Protein and Maintaining Strength

Protein is the building block for muscles, and as we age it gets even more important to maintain our strength. In this post there's no distinction between plant & animal protein.

You need between .5 & .7 grams of protein per lb of your body weight each day with 1 gram/lb being the upper limit for muscle protein synthesis. For most women, a good target is 100 grams / day. There's a lot of information on the internet indicating you should get 30 grams of protein when you break your fast. Although the muscle protein synthesis is not affected by when you eat the protein, your body will appreciate you front loading your calories with quality.

When I first tracked my protein I was surprised that I wasn't getting enough. Even now, I do supplement by adding small amounts of whey powder to many things and occasionally having a protein shake. I use Naked Whey to avoid the heavy metals, artificial sweeteners, etc... found in some protein powders, and look for protein shakes with natural ingredients.

I've also been trying to get my nutrients through food and not vitamins, so I appreciate foods like greek yogurt, that include other vitamins and has a very high protein to calorie ratio. People have asked me for advice on the best source of protein, and I think they frequently mean, most protein per calorie - and I've looked for the same thing! Other nutrients aside, here's some of the "best" protein to calorie ratios I've found (per the Nutrition Coordinating Center Food & Nutrient Database curated by The University of Minnesota and used by Cronometer):

Calories for each 1 Gram of Protein

Shrimp 4

(Although cronometer indicates less protein for cooked from frozen vs cooked from fresh - I haven't found anything to support this.)

Whey powder 5

Egg Whites 5

Core Power Elite Protein Shake 5.57

Chicken Breast Skinless 5.58

Nonfat Greek Yogurt 6.25

Salmon, Altantic Wild cooked 7.2

Tofu (extra firm) 8.16

Eggs 12