I find getting enough protein daily challenging. “Protein is essential for building and repairing every cell in your body,” says Ayla Barmmer, founder of FullWell Fertility. “It supports the creation of enzymes and hormones, boosts immune function and helps transport nutrients.”
I know I’m not alone: whether or not they know it, a lot of woman are dealing with a protein deficiency. “Inadequate protein intake can have widespread negative effects on the body, impacting multiple systems and functions,” says Barmmer, listing off a host of symptoms I’m simply not interested in experiencing, including feeling weak, reduced strength, brittle hair and nails, reduced ability to fight infection or illness and mental fog.
When it comes to asking “how much protein do I need?” the nutritionist also shares some simple rules: if you’re a sedentary adult, aim for one gram for every kilogram you weigh; if you’re an active adult, 1.6 to 2.2 grams per every kilogram you weigh; and if you’re over the age of 65, 1.2 to 1.5 grams per every kilogram you weigh. So if you weigh 72.5 kilograms, you’re aiming for around 145 grams of protein a day.
You don’t need more protein so much as you need a better strategy for eating it. Loading it all into one dinner or relying on the occasional ‘healthy meal’ won’t cut it. Your body absorbs and uses protein best when it’s spaced out across the day.
A simple rule is to aim for 20–30 grams per meal, starting with breakfast (the one most of us neglect). Eggs or Greek yoghurt in the morning, a solid lunch with a clear protein source and a balanced dinner does the job very easily. Add in easy boosters like a scoop of protein powder in your coffee, a handful of seeds on salads or swapping regular milk for soy/almond. Small tweaks like these make a big difference without feeling like a full diet overhaul.
Phew, this is even more intimidating than I thought. In an attempt to step up my game, Barmmer compiled a list of high-protein foods we can add to our rotation.
Fish
When it comes to eating fish, not all have the same amount of protein. There are more than 36 varieties that the FDA declares as healthy options and the four that are the highest when it comes to protein are tuna (24.4 grams of protein in a 100-gram serving for ahi tuna), salmon (25.92 grams in a 100-gram serving), cod (19.36 grams of protein in a 100-gram serving) and mackerel (25.45 grams of protein in a 100-gram serving).
Hemp seeds
These seeds may be tiny, but they are surprisingly mighty. Two tablespoons of hemp seeds have just as much protein as two egg whites, along with all nine essential amino acids (a rarity), omega-3 and omega-6.
