Protein content in human body

Protein is an essential nutrient for the human body. Protein is one of the important substances that make up the human body and plays an important role in maintaining the healthy balance of the human body. If the protein intake is too little, it will cause pathological changes in the body, and too much will also cause a waste of resources. So for the human body, how much protein should we consume to meet the body's needs? How should we supplement protein? First of all, we need to know the standard of protein content in the human body.

Taking into account that plants account for a larger proportion of the Chinese diet (more vegetarian and less meat), the recommended daily protein intake for healthy adults is 1.2 grams per kilogram (kg) of body weight. In this case, a 50 kg girl is recommended to consume about 60 grams of protein per day, while a 75 kg man is recommended to consume about 90 grams of protein per day.

Because there are several amino acids that cannot be synthesized in the human body and can only be obtained through food, and the proportions of these amino acids in different protein sources are different. The closer the proportion is to the amino acid pattern of human protein, the higher the absorption and utilization rate. For example, fish, shrimp, shellfish, lean meat, eggs, and milk are all high-quality proteins, and soy protein in plants is also a high-quality protein. Although flour and vegetables also contain protein, their absorption and utilization rate is not as high as that of meat. Therefore, due to differences in eating habits in different countries, the nutrition standards are also different.

The above suggestions and standards can guarantee the basic needs of most healthy people, but they are not suitable for everyone. After all, everyone's physical condition, metabolic type, and exercise intensity are different.

The protein intake recommendations for people aged 18 to 45 in the Dietary Reference Intake of Chinese Residents (the reference weight for men is 63kg and the reference weight for women is 53kg)

Very light labor: 70g for men, 65g for women

Light labor: 80g for men, 70g for women

Medium labor: 90g for men, 80g for women

Heavy labor: 100g for men, 90g for women

Extremely heavy labor: 110g for men

The protein required by normal people every day is provided by food, and there is no need to take so-called "supplements" such as protein powder to prevent excessive protein intake from endangering health. Both animal and plant foods contain protein. Generally speaking, the protein in animal foods is of good quality, but such foods are also rich in saturated fatty acids and cholesterol. Eating too much will threaten human cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health. Plant proteins are generally of poor quality and have a low utilization rate, so it is advisable to combine a variety of plant foods to maximize the "complementary" effect of proteins in various plants. Soy protein is the only food that can compare with animal protein. Not only does it have good protein quality and high utilization rate, it also has many health benefits. It is advisable to eat more of it. Protein intake varies depending on a person's age, weight, and labor intensity. Children and adolescents in their growth and development period, and women in pregnancy or lactation generally have higher protein requirements. Generally speaking, it is more appropriate for adults to consume 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Taking into account that my country's diet is mainly plant-based, the protein intake should be appropriately relaxed to 1.0-1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day.