Protein: The Building Block Worth Prioritizing
Protein is one of the body's most important nutrients, and it plays a far bigger role than building muscle alone. Here, Cue Expert Thilde Maarbjerg gives a clear overview of why protein matters, how much you need, and how to reach your target across the day.
Why protein matters
Protein is one of our macronutrients, meaning a substance the body can draw energy from. If you want to lose fat, getting enough protein is essential for preserving your muscle mass, and in some cases it's even possible to build muscle while losing fat.
Protein is also the macronutrient that keeps you fullest for the longest. It supports your energy levels and helps maintain steady satiety throughout the day. Newer research also points to protein being important for heart health and blood pressure. In other words, protein has many roles in the body, both as a building block for muscle, hormones, and enzymes, and as support for the heart.
How much do you need?
A good range sits between 1.6 and 2.2 grams per kilo of body weight per day. Where you land depends above all on age.
The older you get, the more protein it takes before the body kicks off muscle protein synthesis, the process that builds muscle mass. If you don't get enough, the body uses the amino acids for other purposes instead. That's why it makes sense to move toward the higher end of the range as you age. If you're over 40, around 2 grams per kilo of body weight per day is a good place to be.
Animal protein: a complete package
Animal protein sources are a good place to start. That could be beef, fatty fish, lamb, pork, or chicken. The body doesn't distinguish between whether the protein comes from a pig or a chicken.
What makes whole foods interesting is that they bring other things the body needs along with the protein. Fatty fish, for example, provides omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential, as well as vitamin D. Red meat contributes iron and B12. Whole foods come as a complete package, and some of what they offer is hard to get from plants alone, which is a good reason to let them make up a primary part of your meals.
You don't have to eat the animal itself. Sources like skyr, cottage cheese, and whole eggs also contain protein, just in a lower concentration. As a guide, protein makes up around a fifth of the weight in meat and fish, roughly 20 grams per 100 grams, while eggs and dairy products like skyr and cottage cheese typically sit around 10 grams per 100 grams.
Protein powder: a useful supplement
If you find it hard to reach your protein target with regular food, protein powder is an option. It's refined protein with a high protein content, often made from milk or plant sources.
The advantage is that it makes hitting your daily target easier. The downside is that you miss the beneficial fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals that come with meat and fish. That's why powder works best as a supplement that helps you close the gap, rather than as your primary protein source. As a convenient extra, for example in a shake, it works nicely.
Thilde's three tips for reaching your protein target
Start the day with protein. Ideally at least 30 grams, for example eggs, skyr, or protein powder in your oats. That lays a solid foundation from the morning.
Weigh your food once. It's about calibrating your eyes. Once you've seen that a chicken breast on the scale reads 200 grams and therefore contains around 40 grams of protein, you'll know how much meat to aim for going forward.
Spread protein across the day. Avoid saving it all for dinner. Instead, aim for roughly 30 to 50 grams at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
