Protein : Have we all lost sight of what's normal?

Fads, phases or fixations (whatever you want to call them) are, unfortunately, very normal in the world of nutrition and wellness. One minute everyone’s running out to buy dates and goji berries, and the next we are all swearing off dried fruit and it’s all about cottage cheese instead.
At the moment, we’re all OBSESSED with protein. It’s all over social media, every pack now shows us its protein content, and Tesco meal deals even made the news back in January as the most popular snack in the UK shifted from McCoy’s crisps to a boiled egg pot.

For the most part, the societal shift towards higher protein consumption and more thought being put into fuelling our bodies — not starving them — is a good thing. However, like everything in nutrition, it’s been taken over by marketing and we’ve probably all lost the plot a little bit.

So, back to basics we go.

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How much protein do you need?

Protein requirements depend mostly on age, activity levels, and your goals at the time.

Sedentary individuals
0.75g per 1kg body weight per day
(approximately 20% total energy)

Endurance athletes
1.2 – 1.8g per 1kg body weight per day
(approximately 25% total energy)

Strength athletes
1.4 – 2g per 1kg body weight per day
(approximately 25% total energy)

Bodybuilders or those wanting to gain significant muscle mass (and likely weight too)
1.4 – 2.2g per 1kg body weight per day
(up to 30–35% of total energy)

Using the example of a 70kg person, the minimum intake would be 52.5g per day. It is extremely uncommon in the UK for anyone to be protein deficient, and almost everyone meets the minimum requirements.
For most of you reading this who are perhaps training recreationally 3–5 times a week with a combination of strength and cardio exercise, working towards a range of 1.2 – 1.6g protein per kg per day is often a good place to start. This will help improve strength, enhance body composition, and aid recovery from training — without it becoming a full-time job.
Pair this with a modest calorie deficit and you will be on track for a positive change in body composition (assuming weight loss is your goal).

If you’re 70kg, this would look like a protein goal of between 84g – 112g.

For the best utilisation of protein — and the best chance of feeling satisfied by meals and not over-faced — aim for 20–30g protein at each meal and perhaps 10–20g as part of a snack if required. If you’re training regularly, then 15–20g of protein after a workout has been found to have a beneficial effect on muscle recovery, so you could factor that into your day too.

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Why is higher protein helpful for weight loss?

There is a wealth of evidence that supports higher protein diets when losing weight, reducing body fat, and maintaining lean mass. This is mainly due to the following two factors:

1. Improved satiety
Protein is known as the most satiating nutrient — meaning it helps you feel fuller. Higher protein intakes are associated with higher levels of hunger-regulating hormones, including natural GLP-1 (which we’ve all heard a lot about recently as this is the main component of weight-loss injections), and lower levels of hunger-promoting hormones such as ghrelin.

If you feel fuller and more satisfied by your meals, it’s much easier to stick to a calorie deficit, be more mindful of your food intake, and make healthier choices.

2. Improved energy output
Protein digestion requires energy, so higher protein diets actually increase daily energy expenditure. This is, however, only between 1–3% (don’t get too excited), but it all counts. High-protein diets also contribute to higher lean muscle mass, and individuals with more muscle mass have higher metabolic rates and expend more energy each day — even at rest.

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Is all protein created equal?

No — not all protein-containing foods provide the same amount of protein or the same amino acid profile. Proteins can be split into two categories: complete and incomplete.

Complete — contains all essential amino acids
Examples: Meat, fish, eggs, dairy, quinoa, soy, buckwheat, hemp seeds

Incomplete — contains some but not all essential amino acids
Examples: Lentils, beans, chickpeas, nuts, seeds, wholegrains, vegetables

We need all essential amino acids to build proteins within the body, such as when building new muscle tissue. Therefore, it’s important to either include complete proteins in your diet or, if you choose to exclude meat and fish, ensure you consume a variety of protein sources.

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Be mindful of UPF (Ultra-Processed Foods)

As with so many nutrients, protein has without a doubt become a trend — so now there are a million products on supermarket shelves shouting about their protein content.
Be mindful of these for the following reasons:

• Some protein products don’t actually have much more protein than the standard version (or the difference is minimal). You’ll often be paying more too.

Examples:
Protein thin bagels: 8g protein | 4 pack | £1.75
Sesame thin bagels: 5.5g protein | 6 pack | £1.75

Babybel Mini Protein: 5.2g protein | 6 pack | £18.75/kg
Babybel Mini Light: 5g protein | 10 pack | £14.45/kg

• Many “high protein” options contain additional ultra-processed ingredients such as sweeteners, emulsifiers, thickeners, and flavourings.

Example:
Arla Protein (strawberry): 10g protein/100g | 10 ingredients (Skyr, grape juice, strawberry purée + 7 emulsifiers/flavours/stabilisers) | £0.55/100g

Arla Icelandic Skyr: 10.6g protein/100g | 1 ingredient (milk) | £0.56/100g

This isn’t to demonise processed ingredients — less is certainly more, but these products can make handy additions to the diet. Just keep an eye out for added ingredients and whether the protein difference is really worth it.

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If you’ve made it this far down this blog, then I hope some of the info helps make protein choices and intake a little simpler. My best advice (from working with a lot of clients) is not to stress about single grams and hitting exact targets.
If you’re recreationally training, stay away from the huge protein goals that don’t leave much room for other nutrients, as this can start taking over your day and make your diet less nutritionally dense.

Include protein at each meal from a variety of different sources, and aim for balance.

For more information on what protein goals might be good for you, or if you’re curious about whether you’re eating enough, then let’s chat.

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