How much protein should you eat in a day?
If you take the question to TikTok, the answer might be overwhelming, as influencers tout the benefits of high-protein diets to build muscle and lose weight, often recommending well over 100 grams of the macronutrient a day.
Experts say it’s important to get the recommended minimum 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight a day (a kilogram is equal to 2.2 pounds). For the average person who weighs 150 pounds, that would be at least 54 grams of protein daily.
Aiming for closer to 150 grams of protein — which is more like 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, if you weigh 150 pounds — is beyond the recommended amount for even a 150-pound Olympic athlete.
“Most of us are not competing for an Olympic medal,” said Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity medicine physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School.
“Just the way we normally eat in this country, we are already eating more protein than we need,” said Teresa Fung, a registered dietitian and professor of nutrition at Simmons University.
On top of that, getting too much protein can cause kidney strain. It can be especially harmful for people with pre-existing kidney conditions, diabetes or chronic dehydration because their kidneys may not be able to process elevated levels of protein, leading to permanent damage, Stanford said.
Despite the risks, high-protein diets are extremely popular right now.
In a 2024 survey of Americans’ food behavior conducted by the International Food Information Council, 71% said they want to increase their protein intake, compared to 67% in 2023 and just 59% in 2022. One-fifth of respondents said they follow a “high-protein diet” — more than vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets combined.
Monica D’Agostino, a registered dietitian and social media influencer based in New York City, has noticed a growing interest in protein content among her followers.
“I did see people start to pay more attention to it as a macronutrient,” D’Agostino said.
Kristin Kirkpatrick, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic, said the generalized nature of social media can be frustrating for dietitians, since no diet is one-size-fits-all. Before recommending a high-protein diet, she looks at pre-existing health conditions, family history and lifestyle.
“There’s great influencers who will give you suggestions on good meals and snacks,” Kirkpatrick said. “But we always have to take that information and relate it back to our own individual personalized medicine approach.”
How to incorporate protein in a healthy way
Whatever the latest trend may be, a truly healthy diet is all about balance, said Elisabetta Politi, a registered dietitian at the Duke Lifestyle and Weight Management Center in Durham, North Carolina. The idea behind all high-protein diets is to promote satiety, or the feeling of being full, Politi said. While that feeling can be helpful for weight loss, increasing protein may deprioritize other essential nutrients, like fiber and complex carbohydrates.
“Everything in moderation is still what I think is important to emphasize,” Politi said.
Athletes, people ages 60 and up, and individuals taking certain diabetes medications may need to increase protein to rebuild lost muscle, but for those wanting to build muscle, more protein won’t substitute for hitting the gym.
“It especially has been shown that the body’s ability to metabolize and absorb protein is limited,” Politi said. “So it’s not that an athlete can have a really high protein intake and it’s converted into muscle — what has been shown to help build up muscle is weight training, along with protein intake.”
According to dietitians, good sources of protein include chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, lean ground beef, legumes, nuts, seeds, tofu, eggs and Greek yogurt. Carefully selected supplements can help people get protein in a pinch, but whole foods are preferable because they’re accompanied by other key nutrients.
Influencer Ainsley Rodriguez often posts about easy protein-packed recipes to her 2.2 million followers on TikTok and Instagram.
She said she always emphasizes balance when she gets questions from followers.
“Protein is very trendy right now, but it’s obviously not the only macronutrient that you need,” Rodriguez said. “Although someone might be focusing on high protein, I would say don’t forget about your vegetables and your micronutrients and the vitamins and minerals you need.”
D’Agostino takes a similar approach.
“I really wanted to show how to include protein, from the stance of here are whole-food lean sources of protein you can incorporate that can follow a higher protein diet, but that are still balanced,” she said.
When starting a new diet, Stanford, of Mass General, advised seeing a physician or registered dietitian first to evaluate any individual risks and medical history. If a high-protein diet is deemed safe, Stanford encourages patients to be thoughtful and view it as a long-term commitment.
“I always ask my patients when they propose some type of dietary strategy, ‘Do you plan on doing this for the rest of your life?’” Stanford said.
Recent Comments