Protein is having a moment. From coffee chains adding it to lattes to food companies marketing protein cookies and snacks, to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. touting steak instead of cake, the noise around protein can make it hard to know what you actually need.
And under Kennedy, the federal government updated the Dietary Guidelines to recommend a higher daily protein intake than before.
But nutrition science makes it clear that protein is not one-size-fits-all. Protein needs vary based on several factors including activity level, age and body weight.
Here's how to put politics and marketing aside and personalize your optimal intake of this key nutrient.
Why we need to eat protein
Our bodies rely on protein to do everything from building and repairing muscles, to making enzymes that help digest food, to producing antibodies that support immune function.
Rachele Pojednic, a scientist at Stanford University, says the body is continuously breaking down old proteins and building new ones, using amino acids from food.
"Protein is the building block of skeletal muscle," Pojednic says. "As you intake these amino acids, they are broken down in your GI tract and are absorbed and then reassembled into every tissue," she explains.
Start with your body weight
So, here's how to calculate your optimal intake. Start with a one-time calculation based on your approximate weight:
The new recommendation is to aim for 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day.
"I think that's the ideal range," Pojednic says. "This is what the research has been showing for quite some time."
Here's the math: Take your weight in pounds and divide by 2.2 to get it in kilograms. Then take that weight and multiply by 1.2 or 1.6 (the high end of the recommendations). That gives you the range of your daily recommended protein in grams.
For example, a person who weighs 150 pounds would need to aim for at least 82 grams of protein a day, and up to 109 grams on the higher end.
Here's one way to hit that target: a breakfast of 1 cup Greek yogurt (17 to 20 grams) with nuts (4 to 5 grams); a lunch that includes a cup of cooked lentils (about 18 grams); a snack of almonds or hummus with vegetables (5 grams); and a dinner with a 4-ounce chicken breast (about 35 grams).
Here are more suggestions for easy ways to add protein to your meals.
Consider your activity level
If you exercise regularly, you may want to increase protein up to the high end of the recommended range.
Many weightlifters and competitive athletes have long been advised to eat more protein.
"Activity is one of the key drivers of how much protein you need," says Stuart Phillips, a researcher at McMaster University who studies skeletal muscle health.
Exercise creates stress on the body that increases the amount of protein muscles use. "When you eat more protein, you can take more up, and make more new muscle proteins," Phillips says, explaining that exercise "sensitizes" muscles to protein, enhancing their ability to use the amino acids for growth and repair.
Take your age into account
"People begin to lose muscle mass somewhere in their 30s and 40s, and you don't notice until maybe your 50s or 60s, when all of a sudden you can't do one thing or another," Phillips says.
Maybe you notice it's harder to lift your suitcase or carry grocery bags, both of which are signs it may be time to take action. Phillips says this can catch people by surprise, and getting ahead of it requires physical activity, particularly strength training, as well as consuming adequate protein, within the 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight range.
"If you exercise, that's going to slow muscle loss down, and then in combination with more protein, would be even more effective," he says.
Women tend to eat less protein than men and do less strength training. Prioritizing both can help prevent age-related frailty. But there is one important caveat: More protein alone won't build new muscle strength. Phillips emphasizes it's the combination that makes the difference.
Decide on your number
If you've been following along, you'll have a sense of what your protein needs are. Start with the math to figure out your rough target based on your body size, and then make it personal depending on your activity level and age.
Then, look at what you're actually eating and see how close you are. You can find protein levels of various foods in databases like this one from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Or try an app for tracking macronutrients.
Animal vs. vegetarian protein sources
As for the source of protein, Pojednic says both animal and plant foods can meet the body's needs. "The literature shows unequivocally that you can get enough protein and all of the essential amino acids from a plant-based diet, as well as a diet that includes meat," she says.
Of the roughly 20 amino acids that serve as building blocks for proteins in the body, nine are considered "essential," meaning the body cannot produce them on its own. Animal products and meat typically supply sufficient amounts of all nine, and some plant sources, such as soybeans (used to make tofu and tempeh), are also considered complete proteins, supplying sufficient amounts of all nine.
Many plant foods do not provide enough of all essential amino acids alone, so they're considered incomplete proteins. But variety can close the gap.
If you "mix and match" in your diet with a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, as well as legumes and beans, "you can get all the amino acids," Pojednic says.
Can you get too much?
These are recommendations for the general public. People with certain health conditions, especially those with chronic kidney disease, may be advised to eat less protein. If you're increasing your protein intake substantially, you may want to check in with your health care provider to make sure you're eating an appropriate amount. And remember, if you're getting your protein from meat and dairy, keep an eye on your saturated fat intake, given that the recommendation is to limit saturated fat to less than 10% of total daily calories.
Protein powders can be convenient, so if they appeal to you, they can be a good option. Yet most people get enough protein from a well-balanced diet without adding supplements.
And once you know the general range of protein you're aiming for, you don't have to overthink it: Eat a wide variety of real food, in reasonable portions, and add in some resistance exercise.
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