How Much Protein Should I Be Eating?
You might have noticed by now that we seem to put a big emphasis on protein here at SwoleFoods. Indeed every one of our meals is deliberately high in protein. What is the reason for this? And is there such a thing as too much protein? Allow us to explain.
What Is Protein?
Protein is one of the three macronutrients that comprise all of the foods that we eat and is a fuel source for many of the processes that occur within our bodies. When we eat protein – in the form of meat, legumes, eggs, nuts, grains etc – our bodies receive it and break it down in to amino acids. These then form the building blocks that the body uses to create new tissues, cells and muscles.
Protein is not something that can be stored within the body to be used for later, like fat for example, meaning that it is important that we are consuming protein everyday.
How Much Protein Should You Eat?
The exact amount of protein that will be beneficial to you will depend on a few factors. What is your body weight? What is your exercise regime? What are you trying to achieve?
As a general rule, eating between 0.8 and 1 grams of protein per kilo of bodyweight will ensure that you are meeting your daily minimum requirements. So as an example, if you weigh 70kg you would multiply that by 0.8 (70 x 0.8 = 56) to get a daily minimum of 56g of protein required.
The more active you are, the higher the minimum requirement. As the intensity of your exercise increases and you start to work your muscles harder, they will require a larger amount of protein in order to recover fully and grow stronger. A general recommendation then becomes to increase your daily intake to anywhere between 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilo of bodyweight. So if we take our previous example, a 70kg person would now require upwards of 112g of protein each day to maintain healthy muscle mass and bodily function.
Are you sure? That sounds like a lot
If this is the first time that you have looked at protein intake in this way before, it might seem like quite a large amount. But remembering that most of us are eating around 3-4 meals per day, we can break this number up in to smaller parts making it easier to achieve.
112g of protein divided between 3 meals suddenly becomes 37g per serve. Throw in a snack or a shake and all of a sudden you are easily on your way to achieving your daily requirements.
Why are all of our meals High Protein?
A diet that is high in protein can help with muscle recovery and growth as we have touched on, but it also carries with it numerous other benefits that can have a positive impact on your overall health and wellbeing.
Protein is digested at a slower rate when compared to refined carbs. When eaten in combination with healthy fats and fibre, as is the case within all of our meals, you will feel fuller and more satisfied for a longer period of time.
Not only does this help to reduce food cravings, but you’ll also be more likely to start seeing your body composition improve in overall alignment with your goals due to the fact that you are no longer playing victim to your snacking habits to the same degree.
By ensuring that our meals are high in all of the good stuff (like protein, fibre, complex carbs and healthy fats) we are doing our best to help you get everything that you need from your nutrition.
Our convenient delivery service means that staying on top of your eating every week is hassle free. So what are you waiting for? Get started on your high protein journey today and start seeing results.