A few days ago someone has inquired as to how much protein a one should intake. Here is some information on protein as it applies to adults and children.
Protein Intake
Remember, protein is like anything else you eat, too much equals storage
as body fat. It is a miss conception
that the more protein you eat the more muscle is built. Yes, protein is essential to growth and
development and it keeps you fuller for longer, however, there is such a thing
as too much of a good thing.
Most often protein is thought of as only coming from animal sources,
however, almost everything we eat has a protein content- even fruits,
vegetables and grains. These proteins
should also be counted toward our daily intake.
Many issues arise from taking in too much protein, mainly animal
protein. It is harder for the body to
break down and can cause gastrointestinal distress if eaten in large quantities
often. Constipation and chronic fatigue
is common in people who consume large amounts of animal proteins, including
dairy. Liver fatigue can also occur as a
result of too much protein because of its role in detoxifying the body. Chronic
high protein intake can also lead to calcium depletion, fluid imbalances and
slower metabolism. High protein diets
are recognized as those consisting of 30% or more of one’s daily caloric value
and are associated with higher amounts of saturated fat intake and lower fiber
intake which are both risk factors in heart disease and some cancers. Americans generally consume more protein
than is necessary for good health.
Remember to concentrate on quality sources of protein: nuts, seeds, beans, organic meats and protein
dense grains. Study the chart below to
see how much protein you require. Then
take a day to document how much protein you are actually ingesting.
To
calculate how much protein you need you first need to convert your weight in
pounds to kilograms. (example: 120lbs
divided by 2.2 kilograms= 54.55 kilograms)
·
If you
exercise very little to not at all multiple your weight in kilograms by .8
·
If you
exercise moderately to intensely multiple your weight in kilograms by 1.0 (If
heightening your intensity to build muscle multiple by 1.2-1.8)
·
If you
are a body builder multiple your weight in kilograms by 1.0 (during times of
intense training/getting ready for competition multiple by 1.6-2.0
·
If you
are an endurance athlete multiple your weight in kilograms by 1.4 (during times
of long distance training as in marathon or triathlon multiple by 1.6-2.0)
(example:
120lbs converted to kilograms=54.55 kilograms multiplied by 1.0= 54.55 grams of protein per day.)
Children’s requirements:
·
Infants
up to 5 months 13 grams/day
·
Infants
5 months to 1 year 14 grams/day
Lactating women should multiple their weight in kilograms by one level more than their activity level. (Example: 54.55 kilogram individual from above when lactating would multiple by 1.2-1.8)
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