High Protein Foods: How Much Do We Really Need?

By: Chris Freytag, CPT // April 6, 2023

As you age, getting the correct amount of protein, from healthy sources is crucial to your health.

If you are over the age of 50, it’s even more important to pay attention to your protein intake than it was in your 30’s and 40’s. Why? Because after the age of 50, your body isn’t as good at using protein to build and maintain muscle as it once was.

Protein protects your muscles and also plays a vital role in the health of your hormones, sleep quality and weight loss. Made up of amino acids, protein also helps build our muscles, bones, cartilage, skin, hair, and blood.

But here’s the deal: you start to lose about .5 to 1 pound of muscle per year after the age of 35 if you are not actively replacing it. The key words to this are “actively replacing”. You need to be doing strength training in your mid life and then eating enough protein to fuel and repair your muscles.

I will share with you different sources of protein and how much you need.

What Is The Best Protein

Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good enough. There is not one perfect source for protein. There are so many great animal and plant sources to choose from.

When you choose which foods to eat for protein, you should always consider the fats, fiber, and sodium that come with it.

A 6-ounce broiled porterhouse steak is very high in protein—about 40 grams worth. But it’s very high in saturated fats and lacks fiber.
Eating the same 6 ounces of salmon gives you 34 grams of protein, but it’s under 18 grams of fat, 4 of them saturated.
A cup of cooked lentils has 18 grams of protein, lots of fiber and under 1 gram of fat.

The answer is that a variety of animal and plant proteins will give you a good mix of all the amino acids and support your muscles and bodily functions.

The Best Way To Get The Recommended Amount Of Protein

The best way to get the recommended amount of protein is through a balanced diet.

Protein can’t be stored in the body like fat and carbohydrates, so we need to replenish the supply every day. Yet the actual amount required may surprise people accustomed to caveman-sized steaks.

Protein Requirements By Age

Most experts agree that the federal guidelines for protein consumption are too low. I agree with standford.edu that adults aged 50+, should consume 0.54 – 0.72 grams/pound body weight per day. For a 165-pound adult, this translates to roughly 90 – 120 grams of protein per day.

Also, remember to build muscle past the age of 50, you need to not only eat enough protein but you MUST do strength training.

Some athletes will eat 1 -2 gram of protein per pound for the best performance and health. These are people who train several hours a day. The majority of us in our senior years will do well with the above recommendation.

What Are Good Sources Of Animal Protein?

The best animal protein choices are meats, fish, poultry, and eggs.

If you can tolerate dairy, there are lots of choices like cheeses and yogurt.

What Are Good Sources Of Plant Based Protein?

You can get your protein from plant-based sources. Vegetarians do it every day.

Whole grains, nuts, seeds, sprouts, legumes, and organic soy foods are all great plant protein sources
Dark green, leafy vegetables, like kale, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, and peas, also have easily absorbed protein.
Sea plants such as algae, spirulina, and chlorella are filled with protein

And, of course protein powders can be an easy supplement.