Protein is needed to make and repair all cells in the body and having an adequate intake helps conserve your muscles during weight loss. In Australia we have Nutrient Reference Values that guide protein intake recommendations for good health. When it comes to how much protein, there is a range of intakes which are acceptable and this ranges from the lower end, which is called the estimated average requirement (EAR), through to the upper level of the recommended range, which is the Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI).       

For adult males, 19-70 years, the EAR is 0.68g per kg of body weight and the RDI is 0.84g per kg. For an 80kg male, this would mean an intake somewhere in the range of 55-68g of protein per day, during weight maintenance.      

For an adult female, the EAR is 0.60g per kg and the RDI is 0.75g per kg. So for a 60 kg female the recommended intake varies between 36-45g a day.      

During rapid weight loss, your protein requirements do go up to around 1g per kg of body weight because your body is trying to stop you from losing muscle, help ensure you lose more weight from your fat stores instead. Unless you are a body builder there is no advantage in having a protein intake higher than this because your body cannot store it.     

As a guide, 100g of lean beef or chicken breast with no skin gives you about 20g of protein. A 100g of white fish gives you about 25g. A large egg gives you 7g and a cup of skim milk gives you 10g. From this, you can see it’s very easy to meet your protein requirements.      

If you really want to know more about protein or have your diet analysed, see an Accredited Practising Dietician or use an online food diary resource, which will tell you how much protein you’ve consumed in your nutrient summary.

Dr Clare Collins