You've no doubt heard you need protein if you want to build muscle. But did you know, it's also vital for:
& much more… Up to 20% of your body is made of protein, and The Protein Leverage Hypothesis tells us that humans are biologically driven to eat protein - that we’re more likely to keep eating and snacking until we reach those protein needs. (So maybe those sugar cravings and afternoon dips aren’t just something you have to put up with. Maybe you just need more protein?) Especially for women, it’s essential for helping the body navigate life’s transitions and hormonal shifts, from puberty to pregnancy, menopause, and supports bone health as we age. How much protein do I need?Mainstream health guidelines set the bar for protein intake pretty low, but leading health and fitness experts now suggest we aim for 1.2–2.0g protein per kg of body weight daily. That's 96–160g for an 80kg man or 78–130g for a 65kg woman. During pregnancy, protein needs increase by around 25g per day, and kids need 19–52g a day depending on age. As we age, our bodies become less efficient at using protein to maintain muscle (a phenomenon called ‘anabolic resistance’), so older adults often actually benefit from more protein per kg of bodyweight, not less, to help prevent age-related muscle loss. Essentially, the bottom line is that we all need enough! And the whole idea that you can 'only absorb 20-30g protein per meal?' Not true. This idea comes from muscle protein synthesis research, but it's not entirely accurate. Your body absorbs virtually all the protein you eat - as we covered earlier; it's used for muscle repair, enzymes, hormones, immune function, and more, not just muscle building. Eating more than 30g in one sitting isn't wasted. APE’s founder Josh makes a protein bowl for lunch pretty much every day that packs in around 60g protein from the Raw Cacao & Maple Sea Salt protein powder and Greek yoghurt and every gram of that protein is put to good use. Read more about the research on Beef Protein here and how it compares to whey here. So, you know how vital it is to get enough protein, but how do you hit your goals? Here are a few examples of the top foods and supplements the APE Nutrition team include throughout the day to help us hit around 140g+ protein daily: 🦴 Bone broth upon rising (9.50g protein) Want a protein powder that makes it easier to hit your goals?Hitting your protein goals is even easier when it actually tastes good too. Stock up on our best selling Raw Cacao & Maple Sea Salt Beef Protein here. "I cannot praise this protein enough! My 7yr old daughter and I mix it into our porridge, she has one scoop; I have three. It dissolves well, and tastes divine! I have been taking it for about a month and can see a difference in my muscle tone. I am about to turn 45, and have just entered the dreaded perimenopause. Apparently protein is useful, so I will definitely be topping up my daily intake. It's a world away from the gruesome stuff body builders take. You'll be impressed" - Charlotte W. "Gentle on the tummy, easy to digest, keeps me full from breakfast to lunch. I add it to a smoothie and it feels good having such a good quality protein" - Morgan J. |