Everything you need to know about high-protein diets and how to choose the best one for you
In a world with plenty of conflicting dietary advice, one truth has emerged and been absorbed by almost everyone;: you need to eat protein, and plenty of it, if you’re exercising regularly.
But why is protein so important, exactly how much should you be eating, and is it essential to invest in huge tubs of powders forprotein shakes to get the most from your exercise? For all these answers and more, Coach turned to Tracey Strudwick, Nuffield Health nutritional therapist.
Should you have protein with every meal?
“The best way to deliver protein to your body is gradually over the course of the day. Whatever your goals are – weight maintenance, muscle gain or preparation for an endurance event – you’ll benefit from having protein in your breakfast, lunch and dinner.
“If you add protein into your diet with every meal, your blood sugar maintains its balance. Protein is digested much more slowly, so you don’t feel hungry shortly after you’ve eaten.”
Why is it so important for exercise?
“It’s important when we exercise because proteins provide amino acids and these are the building blocks for new tissues and repairing body cells. When you exercise, some of your muscle tissue gets damaged. If you’re weight training, your muscle tissue can have tiny tears, so the amino acids then repair them.
“We also need them for making crucial enzymes, hormones and antibodies. We can also use protein as a small fuel source for exercising muscles – carbs and fats are the main source, but protein can contribute up to 15% of energy production when glycogen stores are low.”
What are the best sources of protein?
“The best sources are meat, fish and dairy but there’s lots of protein in quinoa, lentils, beans and chickpeas, nuts and seeds.”
How much protein to eat per day
| Bodyweight | Sedentary | Active |
| 11st (70kg) | 52.5g | 84-119g |
| 13st (82.5kg) | 62g | 99-140g |
| 15st (95kg) | 71.25g | 114-161.5g |
Eating more than 100g a day seems tricky…
“You can achieve it really easily. A boiled egg with cottage cheese on half of a wholewheat muffin gives you 25g at breakfast. At lunch, mackerel and quinoa salad will give you 39g. For dinner, chicken breast, brown rice and vegetables will give you 44g.”
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Do you need protein powder?
“The only time I’d think about protein powder is if you’re training for an endurance or bodybuilding event and you’re really intensively training. Sometimes after you’ve intensively trained for something like that you’re just not hungry, but it’s important to get protein within a couple of hours for muscle repair.”
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