Protein Needs for Different Ages, Genders, and Life Stages

🌞 Good morning, wellness warriors! It’s time to share more about the protein amounts story!

 

While the amounts we’ve talked about here are a good guide for most adults, needs will vary, especially based on gender, age, and pregnancy.

♀️GENDER/SEX

Did you know women build muscle mass at half the rate of men? 😯And, at age 30+, women begin losing muscle mass at an alarming rate of 3-8% every decade. Most of us aren't even getting close to the amount we need. Prioritizing protein can be a complete game changer.

                                        

👵AGE

As we age, we don’t use protein as efficiently for muscle synthesis, so eating more protein becomes key for maintaining muscles and strength. In fact, as we get older, muscle mass is as important in fracture risk as bone quality is! 

Infants and kids have their own unique protein needs, too. As children grow, a critical natural strength develops. Keep your kids active and fueled with enough protein!

Daily Needs for Aging Adults

• 50+ years: About 0.45–1.00g protein per pound of body weight

Daily Needs for Kids

• Infants (0-6 months): At least 0.80g protein per pound of body weight
• Infants (7-12 months): At least 0.73g protein per pound of body weight
• Children (4-13 years): About 0.43g protein per pound of body weight

 

🤰STAGE

Pregnant women need more protein to help build the baby's muscles, bones, and other tissues, especially in the second and third trimesters. For breastfeeding women, protein requirements are even higher so they can maintain muscle mass while providing adequate nutrition through breast milk.

Daily Needs for Pregnant Women

• Early Gestation: about 0.75 g per pound of body weight
• Later Gestation (32-38 weeks): about 0.68 g per pound of body weight

 

Daily Needs for Breastfeeding Women

• Recent research suggests about 0.77–0.86 g of protein per pound of body weight is ideal

 

➡️ Did you learn anything new that might change your protein intake?

 

References:

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/moms-nutrients.html.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7257931/

Protein Mix Comparisons

Protein powders and mixes are a super convenient, versatile way to get more protein into your day. But there are so many it gets confusing!

Let’s break it down so you can get the most out of them. 🌱💪🏽 From the milk-based to the plant-powered, each one offers something a little different.

 

• Whey: This byproduct of cheese-making packs about 20g of complete protein and 1g of fiber per serving.* It has a light milky flavor and is ideal for adding to baked foods.
• Soy: This vegan-friendly protein provides 23g of protein per serving. Because it’s low in one essential amino acid (methionine), it’s best incorporated into a diverse diet for optimal amino balance.* The taste has nutty undertones. The finely ground powder mixes well into oatmeal and soups.
• Pea: Sourced from yellow peas, this protein gives you about 21g of protein and 1g of fiber. It’s low in methionine, so it’s best in a diverse diet to optimize amino acid balance.* Easy to digest and hypoallergenic, it lends a creamy texture to smoothies and it bakes well.

Shaklee protein mixes and powders are listed here along with their protein sources—making it easy to choose the perfect fit for your wellness goals!

 

➡️ Which protein mix is your favorite and how do you use it? I like the Caffe Latte mixed in hot water with the Up & Glowing. (Collagen + green tea)

*Nutrient details may vary depending on product ingredients.

 https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/584345/nutrients

High-Protein Meals

It’s Day 4 of our Challenge! You’re crushing it, team protein! Before we wrap up tomorrow, I want to give you more tips and meal ideas to keep your momentum going after the Challenge. ✨

How to Make Protein a Habit

• Stock up weekly. Keep things easy and interesting by loading up on a variety of protein-packed foods, such as poultry, fish, tofu, beans, legumes, eggs, and nuts. 
• Start each day right. If you begin the day with a protein-packed meal, you’re less likely to get hungry and have cravings that throw you off course.
• Build your meals around large protein portions. Make protein the main event and create each meal and snack around it. 
• Keep protein-rich snacks on hand. If you keep protein snacks with you, you’ll always be ready to prevent hangry cravings.
• Simplify with sheet pan meals. Sheet pan recipes make high-protein cooking easy. Look for recipes that are packed with protein––or just bump up the protein amount in the recipe. I’ve included a great sheet pan recipe here! 😋
  

MEAL IDEAS ✨

You have your Meal Plans from Day 1, but how about more ideas to help you hit your daily 100g? 🍽️

Mix-n-Match: Protein + Healthy Carb + Veggies

A simple way to create a high-protein meal is to start with a hearty portion of protein, pair it with a whole grain or root vegetable, and add as many veggies as you like. For example:

• Salmon + sweet potato + steamed broccoli
• Grilled chicken + quinoa + roasted vegetables
• Stir-fried tofu + brown rice + mixed veggies

Other High-Protein Meals (recipes below)

• Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps with Avocado 
• Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas with Corn Tortillas 
• Turkey Chili 

Let’s make high-protein a way of life!  Do you have a favorite recipe? We would all love to see it!