Easy Tips & Tricks To Increase Your Protein Intake Post Your 40s

Blogs01 Oct 2024

One nutrient that holds a profound significance to our muscle strength and function is protein. It’s the core building block of our body and is associated with a variety of benefits such as supporting muscle mass, promoting immune function, boosting energy, and supporting vision, hormones and enzymes. It’s a macronutrient that our bodies require in large amounts for our growth and development.

Many Indian men and women in their 40s and beyond may not realise that their daily protein intake often falls short of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA). So, let's delve into understanding how much protein we need and how we can easily incorporate it into our diet.

How Much Protein is Required Per Day?

Individual protein needs can vary based on physical activity level, overall health, and other factors. However, as a general rule, you can follow ICMR’s guidelines. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, the required daily amount of protein adults should have is 0.83 g per kg of body weight. This means that if you are a woman weighing 58 kgs, you need 58 times 0.83 which is nearly 48 g of protein daily.

Consuming adequate protein can help maintain muscle mass, improve bone health , and boost metabolism. It's essential to identify the best protein foods and include them in your diet for optimal health.

How to Increase Protein Intake? Here are Some Simple Ways

1. Include More Whole Grains

Whole grains like Amaranth, Buckwheat, Oats, Ragi, Jowar and Quinoa are high sources of protein. You can use them to make rotis, cheelas and dosas among other dishes to get the best out of them easily.

2. Eat Protein First

A recent study found that eating vegetables and high-protein foods before carbs can lower post-meal glucose and insulin levels in obese and diabetic patients. When you’re having a balanced meal filled with a few different items, make sure to eat your veggies and protein before the carbs.

3. Consider Having Eggs for Breakfast

Did you know that eggs contain nearly 13 g of protein per 100g? That’s why they’re a popular source of protein and make for the perfect item to have in the morning. Consider ditching your regular breakfast dishes like parathas or rice dosas for high-protein foods in the mornings to start your day strong!

4. Snack on Protein

If you’re worried about not getting enough protein through your daily meals, you can try snacking on high-protein foods such as nuts, Greek yoghurt, soaked beans, legumes, and sprouts to meet your daily goals. These are also healthier options than fried foods and can help you manage weight too.

5. Include Protein in Every Meal

Aim to incorporate protein diet foods in your meals, ensuring a steady intake throughout the day. Stimulating a higher protein intake at breakfast and lunch might represent a promising nutritional strategy to optimise the amount of protein per meal without compromising total daily protein intake.

6. Consume More Legumes

Lentils, chickpeas, and beans are high-protein food sources, packed with fibre and nutrients. Have them with brown rice or rotis and you’ll probably meet quite a bit of your daily protein intake.

7. Add Peanut Butter to Your Bread

Did you know that peanut butter is a source of healthy fats and protein? It promotes the feeling of fullness and can be excellent if you want to lose weight too. Add it to your bread in the morning for a tasty and protein-filled breakfast!

8.Prioritise Fish, Chicken, and Cottage Cheese

As you might already know, the best sources of protein are animal proteins. This means chicken and other meats, fish, eggs etc. However, for vegetarians, you can try cottage cheese (paneer) and Tofu as well. These best protein foods are lean and full of essential nutrients.

Safety Tips to Increase Daily Protein Intake

Having more than 2g/kg protein of body weight could be harmful for the body. Hence, knowing how much protein to consume is very important. Before making any significant changes to your diet, it's advisable to consult a healthcare professional. You should also check with your doctor before starting on any supplements or powders to ensure that they are right for you. A healthcare professional can guide you on the safest way to increase your daily protein intake, considering your health conditions, if any.

Conclusion

Protein is an essential nutrient in keeping your muscles and functioning smooth. Meeting your daily requirement of protein is important at all stages of life, but especially in your midlife as you want to look for ways to increase your strength and prevent age-related muscle loss. A few simple and effective ways you can add more protein to your life is by choosing a protein item for every meal, snacking on high-protein diet foods such as nuts and seeds, greek yoghurt, consuming more whole grains and legumes etc. Follow these 9 tricks and up your protein game at the earliest!

For more such articles on food, health and ageing, explore Right Shift . We champion healthy ageing through good diets and exercise and push those in their mid-life to prioritise themselves and their health. You can try our health score calculator to learn more about your current status and try our free meal plans to get started on your health journey!