Protein advice online ranges from "you get plenty already" to "eat a chicken breast every two hours." The real answer depends on your body weight and how active you are. Here's the plain-English version, with where the numbers come from.
The baseline: 0.8 g per kilogram
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adults is 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, set by the U.S. National Academies. That's about 0.36 g per pound.
For someone who weighs 70 kg (154 lb), that's roughly 56 g a day.
The RDA is the amount that covers the basic needs of nearly all healthy adults. It's a floor, not a target for people who train.
If you train: 1.2 to 2.0 g per kilogram
For active people, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend 1.2 to 2.0 g per kilogram per day in their joint position on nutrition and athletic performance.
For the same 70 kg person, that's about 84 to 140 g a day.
Where you land in that range depends on how hard and how often you train, and on your goals.
Spread it across the day
Rather than one huge protein dinner, the International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests spreading protein across meals, at roughly 20 to 40 g per meal, every few hours.
That's easier to hit than it sounds: a few eggs at breakfast, a portion of chicken or fish at lunch, and Greek yogurt or a shake as a snack.
Protein and staying full
Research reviews generally find that meals higher in protein are more filling than meals with the same calories from mostly carbs or fat. If you're trying to stay satisfied between meals, building each one around a protein source is a simple place to start.
A quick way to work out your number
- Find your weight in kilograms: divide your weight in pounds by 2.2.
- Pick your multiplier: 0.8 for the baseline, or 1.2 to 2.0 if you train regularly.
- Split it up: divide the total across 3 or 4 meals and snacks.
Food first is always the right starting point. A shake is simply a convenient way to top up on busy days or after training.
What to look for in a protein powder
- A short ingredient list: you should be able to read it in one breath and know what each ingredient is.
- Protein per scoop: check the grams of protein against the scoop size, not just the number on the front.
- Sugar and sweeteners: look at the total sugars and what the powder is sweetened with.
- Allergens: whey comes from milk, so the label should say so clearly.
Where bare protein fits
bare Protein is whey protein isolate, natural flavors and a little stevia leaf extract. That's the whole ingredient list.
One 24.4 g scoop gives you 19 g of protein and 90 calories, with 2 g of carbs and 0.5 g of fat. There are 28 servings in a pouch.
It's gluten free, vegetarian and made in the USA, in Vanilla and Chocolate. It contains milk.
Sources
- Institute of Medicine (National Academies). Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids, 2005.
- Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. "Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance." Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2016.
- Jäger R, et al. "International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise." Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2017.
- Leidy HJ, et al. "The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2015.
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you're pregnant or nursing, under 18, or have a medical condition (including kidney disease), talk to your doctor before changing your protein intake or using supplements. *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.