Many of the diets trending at the moment recommend an intake of protein rich foods such as meat, fish & seafood, chicken & poultry, dairy products, eggs, tofu & tempeh, legumes & beans, nuts and seeds.  From Paleo to vegan, from Atkins to Dukan and CSIRO to flexitarian, how much is too much?

Protein is a nutrient our body requires for good health, functioning and recovery.   A protein molecule is made up of amino acids, which have a plethora of actions within the body including being the building blocks of hair follicles, skin cells, muscle tissue and blood cells.  Whether you are a couch potato, someone who just likes to keep active (or maybe not likes, but commits to keeping active!) or whether you are a weekend warrior or even an elite athlete; protein containing foods are required daily for optimal health.  But how much is enough?  And can you have too much?

For the general public, doing low to moderate intensity exercise such as walking, you require 0.75 to 1.0 gram of protein per kilo of body weight per day.   So, for a 60kg female this would be 45 to 60 grams of protein per day.  In food terms, this would be a serve of dairy at breakfast, a serving of ham on a sandwich at lunch and a small piece of meat or chicken at dinner.  Those of higher weight would require more protein than those with a small frame as more nutrients are required to supply a greater mass of tissue.

For a moderate exerciser who might do 40-60 minutes of exercise on at least 3 days per week, with some of this exercise including resistance training, it is recommended that you have 1.2-1.6 grams of protein per kilo of body weight.  For an 80kg male, this would be 96 – 128g per day.  This would be the equivalent of 2 eggs at breakfast, a latte, a snack of a tub of yoghurt and a small handful of nuts, meat or chicken on a sandwich at lunch and a serve of meat, chicken or fish at dinner.

For those preferring endurance activity such as running or cycling at least 3 days per week, it is recommended you consume 1.2 to 1.7g per kilo of body weight.   This may surprise some people that endurance activity requires about the same amount of protein as a more strength based trainer.  The muscle recovery is quite similar from both types of training.

Adolescents who are growing rapidly may require up to 2.0 grams per kilo.  Those who are recovering from a serious illness or treatment regime such as those currently undergoing cancer treatment may require higher levels of protein.   People with kidney conditions may require a lower protein intake.  Interestingly, females require 15% less protein than males.  This is due to males having a ’ higher level of muscle mass.

The table below outlines the food portions to achieve 10g protein: