How much protein should I consume per day and why is it needed?

The protein I’m one of three essential macronutrients that our body needs to function properly, along with carbohydrates and fats.

In this way, the body requires large daily doses of protein to make up as important components as muscles, connective tissues, blood, antibodies or enzymesamong many others.

When one reads its determining functions, the inevitable question arises: How much protein should we consume per day to be healthy?

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amount of protein per day

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), they should be consumed daily. between 0.8 grams and one gram of protein for every kilogram of weight for a healthy adult.

Daniel Pendick, executive editor of the magazine Harvard Men’s Health Watchexplains that “the RDA is the amount of a nutrient you need to meet your basic nutritional needs.”

It means, in other words, “the minimum amount required not to get sick”, but “not the specific amount you should be eating each day.” The reason? Because this should be bigger.

According to their calculations and based on reports prepared by The American Journal of Clinical Nutritionconsuming only the recommended daily amount of protein implies that these they make up only about 10 percent of total daily calories.

On average, people typically consume about 16% of their daily calories in the form of both animal and vegetable proteins.

A percentage that would be far from being a threat to our health, quite the opposite, says Pendick.

Benefits of protein intake

“Potential benefits of higher daily protein intake include conservation of muscle strength despite aging, maintaining a lean and augmented physique burn fat”, say the experts.

As for quantities, Pendick estimates that “consuming up to double the recommended daily amount of protein is a safe and good range to aim for,” reflects Sport.es

Bottom line, protein should make up between 15 and 25% of our total daily calories.

Sure, it’s worth noting that age, gender or level of physical activity they can alter the amount of protein you need to consume on a daily basis.

In this sense, it is very important Usually not to exceed two grams per kilogram of body weight per day.

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Animal and vegetable proteins and risks​

People who eat a very high protein diet have a higher risk of kidney stonessays another medical report.

Is that one A high protein diet from red meat could lead to an increased risk of heart disease and colon cancer. The origin, for example, must be put on the table at the moment of the analysis.

On the other hand, a diet high in plant protein may not pose similar risks.

Pendick advises the need to consume plant foods such as “whole grains, beans and other legumes, nuts and greens” as protein sources.

Finally, there are studies that observe that “protein is most effective when slathered on meals and snacks of the day instead of accumulating them only at dinner.