How to ensure you get at least 100g of protein a day into your diet
Protein– or the amino acid chains that make it up – are a vital part of almost every human function. We can’t make these amino acids ourselves so we have to get them from our food.
For most of us, 100g is the minimum to hit our daily requirements. All of which amounts to a lot of eating, especially if you don’t eat meat or dairy. Because it can be easier to stick to a habit once we understand the hows and whys of why exactly it’s good for us, we consulted three of the best nutritionists around to help break down exactly what protein does for you, the best sources of protein, and how to get 100g of protein a day when your desire to hit your macros is proving bigger than your appetite.
The thing about protein, apart from being delicious, is that it’s involved in almost every process in the body. It’s needed for repairing tissue, producing hormones and enzymes, making neurotransmitters for mood and focus, supporting your immune system, regulating fluid balance, and plays a role in metabolism, too.
“The catch is that your body doesn’t store protein like carbohydrates or fat, so you need to eat it regularly,” says a nutritionist. “If you’re not getting enough, your body will tell you via slower recovery, dips in energy, cravings and reduced focus.”
A study published in the journal Obesity even found that men on a higher-protein diet reported fewer food cravings and less late-night snacking.
In other words, from metabolism to mental and physical performance, protein is key for your bodily functions.
As well as helping you get in shape, stay in shape, and regulating blood sugar, protein does a lot for you under the hood that you may not know about.
As Benjamin Richardson, nutritional therapy practitioner at Programme Wellness explains, it forms your hair and nails; regulates every bodily movement from the blinking of an eye to breathing; helps maintain your skin elasticity; helps boost immune function and deliver oxygen to your cells; regulates hormones and digestions; and keeps your brain firing as it’s supposed to.
“There’s also the ‘Second Meal Effect,’” says Richardson. “This is when protein, along with fibre, helps determine your blood glucose response to that first meal of the day, but also the next one.” In other words, get the balance right at breakfast, and you shouldn’t crash after lunch. “Having 20-40 grams of protein at breakfast, through whole foods, but also through protein powders, can do it,” Richardson advises.
For active individuals, protein should make up about 25 to 35 percent of total daily calories. “That usually lands around 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, depending on how much training someone is doing,” explains Kevin Rail, a health coach and nutritionist, adding that people with higher training volumes, especially resistance training, tend to benefit from the upper end of that range.
“Sedentary individuals can do well with a lower intake, but going too low makes it harder to preserve muscle during weight loss or ageing,” Rail explains.
For the average person, this should work out as around 15-25% of your total calorie intake. “Bodyweight is the better measure,” admits Jordan. “Most people would benefit from getting protein at every meal, rather than front-loading or skipping it.”
These days, everything from milk to bread boasts of its protein content. Which is great. But is there such a thing as too much protein? We know it can be beneficial, but surely anything in excess isn’t good for us?
For most healthy people, higher protein diets are safe and well tolerated. But if your overall calorie intake is too high even excess protein can contribute to weight gain,” says Jordan, who adds that anyone with kidney disease should check with their doctor before increasing their intake.
But don’t worry too much. Chomping through multiple chicken breasts per day won’t immediately make you fat if your energy expenditure remains high. “If your total calorie intake is appropriate for your goals, excess protein is unlikely to be stored as body fat,” adds Rail. “Protein also has a higher thermic effect, meaning the body uses more energy to digest it compared to carbs or fat.”
That said, Rail adds that extremely high protein diets without enough fibre or hydration can create digestive issues.
There’s another consideration. “At higher intakes the calories contributed by dietary protein can begin to displace the opportunity to include other important foods, such as plants, legumes. mushrooms, nuts, seeds and fruits,” says Richardson. “These other foods contribute other key dietary factors, such as fibre, different micronutrients, and phytonutrients, some of which are essential and others major positive players in determining gut health, brain health and mitochondrial function.”
On a 2,000-calorie diet, 100 grams of protein is 20% of your total calories, so you can hit 100g and still have room for that second egg butty, should you wish. For some, hitting your protein targets can be a struggle, but Jordan says it needn’t be.
“It’s less complicated than you might think,” she says. “The aim is progress over perfection. Once you start paying attention to your protein and build the habit, you’ll feel the difference quickly.”
To his 100 grams of protein, she suggests a typical day could look like this:
Breakfast: 200g Greek yoghurt with 40g Purition, berries and tsp butter (optional) ~38g
Lunch: Chicken breast with 100g quinoa and roast veg tray bake ~32g
Dinner:
Lentil and chickpea curry with 150g cooked lentils + 100g cooked
chickpeas, served with 100g cooked brown rice and a dollop of Greek
yoghurt ~30g protein
“It’s easier when you break it down across meals,” agrees Rail. “One simple way is to build meals around your protein source, then add carbs and fats around it. This keeps portions clear and cuts down on decision fatigue,” he says. “If appetite is low, liquids help - shakes, soups, or blended meals make it easier to increase intake without feeling overstuffed.”
Vegan or veggie? The good news is it’s easier than ever to hit your protein goals. Yes, adding beans and legumes is a great way to pad out every meal, but you can also keep it interesting with high protein, ‘fake meat’ options like seitan.
While not as high in protein as the real thing, often these fake meats can help provide a texture close to actual meat, helping with your satiety. You might also consider adding blended tofu or lentils to your curry and pasta sauces as an invisible way of upping the protein punch of your meals.
Finally, high protein, vegan yoghurts loaded with nuts and even some vegan peanut butter is a great way to ensure you’re eating well and getting wham in the process.
Still struggling to hit your protein macro? Richardson has some advice:
Don’t back-load your protein
“A
typical pattern of eating within many western diets is to ‘backload’
protein, which refers to consuming most protein within the evening meal
and far less protein within carbohydrate-dominated breakfast and lunch,”
he says. “It’s more beneficial to include meaningful doses of protein
within each meal.”
Eat protein first
“Avoid
filling up on starchy carbohydrates like bread, pasta, and rice at the
beginning of a meal, and go for the protein first instead,” he advises.
“This can help you prioritise the protein intake without feeling
over-full.”
Snack smart
“Most snack foods are high in carbohydrate, or fat, and low in protein. Biltong, jerky and boiled eggs are your friends.”
A protein shake within your ‘fasting’ window
“If you practice time-restricted eating, and struggle to reach your daily target, you could add in a pure protein shake within your fasting window,” says Richardson. “Yes, this ‘breaks’ your fast, but if you are fasting mainly for weight-control and body composition, adding in 20 grams of protein within a shake amounts to fewer than 100 calories, and can even support your goals.”
And if you really want to pack a wallop, you can try rounding out your meals with the below. “Note that whilst nuts, seeds and other legumes can certainly be a great way to add protein, they are also more rich in fats and carbohydrates than protein,” Richardson warns.
- Beef Mince (5% fat): 110 grams, about the size of a large burger patty
- Pork Chop, fat removed: 140 grams, or just one thin chop
- Chicken Breast: 130 grams, or one medium breast
- Fish (Sardines): 120 grams, roughly 2 small tins
- Whole Eggs: 5-6 medium sized eggs
- Cottage Cheese (Low Fat): 300 grams, which is common pot size sold in supermarkets
- Halloumi Cheese: 125 grams, typically about half of a full packet
- Tempeh: 150 grams, typically about half of a full packet
- Tofu: 200+ grams, sometimes a full packet worth since it contains more water than tempeh
- Edamame or Lupin Beans: 250 grams, a cup and a half