Consuming an adequate amount of protein is extremely important to your health and your hormones.

However, too much protein, especially from animal sources, can increase inflammation in your body and wreak havoc with your health causing symptoms such as joint pain, brain fog, fatigue, redness, swollen joints, and skin issues.

What does protein do in the body?

Dietary protein provides essential amino acids (building blocks) that your body can’t make on its own and need to be consumed every day in order to maintain muscle, bone and skin health.

Proteins are involved in your immune system, digestion, hormones, building of tissue, and repair as well as transport of molecules within the cell and around the body.

Dietary protein also influences the release of hormones that control appetite and food intake. This nutrient does lots of heavy lifting.

How much do you need?

The right amount of protein for any one individual depends on many factors, including their activity level, age, muscle mass, physique goals and current state of health.

According to the National Academy of Science, the average recommended daily amount of protein for sedentary women is 46 gm and, for sedentary men, 56 gm. You may need more depending on your weight. If you are sedentary, the best formula to determine what you need is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

To figure out how many kilograms you weigh, simply divide your weight by 2.2. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds and divide by 2.2, your weight in kgs is 68. Multiply 68 by .8 to get your protein requirements of 54 grams. If you weigh 150, are sedentary and consume more than about 50 grams of protein you are tending toward a high protein diet instead of moderate protein and this can be inflammatory.

If you are highly active, such as an athlete or body builder, you may need more like 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Importantly, individuals over the age of 65 require somewhere between 1.0 and 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram. And of course, if you are pregnant or nursing you also have higher protein needs.

What does that mean in terms of food?

My standard recommendation for protein intake is 20 to 30 grams in each meal for the average person who is sedentary. This breaks down to about 7 to 8 ounces of protein from animal protein in a day or 2 to 3 ounces per meal. If you are consuming vegetable protein you will need at least 2 cups of legumes, 2 cups of high protein grain, such as quinoa and several tablespoons of nuts and seeds in a day.

The healthiest approach in my mind is a combination of both animal and vegetable protein in a day. This way you get lots of variety and better nutrient density. If you are highly active or over the age of 65 you may need one and a half to twice this amount. Bear in mind, everyone is different.

The Quality of the Protein You Eat Matters

The bottom line is that we need to be fully conscious of where our food comes from. The more we can move away from conventionally farmed animal sources of protein that contain hormones and antibiotics, the better it is for our hormones and overall health. A little-known fact is according to data published by FDA, there are more kilograms of antibiotics sold in the United States for food-producing animals than for people!

Conventionally farmed animals are also very high in omega 6 fatty acids which are highly inflammatory while organically grown, grass-fed and pasture-raised animals are higher in omega 3 fats which are anti-inflammatory. Go for organic, grass-fed, and pasture-raised.

Clean sources of protein:

■Pea protein – contains all 9 essential amino acids so it is a complete protein.

■Lentils and other legumes – lots of fiber and very little fat but some people don’t tolerate well

■Seeds – especially chia, flax, sunflower and pumpkin

■Hemp protein – one of the most digestible if you have digestive issues

■Nuts – all kinds

■Cottage cheese and yogurt – look for hormone and antibiotic free

■Wild caught fish – especially salmon, herring, sardines and mackerel

■Shellfish – wild caught

■Poultry and eggs – Pasture raised

■Red meat – grass fed

A combination of these foods throughout your three meals is a good step toward getting just the right amount of protein.

Ruth Clark is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a master’s in Public Health and over 35 years of experience. She lives in Sharon with an office in Peterborough. Ruth specializes in mid-life women who are struggling with weight, mood and fatigue to regain their energy and vitality. You can reach her at RuthRD@SmartNutritionLLC.com.