“Protein is an essential nutrient that builds and repairs tissues including skin and muscle, and also makes hormones and enzymes.”
-Barbie Boules, R.D.N., via ‘Women’s Health’
Now that’s cleared up, how much protein should you eat every day? The answer depends And involves a little math. For an average man or woman, your daily intake of protein in terms of grams = your weight x 0.36. So if you weighed 140 pounds, you should be eating about 50 grams of protein per day.
If you’re committed to weight loss you’ll want to up your daily protein intake. For weight loss your number of protein grams per day = your weight x 0.7.
If you’re looking to build muscle, you’re going to really want to up your protein. For muscle gain your number of protein grams per day = your weight x 0.8.
Generally the more active you are, the more protein you should be taking in. If you’re considering a supplement, dietitians recommend you pick a protein powder made from pure protein with no additives or sugar. But they also recommend you stick to whole food sources like lean meats, fish, eggs, beans, and nuts.
