The daily protein intake is not necessarily the same for everyone - here you can find out how to determine the daily intake of protein for yourself.
Wondering how much protein you should consume daily? The recommended daily allowance (RDA) is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day - 46 grams for an average woman. This is equivalent to only 10 % of daily calories. If you are not very active, this is probably sufficient. This will allow you to reach the target effortlessly if you follow a typical western diet.
To get your personal protein "RDA", multiply the number 0.36 by your weight in pounds. (For a sedentary 150-pound woman, that would be 54 grams.) Double it if you are very active or "optimal protein" which can help you maintain muscle and support weight loss as you age .
According to the latest data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, American women already eat about 68 grams a day. "There's no need to go out of your way for protein," says one expert. "Just eat a variety of fish, nuts, beans, seeds and dairy products, including yogurt." Key words here are high-protein foods. However, it may be wise to increase your protein far beyond the RDA.
When to increase your protein dose
If you are very active
This means doing at least 35 to 40 minutes of moderate exercise four or five days a week, including strength training two or more times a week. Consider consuming 1.2 to 2 grams of dietary protein per kilogram (or about 0.5 to 0.9 grams per pound) of body weight daily. This amount is best for rebuilding muscle tissue. Especially if you do a lot of high-intensity training, the research suggests.
If you are trying to lose weight
Protein takes longer to digest than carbohydrates, which makes you feel full and stimulates your body to release the gut hormone peptide YY, which reduces hunger. "If you make up about 30 % of your daily calories with protein, you will naturally eat less," says a nutrition expert. "Protein reduces appetite and, in my experience, also helps control cravings."
Studies are mixed on whether the consumption of more Protein to weight loss leads. Research, on the other hand, is certain that protein can help you maintain more of your lean muscle while losing fat. A 2011 study suggests increasing protein up to 1.8 to 2 grams per kilogram (about 0.8 to 0.9 grams per pound) of body weight per day to prevent muscle loss when calories are restricted. Reduce refined carbohydrates to compensate for the extra calories by adding protein.
If you middle age are
Eating more protein as you age can help maintain your muscles and prevent osteoporosis. "So you stay stronger and more functional," says the expert. In a 2015 study, adults over 50 who roughly doubled the RDA (with 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram or 0.68 grams per pound of body weight) were better able to rebuild and maintain muscle after just four days, compared to control groups eating the RDA.
Doubling your RDA gives you "optimal protein", a concept pushed by more than 40 nutritionists at a recent Protein Summit. Optimal protein accounts for about 15 to 25 % of your daily calories, still below the level recommended by many popular high-protein diets. In a day, that might look like 20-30 grams per meal and 12 to 15 grams per snack. That means 90 to 105 grams daily.