Are you eating enough protein?
Most people have a decent serve of protein with their evening meal but many fall short when it comes to breakfast and lunch.
I’m sure you’ve heard me bang on about this many times but it is important to include protein with every meal, especially breakfast, as protein helps keep you full for longer, stabilises blood sugar, supports muscle maintenance and boosts metabolism. Protein also provides amino acids that are essential for the synthesis of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which are crucial for brain function and mood regulation.
Our daily protein requirement varies depending on factors such as age, gender and weight.
Here are the latest guidelines:
1 - 3 years: 1.08g protein per kg body mass
4 - 8 years: 0.91g protein per kg body mass
9 - 13 years
Boys: 0.94g protein per kg body mass
Girls: 0.87g protein per kg body mass
14 - 18 years
Boys: 0.99g protein per kg body mass
Girls: 0.87g protein per kg body mass
19 - 50 years
Men: 0.84g protein per kg body mass
Women: 0.75g protein per kg body mass
51 - 70 years
Men: 0.84g protein per kg body mass
Women: 0.75g protein per kg body mass
70 years +
Men: 1.07g protein per kg body mass
Women: 0.94g protein per kg body mass
Why not try some of these protein-rich meal and snack ideas? You will see how easy it is to meet your recommended daily intake - and I guarantee you will feel better too!
Meeting your daily protein requirement is easy with these delicious meal ideas!
Try to include protein-rich snacks in your daily diet
A special mention about plant-based diets:
It can be difficult for vegetarians and vegans to meet their daily protein requirements. Not only do plant foods generally have a lower protein content than animal foods, many plant foods are considered incomplete proteins, meaning that they lack some of the essential amino acids found in animal products. For this reason, people following plant-based diets should combine proteins to ensure they get all the amino acids required for proper protein synthesis. An example of protein combining is lentils or beans with rice.
The following plant foods are considered complete proteins as they contain all eight essential amino acids. If you are vegetarian or vegan and looking to boost your protein intake, I recommend that you make these foods a staple part of your daily diet.
👉 Quinoa
👉 Chia seeds
👉 Hemp seeds
👉 Soy products (tofu, tempeh, edamame, miso and soy milk)
👉 Buckwheat
👉 Amaranth
👉 Spirulina
Note: all protein calculations are approximate. The protein content varies slightly depending on portion sizes and the specific type of food, e.g. the type of bean or the brand of protein ball.
Reference: National Health and Medical Research Council, n.d., Nutrient Reference Values: Protein’, Australian Government, viewed 4 July 2024, https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/nutrient-reference-values/nutrients/protein