Ask a Dietitian

PROTEIN POWER – ARE YOU GETTING TOO MUCH?

With all the press on high protein diets being the ticket to weight loss it is no surprise that some people’s protein intake may have increased. This may have at one time been associated with a concurrent decrease in carbohydrates but in most cases this has slowly jumped back up. So where are you now? Are your meat portions still large and did you also add back the pasta to your dinner plate? No wonder the weight you had so effortlessly lost has crept back up.

How much protein do you actually need? The current recommendation for protein intake is 0.86g-2.0g /kg body weight. For the average person it would be about 1g protein per kilogram body weight. A moderately active person would be at 1.2 g/kg and a highly active person at 1.5g/kg. If you are not active you would only need the low end of the scale, 0.86g/kg. An endurance athlete who is also trying to gain muscle mass would need an intake at the upper end of the scale at 2.0g/kg. 2.0g/kg is the maximum protein intake one should consume. Your body cannot use more than 2 grams of protein/kg for the functions of protein turnover, tissue repair and muscle growth. Amounts larger than this would lead to an excessive amount of protein which would end up being stored and eventually used as fuel. Because you can’t store protein as protein, the excess protein would be converted into fat for storage until such time as you need it. In many cases, that time may never come and there is a continuous packing on of fat for storage and we have unlimited fat storage capacity.

If you are trying to build muscle, remember that it is not just protein you need to build the muscle, you also need carbohydrates to fuel your body and daily activities so that you don’t tap into your muscle for energy. Skipping meals and snacks will make it very difficult to build muscle because you will be constantly taping into your body stores for fuel. You need to ensure you provide your body with a regular and sufficient supply of carbohydrates to fuel your activities and preserve the protein for muscle building and tissue repair. If you consistently use protein for fuel you will end up having excess nitrogen to get rid of and this can be taxing on your kidneys.

If you are trying to lose weight, eating a small amount of protein throughout the day is key in maintaining constant blood sugar levels, stave off hunger and provide you with the nutrients you need for good health. However, if you eat too much protein and not enough of the other foods your intake may not be balanced and you may get some nutrient deficiencies. Seeing a registered dietitian can help you determine your requirements and fit it into a program for you. However, if you want to calculate your own needs here are some protein foods and their protein content. To make it simple, aim to have 2-3 servings from the meat and alternatives group and 2-4 servings from the milk group and you should be close to your goal. A serving of meat, fish or poultry is 3oz, ¾ cup beans, 100g tofu or ¼ cup nuts. A serving from the milk group is 1 cup milk, ¾ cup yogurt or 1.5oz cheese.

The Bottom Line:
Aim for a reasonable protein intake of 2-3 servings from the meats and alternatives group each day and 2-3 milk products or alternatives. Choose lean meats, poultry without the skin, fish and vegetarian options more often and go for variety.