Guide
How much protein should a meal have?
One number does not fit everyone. Here are the ranges the research gives for adults, for people who train, for over 65 and for a single meal.
in short
Research suggests 20 to 40g of protein a meal, spread through the day. How many grams you need a day depends on your weight, how much you train and your age, and BetterDay ranks its dishes by protein on one page.
Conner KadziolkaUpdated 2 min read
People ask us how much protein a meal should have, and I used to think there was one number, and there is not. There is a baseline for most adults, a higher range if you train hard, another one past 65, and a research suggestion for how to split it across the day.
I went through the sources we use on our protein page. These are research ranges, not advice for your body, and a doctor or dietitian can speak to yours.
Most adults start at 0.8g per kilogram
for most adultsThe baseline for healthy adults is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. For a 70 kg person that comes to about 56 grams a day. It covers basic health, and people building muscle need more.
56g
of protein a day for a 70 kg adult, at 0.8g per kilogram of body weight.
Dietary Reference Intakes, Health CanadaReach for it in
- Basic health
- A day with no hard training
Training lifts the range to 1.4 to 2.0g
lift or train hardIf you lift or train hard, the research points to 1.4 to 2.0 grams per kilogram a day (Jäger et al., 2017). Across the studies, muscle gains level off on average around 1.6 grams per kilogram.
1.6g
per kilogram a day is around where muscle gains level off, on average.
Morton et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018Reach for it in
- Lifting
- Hard training
- Building muscle
Past 65, aim for at least 1.0 to 1.2g
a little moreOver 65, the suggestion is at least 1.0 to 1.2 grams per kilogram a day, and more if you stay active.
1.0 to 1.2g
per kilogram a day is the minimum for adults over 65, and more if you stay active.
Bauer et al., PROT-AGE, 2013Reach for it in
- Staying active
- Eating a bit more at each meal
So what does one meal look like?
spread it outSpreading protein through the day works better than one big dinner. The research suggests 20 to 40 grams a meal, every three to four hours.
Protein also helps with fullness. Meals higher in it leave you feeling fuller, which helps if you want to eat a little less without feeling hungry (Leidy et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2015).
Our dishes with 35g of protein or more are ranked on this week's high protein page, where you can also work out your own range. The rest of the week is on our menu.
20 to 40g
of protein a meal, every three to four hours, is what the research suggests.
Jäger et al., International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2017Reach for it in
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Every three to four hours
Sources
- 1Dietary Reference Intakes, Health Canada, for the baseline numbers.
- 2Morton et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018, for the training numbers.
- 3Bauer et al., PROT-AGE, 2013, for the over 65 numbers.
- 4Jäger et al., International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2017, for the per meal numbers.
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