How Much Protein Do We Really Need?
We need to talk about protein.
In 2019, The Guardian called it "the rich world's new diet obsession." It added: "we can't get enough" but "we already eat too much."
Since then, the obsession certainly hasn't died down.
As gym culture has become more popular, protein has been seen as a superfood, and fitness lovers worry they're not eating enough.
Eating a high-protein diet can be a good way to gain muscle and lose weight — there's science that supports this.
However, experts say that most people who care about their diet are probably already getting enough protein.
So how much do we really need?
Some fitness influencers recommend eating over 100 grams of protein a day, but experts say that's really not necessary — and eating too much may not be safe.
The minimum amount we need is considered to be 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. So, someone who weighs 80 kilograms would need at least 64 grams of protein per day.
According to the British Heart Foundation, that's about two palm-sized portions of chicken, fish, nuts or tofu each day.
A chicken breast contains about 25 grams of protein, an egg contains about 6 grams and a glass of milk will give you about 8 grams.
The amounts suggested by some influencers are more than most Olympic athletes need, and as Fatima Cody Stanford from Harvard Medical School told NBC News, most of us don't need that much.
Eating too much protein can also cause kidney problems.
If you're doing a lot of exercise, you may need more protein, but experts say that in general our diets alone give us enough, without a need for foods that are sold as "protein-rich" or special protein balls, bars or shakes.
Protein is essential for our health and as part of a balanced diet, but the message from professionals is that when it comes to protein, there's no need to panic!
