Protein 101: Are You Getting Enough?

It is a good bet you are not eating enough protein each day. If that's true for you, you'renot alone. Government survey data shows the average American man eats somewhere between 90 and 100 grams of protein a day, while the average woman takes in closer to 65 to 75 grams. That might have been enough under the old guidelines, but the target has moved, and for a lot of us, especially women and older adults, our daily habits haven't quite caught up yet.

Here's what changed. Every five years, the federal government updates the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and the newest version, covering 2025 through 2030, raised the recommended protein range to 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight. That's nearly double the old standard of 0.8 grams per kilogram, a number that had stood for decades. The previous guidance was really aimed at preventing deficiency, the bare minimum to keep our bodies functioning. The new thinking is less about avoiding a problem and more about actively supporting muscle, metabolism and healthy aging.

So what does that look like in real numbers? Say you weigh 150 pounds, which comes out to about 68 kilograms. Under the old 0.8 gram standard, you'd be aiming for around 54 grams of protein a day. Under the new range, that jumps to somewhere between 82 and 109 grams, depending on where in the range you land.

Figuring out your own target isn't complicated. Take your weight in pounds and divide by 2.2 to get kilograms. Then multiply that number by somewhere between 1.2 and 1.6, and that's your daily range in grams. A 130-pound woman, for example, weighs about 59 kilograms, which puts her target somewhere between 71 and 94 grams a day.

Of course, that range isn't one-size-fits-all. Age, activity level, muscle mass and any health conditions we're managing all play a role, and someone who's very active or working to maintain muscle as they get older may want to aim toward the higher end.

Where that protein comes from matters too. Eggs, poultry, seafood, lean meats, dairy, beans, lentils and nuts all count, and spreading protein out across meals rather than saving it all for dinner tends to work better for how our bodies actually use it. If we're loading up on protein bars and shakes without paying attention to the rest of our plate, we might be missing out on fiber and other nutrients found mostly in plants, so balance is still the goal, not just a bigger number.

If you're not sure where you stand or want a plan built around your own health history, a registered dietitian or your doctor can help you land on a target that actually fits your life, rather than just a number from a guideline.

Robin Stoloff hosts Living Well with Robin Stoloff on Lite 96.9 WFPG.