The Brain-Healthy Guide To Eating Enough Protein
Menu ideas plus my favorite protein-packed snacks
Hello, brain health ambassadors. Welcome to your midweek newsletter. Last week I wrote to you about the importance of getting enough protein in a brain-healthy diet. Based on all of your comments, it seems like many of you struggle to meet target protein needs. I hear you! It’s not always easy to juggle protein while hitting all the recommended brain-healthy food groups, too. But it’s entirely possible to have it all—a tasty, brain-protective way of eating that’s abundant in nutrients while giving you all the protein you need to build and maintain muscle at any age.
Today, I’m covering how to know if you should double or triple the RDA’s protein intake recommendation of 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight. What does a day of eating look like when boosting protein in brain-healthy dietary patterns? When does your body absorb the most protein? Does intermittent fasting quell protein absorption? And, what are the pros and cons of protein powders?
How Much Protein Do Active Adults Need?
The RDA for protein intake is 0.36 grams per pound of body weight. While there are no firm guidelines for protein intake for active adults, most agree the optimal range is somewhere between double and triple the RDA. To determine your protein needs, think about your exercise habits in terms of dose (how many minutes per week) and intensity (how hard you work out). If you exercise at the less frequent and intense end of the spectrum (150 minutes per week), double the RDA for protein is probably sufficient. If your exercise dose and intensity are at the very active range (over 300 minutes per week), you may need up to three times the RDA, or 1 gram of protein for each pound of body weight. Some guidelines:
If you are an active person: the protein number to shoot for (in grams) is ⅔ of your body weight in pounds. That’s about 100 grams of protein a day if you are an active 140 pound woman.
Very active people: shoot for 1 gram of protein for each pound you weigh.
If you are trying to build muscle after being sick or injured, shoot for the higher protein intake.
If you are over or underweight, base this on your target body weight.
I know you are wondering how you will be able to hit these target protein levels. Depending on your body weight and activity level, this could mean getting 20 to 40 grams of protein with each meal, and another 15 to 20 grams through 2 protein-rich snacks. The good news is that many of the best foods for the brain are already high in protein, and many of them are plant-based. (See this newsletter for a list of my 10 favorite protein-packed foods.)
If it seems like you are going to be counting protein grams for the rest of your life, don’t worry—soon it becomes intuitive. First, track your protein intake for a few days or weeks to get the hang of what a boosted day looks like. Then, keep a standard rotation of the foods you like to eat that are also brain-healthy sources of protein and it will become part of your eating routine.
Menu Ideas For High-Protein Brain-Healthy Eating
