How to determine how much protein you need and a virgin pina colada protein shake

Posted on March 16, 2007

Yesterday I gave you a primer on types of proteins. Today, I am following up with a little more info so you can decipher how much protein you need.

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, millions of people around the world don’t get enough protein each day. Protein deficiency leads to a condition called kwashiorkor, which is characterized by tissue breakdown, failure to grow, immune deficiency, and respiratory and heart problems. If that’s not enough reason to get your daily intake of protein, I don’t know what is!

How much protein should you eat?
This does depend somewhat on how you eat. There are a lot of great resources about protein consumption for both men and women on the internet to help you learn what is right for your eating habits. For instance, this is a good read if you are on a low carb diet. The gist? The more protein you eat, the more calcium you need to counteract calcium loss. To figure out generally what is right for you, based on height, body frame and age, try this calculator.