A nutritionist’s take on high protein diets: Do you need to change your diet to get more and where can you find it?

In her feature Protein boosting (you can read it here), Niki Bezzant explored how this has become the new darling of marketers and influencers and whether it’s all hype. Here, Listener nutritionist Jennifer Bowden dives deeper.

High-protein eating isn’t just about protein shakes and bodybuilder diets anymore. Thanks to TikTok’s appealing reels, high-protein eating has become a broader food movement for one and all, with meals and snacks that are visibly rich in protein, easy to make and easy on the eye. Whether it’s high-protein bowls, cottage cheese snacks, or high-protein pancakes, the #highprotein tag has racked up hundreds of millions of views promoting recipes, products and snacks that help people hit their protein goals. But do we really need to amp up our protein intake?

We know protein is an essential macronutrient in our diet, performing many functions necessary for life. All living cells contain protein, including our own body tissues and the plant and animal foods we eat. During digestion, protein is handled a bit like Lego, in the way the blocks can be taken apart and rebuilt into something else. Our digestive system breaks down protein into its building blocks, called amino acids, and the body then recombines those amino acids to make the specific proteins it needs.

Around 15-20% of total body weight is protein. These protein molecules serve as the body’s building blocks, not only for muscle but for a wide variety of vital functions. They make up enzymes that drive thousands of chemical reactions inside our cells, transport molecules in our blood, and form hormones and antibodies in our immune system. Proteins also play structural roles, helping give support and shape to cells and tissues such as our skin. Remarkably, all of these very different protein molecules are built from the same set of just 20 amino acids bound together in different combinations.

While getting enough protein is important, how much do we actually need? The recommended dietary intake (RDI) level, which is estimated to meet the needs of 97-98% of healthy people, varies slightly by age and sex. For adults up to age 70, the recommendation is 0.84g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for men, and 0.76g per kilogram for women. So, for example, a 70kg adult woman would need about 53g of protein per day. For those over 70, needs are higher: 1.07g per kilogram for men and 0.94g per kilogram for women.

However, beyond these biological needs, lifestyle and health factors can influence protein requirements and meal planning. Protein is more satiating than fat or carbohydrates, meaning it can help to keep you full and prevent overeating. And for those looking to build more muscle, higher protein intakes are also beneficial, with a 2018 review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine finding that consuming up to 1.62g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day supported greater gains in muscle strength and size among those doing resistance training.

But whether we need elaborate #highprotein snacks and meals to meet any of those protein targets is another matter. In reality, simple meals like baked beans on two slices of wholegrain toast with a pottle of yoghurt provides around half of an adult’s base daily protein needs, while a single beef or lamb steak plus a glass of milk can supply roughly 80%.

There are plenty of everyday foods that, when combined, can help you hit your protein targets – no trendy powders or packaged high-protein snacks required. Think Greek yoghurt with fruit and a handful of nuts, tuna salad on wholegrain bread, or a tofu stir-fry with veggies and quinoa. These whole-food sources of protein are preferable for long-term eating habits, because they provide other important nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Simple, wholesome foods like these can easily provide the protein your body needs — without resorting to over-the-top high-protein TikTok hacks.

Simple everyday foods to hit your protein needs