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Protein is found in high quantities in animal products like meat, eggs, and milk, but is also found in legumes, nuts, seeds, leafy greens and other vegetables, and whole grains. Protein is in most foods, even if it’s only a small amount. There are even a lot of unexpected foods you can eat to sneak some more protein into your diet.

The recommended intake of protein is 0.36 grams per pound of body weight and 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight.

Alyssa Ardolino, registered dietician (RD) and nutrition communications coordinator at IFIC told INSIDER that number is just a recommendation and not a set rule. “Use this as a general guideline for for the minimum amount of protein you need based on your body weight. If you are more active, pregnant, or elderly, you may require closer to 1-1.2g/kg of protein.”

Work with your doctor to come up with the right goal for you based on your age, weight, activity level, and any other factors.

Protein is often associated with exercise and active lifestyles. That’s because it’s critical to muscle growth and repair. When you work out, you’re basically creating tears in your muscles that need to be rebuilt, which is one of the reasons you’re so sore the next day. When you’re lifting weights or doing any kind of strength training, they’re rebuilt bigger than they were before. Protein has a main role in that process.

“Protein provides the building blocks that help maintain and repair muscles, organs and other parts of the body — especially after a workout,” Ardolino told INSIDER.

That means those who work out often have to pay a lot of attention to the how much protein they consume and when they consume it. According to Ardolino, within 15-45 minutes of exercising, it’s best to eat a snack that contains both protein and carbohydrates, like eggs and toast or apples and peanut butter.

Protein deficiency has serious consequences, but luckily, it isn’t something most meat-eaters need to be concerned about. “A true protein deficiency is rare in developed countries, but signs of protein deficiency could be muscle wasting, bone fracture, brittle nails and hair, and stunted growth.”

Those who follow strict vegetarian and vegan diets do need to be more mindful of getting enough protein from a variety of plant sources. Luckily, quinoa, soy, and many vegetables are excellent sources of plant-based protein, so a well-balanced diet should cover those recommended daily intakes.

On the other hand, it is also possible to get too much protein, and studies show that most of us are already getting more than the recommended amounts.

Those who follow high protein diets like Atkins, paleo, Whole30, and keto should be aware of the signs of protein over-consumption like weight gain, bad breath, dehydration, and kidney damage. Other dangers can include a higher risk for heart disease and some cancers, and there are even rare conditions that cause the body to be unable to break down protein, which can lead to death.

Although lean protein is a staple of many diets promising weight loss, eating too much of it can actually have the adverse effect. But Kris Sollid, RD and senior director of nutrition communications at IFIC told INSIDER that this is to be expected with too many of any kind of calories. “Protein contains calories and any source of calories can contribute to weight gain, if you eat more calories than you need,” Sollid said.

So yes, too much protein can make you gain weight, but so can too much of anything.

Animal proteins like those from meat and eggs, along with plant proteins like those from soy, nuts, and vegetables are both important to a well-balanced diet and both have health benefits. But there are some differences.

“For example, animal protein tends to contain more saturated fat than protein from plants, which mostly contain unsaturated fat. Another difference is that not all plant-protein food sources are complete proteins, whereas animal proteins are” Sollid told INSIDER.

Sollid also told us that another difference between the two is the amount of protein you can get in each, stating that “animal protein sources typically offer more protein per serving” than plant protein can offer. That’s also just a guideline and not a rule, since foods like quinoa, peanuts, and lentils have been shown to actually contain more protein per serving than an egg.

You may have heard some plant-based foods advertised as “complete proteins” while others are not. The implication is that complete proteins are somehow better, but most people probably don’t understand exactly why. As Sollid told INSIDER, it has to do with the composition of the amino acids.

“Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and nine of them are essential, which means we need to get them from our diets. A complete protein contains all nine essential amino acids.”

Examples of complete proteins are eggs, dairy, meat, chia seeds, quinoa, and fish, while most other plant proteins are incomplete. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about always eating complete proteins or complementary foods at each meal, because your liver stores amino acids through the day. Essentially, if you eat an incomplete protein, the liver is able to make it complete with any excess amino acids from previous meals that day.

With all the talk of the importance of protein, people often worry that they aren’t getting enough, and turn to protein powders as a solution to that problem. Ardolino has an answer as to whether or not you need a protein supplement.

“Not necessarily,” Ardolino told INSIDER. “Food is your best bet for meeting your protein needs. Supplements largely come down to convenience and preference. If you find it easier to get extra protein through a protein shake and you like the taste, go for it. But you likely don’t need it.”

In other words, it’s really about your lifestyle. Obviously, more protein is needed for those actively trying to build muscle, and it can be nearly impossible to eat the amount of protein needed to maintain that activity. A protein shake is the easiest way to ensure you’re meeting your individual needs.

But Ardolino’s advice is great news for anyone who’s been holding their breath through their morning protein shake — it’s totally OK to ditch it and make an omelette instead.

If you do plan to continue having a protein shake, keep in mind that not all powders are created equal, and some have unwanted side effects. Although the research is inconclusive, some studies have shown a correlation between whey powder and acne. The connection is most likely due to the stimulation of insulin, which whey can cause. Insulin also regulates sebum, which is potential acne-causing oily substance secreted by your glands.

If you’ve noticed any changes to your skin since starting whey protein, there are many other kinds of protein powders on the market for you to try.

Another very unfortunate side effect of protein can be flatulence, and there may be a couple reasons for that.

The first is that there’s only so much protein that can be broken down in your small intestines, and if you consume more than that, it gets pushed down to your colon instead. There it’s broken down by microbes and an unpleasant gas is produced.

Another reason may be a sensitivity to dairy if you’re consuming a lot of it or using a whey-based protein powder. Try switching up your powder or simply consuming less to avoid this unwanted side effect.

Source: https://www.thisisinsider.com/protein-what-to-know-2018-7#why-does-protein-give-me-gas-12