No, You Shouldn’t Be Eating Your Weight in Grams of Protein
Despite what social media may say, it’s actually far more than the recommended amount.
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Eating loads of protein has earned a health halo, which means it’s improperly billed as a healthy habit. While protein is a vital part of a healthy diet, you can certainly eat too much, and there can be downsides. Here’s why you shouldn’t be eating your weight in grams of protein.
Why Do We Need to Eat Protein?
Protein is a nutrient we rely on for building and maintaining muscle, but it also plays a role in other vital physiological functions including immunity, fluid balance, nutrient transport and enzyme function. Protein-rich foods provide energy, and contain essential amino acids that you can only get from your diet. Having a steady intake of these essential amino acids daily is key to maintaining health.
How Much Protein Should You Eat?
The basic protein recommendations for healthy adults are 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, which is about 55 grams for a 150-pound person. Outside of these requirements, growing children and adolescents, pregnant women and active athletes often require more. To support needs for growth and exercise, protein needs may range from 1.2 to 1.8 grams per kilogram (82 to 123 grams) for the same 150-pound person. Get your protein from healthy animal-based options like lean meats, fish, low-fat dairy and eggs. Balance your intake with plant-based proteins like soy, legumes, nuts and seeds.
Why One Gram Per Pound May Be Too Much
Time for some math! If one kilogram is equal to 2.2 pounds, then the one gram per pound recommendation is 2.2 grams per kilogram – far beyond the 1.2 to 1.8 grams target mentioned above. A dramatic increase in protein may not be harmful to healthy folks, but doses this extreme will not optimize nutrition. High-protein dieters often suffer from low-fiber intake as well as fatigue from a lack of easily digestible energy sources (a.k.a. carbohydrates). Taking in higher than necessary doses of protein may also contribute to stomach upset and in severe cases, compromised kidney function and decreased testosterone levels.
To achieve optimal health, your body needs a balance of all macronutrients.
Bottom Line: Growing bodies and active athletes can benefit from doses of protein above the baseline recommendation of 0.8 grams per pounds but over-shooting to 2.2 grams per kilograms is not what most people need.
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