Articles · Nutrients
Protein at every age: are you getting enough?
How much protein children, adults and older people need, why spreading it across the day matters as we age, and easy ways to add some to each meal.
· 4 min read
Protein shakes, protein bars, "high protein" yogurts: the shelves suggest we're all running short. Most adults in wealthy countries actually eat plenty. But there's one group that often doesn't, and it's the one that needs protein most. Do you know who?
Why we need protein
Protein builds and repairs almost everything in the body: muscles, bones, skin, hair, enzymes, hormones and antibodies. The body can't store spare protein the way it stores fat, so it needs a steady supply from food.
How much?
A common guide for healthy adults is 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight a day: about 56 g for someone weighing 70 kg.
- Children need a little more for their size, because they're growing.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding raise the need.
- Older adults may need more, not less. An expert group on protein and ageing advises at least 1.0–1.2 g per kilogram a day for people over 65, more for those who are active or recovering from illness (people with serious kidney disease should follow their doctor's advice).
Think about it: If you're over 65, or cook for someone who is: how much protein was in yesterday's breakfast?
Why older people need more
From middle age, we slowly lose muscle, and the loss speeds up in later life. Ageing muscles also respond less to protein, so they need a bigger dose at a time to rebuild. Losing muscle means losing strength, balance and independence: falls, difficulty climbing stairs, trouble carrying shopping.
Two things help most: eating enough protein, ideally spread across the day rather than mostly at dinner (the evidence on timing is still limited, but it's an easy habit), and strength exercise, such as climbing stairs, standing up from a chair without using your hands, or lifting weights. The expert group recommends both.
Still Life with Cheeses, Almonds and Pretzels, Clara Peeters, c. 1615, Mauritshuis, The Hague. Cheeses, butter, almonds, pretzels and bread, painted in Antwerp around 1615 by Clara Peeters, one of very few women painting professionally at the time. Look closely at the knife: she painted her name on it. Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsWhere to find it
Roughly how much protein these portions give:
- A chicken breast (100 g cooked): about 30 g. A salmon fillet: about 22–25 g.
- A pot of Greek yogurt (170 g): about 17 g. A glass of milk: about 8 g.
- A cup of cooked lentils: about 18 g. 100 g of firm tofu: about 15 g.
- Two eggs: about 12–13 g. A slice of cheddar (30 g): about 7 g.
- Two tablespoons of peanut butter: about 7–8 g. A handful of almonds: about 6 g.
Easy ways to add some to each meal
- Breakfast is often the weakest: add eggs, Greek yogurt, milk on porridge, or peanut butter on toast.
- Lunch: beans or lentils in a soup, tuna or chicken in a sandwich, hummus with vegetables.
- Dinner: a palm-sized portion of fish, meat, tofu or beans.
- Snacks: a glass of milk, a yogurt, a handful of nuts or a boiled egg.
Try this: For an older relative with a small appetite, little and often works best: a milky drink, yogurt or an egg between meals can add as much protein as a whole extra meal.
Think about it: Is breakfast the protein gap in your day? What could you add to it tomorrow?
Quick quiz
About how much protein does a healthy 70 kg adult need a day?
About 56 g, using the common guide of 0.8 g per kilogram.
Do older adults need less protein because they eat less?
No. Experts advise older adults to eat more per kilogram, at least 1.0–1.2 g, because muscles respond less to protein with age.
Besides protein, what helps older people keep their muscles?
Strength exercise, such as standing up from a chair without using your hands, climbing stairs or lifting weights.
Sources
General information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or take medication, ask a doctor or dietitian what is right for you.