Here’s how much protein you actually need (for each life stage)

If you’re wondering why everything you eat has become protein-packed, it’s for good reason. Protein is essential for good health, helping with everything from building and repairing tissues in your body to making enzymes and hormones, and even helping your body to fight infections.

But did you know that your protein requirements vary based on factors like age, level of physical activity and even certain illnesses?  Eating enough protein and getting more of your protein from plant sources has been associated with reduced risk of developing chronic disease as we get older and helps support healthy aging.

How much protein do you need?

The National Health and Medical Research Council Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) recommend that you should aim to eat the following amounts of protein per day as a minimum:

The good news is that you don’t need to get too hung up on these numbers – most Kiwis eat more than enough protein as part of a healthy, balanced diet. That’s because protein can be found in a range of foods, including legumes (e.g., chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans), tofu and other soy products like soy milk, nuts and seeds, dairy, eggs, fish and lean meats and poultry. You can also get protein from wholegrains and even some vegetables like peas and sweetcorn.

But your protein needs do change throughout your life. So, let’s find out when, why and how much you should aim for throughout these key life stages.

Childhood and adolescence

Children and teenagers are continuously growing, so they require more protein relative to their body weight compared to adults.

According to Government health guidelines, the recommended amount of protein for children aged 1-3 years is 14g per day. As children get older, their protein needs increase and around the age of 9 the requirements for each gender changes, with girls needing a little less than the recommended amount for women, whereas boys need just above the adult male recommendation.

Most kids get enough protein with a typical balanced diet so there’s no need for spending extra money on supplementation or protein powders. It’s also very achievable for your children to get enough protein from a vegetarian diet by including a vegetarian source of protein at every meal.

Young and middle adulthood

By around 18, your body has mostly stopped growing, so you don't need as much protein for growth. Instead, you shift to a maintenance level, requiring only enough to replace worn-out tissues.

Some people in this age group who do regular exercise, including strength or endurance training, may need up to twice as much protein to support muscle recovery and growth. It was previously believed that protein needed to be eaten within 30 minutes of a workout for your body to use it. However, research suggests that the total amount of protein consumed each day is more important than the timing of it.

Older adulthood

Though protein recommendations for people aged 51 to 70 are the same as for those aged 31 to 50, this older age group might benefit from eating more.

Nearly half of the body's protein is in your muscles, and muscle mass starts to decline after age 50. Older bodies need more protein to maintain muscle mass, strength and perform other vital functions. As we age, our bodies also become less efficient at processing protein, increasing the need for it.

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Who else needs more protein?

There are a few times in our life when we may need more protein:

• Pregnancy (second and third trimester) and breastfeeding: This extra protein supports a baby's development, as the amino acids from protein are essential for normal cell growth and function, as well as helps mothers in their post-partum recovery. Adequate protein intake during pregnancy can also reduce the risk of complications such as fetal growth restriction and preterm labour.
• People with certain illness and injuries: Protein is important to help repair our bodies tissues and keeps our immune systems healthy, so we may need more protein to help recover from certain illnesses and injuries.
• Athletes and highly active people: People who are highly active or looking to gain muscle mass may benefit from slightly more protein – around 1.2-2.0g of protein per kilogram body weight per day. However excessively high protein diets (more than 2g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day) are not recommended for the general population, especially if it means cutting out other food groups such as wholegrains or vegetables and fruit.

How to add more protein into your diet?

If you’re looking to add more protein into your diet, choose plant proteins. Research consistently shows that protein from plant sources are associated with better health. And, they’re much more affordable. Having a can of chickpeas or kidney beans in the pantry is low cost and low effort – easy to add to your favourite meals. You’ll also find that plant-based proteins are more sustainable than animal proteins, as they tend to need less water and land to produce.

Here’s some of our favourite ways to get more plant protein into your diet:      

• Snack on protein containing foods like a pot of low-fat yoghurt, protein smoothie, cheese or hummus with wholegrain crackers, or lite cottage cheese and veggie sticks
• Bump up your plant proteins by adding tinned legumes to soups or stews, nuts and seeds to salads, or hummus to sandwiches
• Add a tablespoon of peanut butter, some yoghurt or a handful of nuts to your smoothies         

For more high protein recipes, visit our website.