Protein 101: Everything You Need to Know About Protein and How To Apply That In Real Life

Truth be told, most of us don’t need to know about specific protein amounts or follow a strict macro plan. In fact, focusing too much on hitting numbers is often frustrating, confusing and and unnecessary. That said, I’m a big believer in always knowing the why behind what you’re doing. The more you know, the more confident you can feel in the food choices that you make.

Here’s what to expect in this article:

• A quick recap going over what protein is, at a molecular level
• Types of amino acids and why those types matter
• The value of protein to your body and goals
• An explanation of how much you should be eating
• Protein sources you can choose from
• How to apply this information to real life

Ready?

What is Protein?

Protein is a macronutrient. Meaning it’s a nutrient used in large amounts by the body to maintain energy levels, metabolism, structure and systems. You need to eat protein in order to survive and thrive.

Protein is made up of amino acids, the building blocks for pretty much every structure in your body. Amino acids are the key components in most hormones, enzymes, some neurotransmitters and of course, muscle. Protein is constantly being turned over (built up and broken down), in the body as you grow, rebuild, recover and live your life in general. Which is why you need a constant dietary supply.

Three Types of Amino Acids – and Why They’re Important

There are two major, and one less talked-about categories of amino acids: essential, non-essential and conditionally essential. Here’s the difference:

• Essential Amino Acids – these are amino acids that the body requires but cannot make on it’s own. You must get them from what you eat. There are 8 of them in total.
• Non-Essential Amino Acids – amino acids that your body can make by rearranging molecules from other amino acids. There are 12 types of non-essential amino acids that your body can make.
• Conditionally Essential Amino Acids – a mix of essential and non-essential amino acids that the body only needs in certain cases. For example during illness, injury, recovery or stress. These are amino acids that our body’s can synthesize but not always in the right amounts, especially in these given situations.

Your body doesn’t make amino acids. You have to get them from your diet. Which is why it’s so important to not only eat enough protein, but eat a wide variety of food sources so that you give your body a greater range of amino acids.

The Value of Protein to Your Body and Goals

It likely does not come as a surprise to you that eating enough protein is central to many metabolic processes and physiological goals. A higher protein diet is crucially important in many ways:

• Body fat reduction
• Metabolic boost
• Muscle growth and maintenance
• Repair and recovery
• Bone density health
• Meal satisfaction and satiety
• Appetite control
• Immune system health
• Improves health markers like blood pressure

So, How Much Should You Be Eating?

There are baseline recommendations for the “average” person to prevent deficiency. For sedentary but healthy adults, that recommendation is .8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, daily. This is a good amount to cover the basics and prevent malnutrition.

That said, there are definitely cases in which you need more protein than what the baseline recommends. For instance, you will need more protein if you:

• Are pregnant or breastfeeding
• Train at a high intensity, frequently
• Work a physically demanding job
• Have chronic physical stress
• Are sick or recovering from an illness
• Are trying to lose weight with a calorie restricted diet

If any of the above is the case for you, consider increasing your daily intake to 1.2-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

That all said, there are some situations and health conditions in which you might do better on a lower protein diet. If you have kidney disease, metabolic disease, liver disease, or digestive issues, please talk to your doctor about optimal intake for you.

Protein Sources for All Diets and Preferences

Now it’s time to get down to the business of real life. Starting with: what foods are good sources of protein?

High Protein Food Sources

• Poultry – chicken, turkey, or duck
• Meat – lean beef, bison, pork, or wild game
• Fish – such as tuna, salmon, haddock
• Shellfish
• Eggs and egg whites
• Dairy products – cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, kefir
• Tofu or tempeh
• Beans and legumes
• Protein powder – why, casein, egg white, pea or other plant-based proteins

This list changes depending on where you live, your eating style and dietary habits. For example insects are an excellent source of protein across the globe, but not exactly popular in Western diets.

Keep in mind too, that almost all foods contain some amount of protein. That said, most of the following should be categorized first as a fat or carbohydrate before being categorized as a high source of protein:

• Nuts and seeds – a thumb sized portion of peanut butter has 3 grams of protein in it, but it also contains a high amount of fat so keep that in mind.
• Starches and grains – some grains like quinoa, teff and amaranth contain not-insignificant amounts of protein, but they still fall into the carbohydrate category.
• Vegetables and fruits, like broccoli, spinach, potatoes and avocado, also contain protein but again, shouldn’t be considered a high source of the macro.

Remember that human beings have evolved and thrived by eating a varied and seasonal diet. You need a large variety of amino acids so your best bet is to choose a wide selection of whole, minimally-processed foods to match your needs, preferences, goals and environment.

Now, To Take This Information Into Real Life!

Now that you know the what and the why behind this ever-important macronutrient, it’s pretty important to understand how that relates to real life. How do you take the science, and the lists, and turn them into action?

First, just because there’s a huge variety of protein sources out there doesn’t mean you like them all. Identify what you like, and feel free to rotate through those sources! Knowing what foods contain protein is only useful if you’re willing to eat those foods.

There are certain factors that are going affect your choices such as whether your are vegetarian or vegan (or not), religious/belief-based and cultural restrictions, affordability and quality.

Second, learn how to easily and safely prepare these foods. This chart gives a clear breakdown of food temperatures and safety tips for when you’re cooking poultry, meat, fish, seafood and even eggs.

It’s also important to understand serving sizes. A good starting point is to consume 1-2 palm-sized servings of protein at every meal, or 3-4 total servings per day. You will need to adjust based on your goals, how hungry you are and how satiated you feel at the end of the day.

Finally, keep in mind that not every protein is going to sit well with your digestive system. Allergies and intolerances play a big role in the food sources you choose. For example if you’re lactose intolerant, you’d probably do better to stay away from whey-containing foods (like yogurt), and protein powders even though research shows whey to be a great post-workout protein source.