protein intake should be around 1 gm per pound of your weight. However, a huge controversy is going on this topic. Some scientists believe that even a lesser amount than it can work well. Extensive research and studies are still required in this field to know more about it.
Healthy Baby
Every parent is worried about the health of their coming soon. A minimum body mass is important to declare a newborn baby healthy. But how can we build a child's weight inside the womb? Well, giving quite a higher protein diet from normal to the mother might be helpful. An increase in intake of protein during pregnancy helps both mother and baby. Because it is the time when a baby's body parts are formed. It needs protein to form completely. Deficiency of protein might lead to undergrowth child.
Also, when a child is born, it completely relies on the mother's milk for its growth. So, the mother needs to take protein for herself as well as for her baby. This deliberately increases the need for protein in the mother's body.
According to the daily recommended diet for pregnant and lactating mothers, pregnant women should take 0.55 gm of protein per pound, and lactating mothers should take 0.59 gm per pound.
Make old days soothing
It is a misconception that only children and teens need higher protein because they are in their growth period. Well, in the old days, the pace of deterioration of muscles increased. This may cause serious health problems. Thus, it becomes important to increase the daily intake of protein. It ensures that the muscles remain strong even in older days, and you need not anyone's help to support yourself.
You can say that protein is the secret to remaining active and healthy in older days. Then, why not exploit this secret and live a long life full of joy, free from any disease. According to the daily recommended diet, an older person above 65 years should take 0.5 gm per pound of their weight. It ensures healthy old life for senior citizens.
Disadvantages of Protein
Though protein is a highly nutritious and essential food, it may cause a few health problems if taken more than recommended. Generally, it is not harmful, but sometimes, the quality and quantity of the protein react with each other to cause certain health problems. Here are a few health problems that an excess amount of protein may create.
Weight Gain
Protein offers calories in moderate amounts. But when we eat more than recommended protein, the calorie level in our body increases. Thus, the number of calories provided by protein equals the number of calories provided by fat. It causes obesity.
Apart from this, our body doesn't store amino acids. Thus, even if we eat an extra amount of protein, our body is not going to absorb it. However, the calories provided by protein are stored in the form of fat. It causes a gain in weight.
Bad Breath
You can face the problem of bad breath if the protein intake in your body exceeds the daily limit. It happens especially when you reduce your daily carbohydrate intake. This problem might not be removed by bruising and gargling. You need to drink water regularly and try some mouth freshener to get rid of it.
When protein intake increases, our body enters a metabolic state in which it produces an unpleasant fruity smell. This smell is the main cause of bad breath.
Diarrhea
When we choose milk and dairy products to fulfill our daily protein needs. It may lead to diarrhoea. The risk is higher when you accompany the dairy products with fried meats. Diarrhea can be cured by both prevention and medications. Keep certain points in your mind like drinking plenty of water, avoiding caffeine-containing beverages, and consulting your doctor.
Dehydration
It has been seen in studies that as the protein intake increases, the hydration of the body decreases. When the protein is in excess, our body flushes it out with the help of water. This leaves our body dehydrated even if we don't feel thirsty. The simple solution is that we should increase the water intake of our bodies. Drink plenty of water before and after the workout.
Kidney Damage
Though, protein is not harmful to kidneys. But it may create problems if you are taking protein in a higher amount and your kidney is already damaged. When we take protein in excess amount, our kidneys have to labour more to throw out the excess nitrogen with water. It worsens the health of the kidneys even more.
Heart Disease
As we know, red meat is an important source of protein. But these meats contain bad cholesterol and fat that may cause cardiovascular diseases. The same condition occurs when we eat fat-rich dairy products. To avoid this condition, try to rely more on plant products for daily protein needs. Try to avoid red meat and fat-rich dairy products as much as possible. Instead, you can add seafood, fish, and low-fat dairy products.
Poor Bone Health
Though protein is known to promote bone health, an excess amount of protein might lead decrease in the health of bones. It may even cause osteoporosis. To avoid this situation, maintain a diet chart that maintains the daily need for your protein. Add a variety of protein sources to fulfil your daily protein needs.
Increases the Risk of Cancer
Red meat is a good source of protein. But it might prove to be more harmful than useful. it is rich in bad cholesterol and fat that increases the risk of heart diseases and even cancer. Taking red meat as a source of protein regularly significantly increases the risk of colorectal, prostate, and breast cancer. Red meat contains hormones, carcinogen compounds, and fat that might increase the risk of cancer. To avoid this situation, it is best to take protein from other sources.
Sources of protein
Protein is of various types. For example, the protein needed for building muscles is different from the protein needed for growing hair and cuticles. So, we need to add protein from various sources in our diet to maintain the daily need of our body.
Remember, protein also differs in quality. Thus, we should ensure that we take quality protein into our diet.
Let us see some well-known sources of protein.
- Beans and legumes
- Milk and dairy products
- Egg
- Poultry meat and red meat
- Wild salmon
- White bread
- Fish
- Rice
- Granola
- Oatmeal
- Dry fruits and nuts
- Broccoli
- Sesame seeds
Though they all contain different amounts of protein, add different foods every day to your diet to meet your daily needs.
Conclusion
Protein is an essential element for the body. It is the building material. Our body tear-off several muscles, and it is important to rebuild those muscles. Protein is the material that helps to rebuild those torn-off muscles. However, the amount of protein you eat should always be checked. Exceeding the daily dose of protein might cause problems. Your protein should be comprised in your daily diet. The body doesn't store the excess amino acid, and hence today's protein can't fulfill tomorrow's needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is excess protein good for health?
Protein is an essential element in the growth of the body. We need an optimum amount of protein to ensure that our body is growing significantly and daily tearing of muscles doesn't affect our structure. It is recommended to eat more than the daily required protein to build muscles. However, it can be extended up to a certain limit only. So, we cannot exceed the daily recommended need for protein because it may cause serious health problems. Some frequently observed problems of eating excess protein are constipation, diarrhea, dehydration, etc. You can check out the need for protein through body mass index.
How can I calculate the need for protein?
Well, the amount of protein required by your body depends on various factors. How old are you, and what type of work do you do? You need to keep these points in your mind. You can either take the help of a dietician or can calculate it by yourself. First, check out your height and weight to calculate it by yourself.
According to the daily recommended micronutrients report, you need to eat 0.8 gm of protein per kg of your weight. In simple terms, if your weight is an average of 50 kg, then you should take at least 40 gm protein every day. Now, multiply your weight by 0.8 gm. The result you get is a minimum need for protein in your body. Rest can increase depending on the type of activity you do. Check out the dietary chart published by the world health department. It might help you in calculating the need for protein.
Can I eat the protein required for the whole week in one day?
Well, a few people think that if they eat an extra amount of protein, then it will fulfill tomorrow's need for protein. It is a myth. The amino acid is soluble in water and cannot be stored in the body. Hence, the excess amount of protein is washed away every day through urine. The amino acid is difficult to digest by the kidneys. Thus, excess protein, instead of causing benefits, creates problems for the kidneys.
Since our body doesn't store the excess protein, we will be left deficient in protein even if we have eaten protein in a large amount today. Thus, you cannot eat the protein required for the whole week in one day.
References
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/14-ways-to-increase-protein-intake
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-much-protein-do-you-need-every-day-201506188096
- https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/protein
- https://www.boost.com/blog/four-protein-myths
- https://www.healthline.com/health/too-much-protein#risks
