Protein

Dietary Protein

Protein is one of the essential macronutrients crucial for daily life. During digestion, dietary proteins are broken down into their building blocks, amino acids. Amino acids are essential for the repair of tissues, muscles, and skin. They also help create neurotransmitters, boost your immune system, and help break down your food. We need protein and amino acids to function at our best, which is why you may hear dietary protein being recommended so often. While protein is important, it is also important to know which types of protein exist, their sources, and how to increase your protein intake without sacrificing other health benefits. 

 

Types of Protein

Dietary proteins differ in digestibility because they contain all the essential amino acids. Animal proteins tend to be more bioavailable because our bodies can more easily absorb their amino acids than plant proteins. Animal proteins are complete proteins because they contain all the essential amino acids. 

Plant proteins are often classified as incomplete proteins because they typically lack one or more essential amino acids. Different plants contain different amino acids, so if your goal is to consume most of your protein from plant sources, it is best to do this with a wide variety of plants to ensure you are able to fill all gaps. 

 

Dietary Needs

Dietary protein needs fluctuate depending on overall caloric need, which depends on many different factors, including age, sex, and certain lifestyle factors (like level of exercise). Currently, the recommended daily allowance of protein is 0.8 g/kg per day for adults. 

Recommended daily allowance guidelines are available and are recommended to the average person who is moderately active and has no underlying conditions or illnesses. Someone living with a chronic illness, completing significant exercises, or who is pregnant or lactating, is likely to need more dietary protein to help support their systems and build or recover muscle. 

 

Food Sources

Animal Protein Examples: Beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs

Plant-Based Protein Examples: Beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, seeds 

 

Supplemental Sources

A supplemental protein powder can be a great way to supplement when we are not able to get close to our goals, but we must investigate our brands thoroughly to ensure they are high-quality, especially if we are consuming them daily. We want to make sure we are not sacrificing other aspects of our health for the sake of hitting our daily protein goals, so it is important to research your protein powders to ensure they are as clean as possible. 

In 2025, Consumer Reports conducted its own study of 23 protein powders and found that more than ⅔ of the samples contained lead levels deemed concerning. While no amount of lead is safe to consume, we want to ensure that we are not consuming too many potential lead-containing items or ingredients, as lead can accumulate in the tissues over time and may result in neurological, cardiovascular, or reproductive concerns. Unfortunately, the FDA does not regulate supplements (including protein powders), and it does not set an ‘allowable limit’ for the amount of lead in supplemental products, so we must use our best judgment when purchasing and using supplements. 

 

Ultimately, we want to get our protein from our diet as much as possible (animal or plant sources), but sometimes it can be difficult to reach these goals, and that is where supplementation is helpful. We should aim to get most of our protein from whole foods and use protein powders only as supplemental support, rather than relying on them as a daily staple in our diets. If you are struggling with your daily protein intake but are overwhelmed by the information and unsure where to go next, consider booking an appointment with one of our naturopathic doctors to discuss which protein options may be best for you in your specific situation.

 

Resources:

Hoffman JR, Falvo MJ. Protein – Which is Best?. J Sports Sci Med. 2004;3(3):118-130. Published 2004 Sep 1. 

Ajomiwe N, Boland M, Phongthai S, Bagiyal M, Singh J, Kaur L. Protein Nutrition: Understanding Structure, Digestibility, and Bioavailability for Optimal Health. Foods. 2024;13(11):1771. Published 2024 Jun 5. doi:10.3390/foods13111771

https://www.consumerreports.org/lead/protein-powders-and-shakes-contain-high-levels-of-lead-a4206364640/