Just like 'mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell' in biological terms, protein is considered as the body-building food. With the rise in awareness around the importance of maintaining fitness and body-building in order to flaunt it around, people often start consuming more and more protein. There is a common notion that the more protein you intake, the faster and better your body will get. Leaving athletes and bodybuilders aside, common people who go to work or let's say remain active the entire day or those who work from home, focus majorly on protein intake. If you are one of those people who intake protein in large amounts or love to consume meat to complete the protein demand of your body, there are some facts that you need to know-
How much protein should you eat?
As per the Washington Post, if you are somewhat inactive or spend too much time sitting, or let's say working for long hours sitting at your home- you officially need about 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. In a layman's language, you need between 45 to 60 grams of daily protein for most people who rarely exercise, or approximately two chicken breasts (about 30 grams of protein each) or a 6-ounce can of tuna (about 40 grams), and a quarter-cup of almonds (about 8 grams).
What happens if you take extra protein?
The report quoted Stuart Philips, a professor of Kinesiology and expert on protein, physical activity, and health. Professor Stuart stated that if you are taking extra protein irrespective of your body weight, it will not help you. "I don't see data to suggest that our bodies can use protein beyond about 0.4 to 0.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight at a single meal," Phillips said, outlining that the extra protein gets peed out.
Instead, extra protein will not help you lose weight. Protein fills you up and it helps you eat less. However, your body has to work harder to break it down. As a result, you expend more calories digesting protein compared to carbohydrates or fatty foods.
The most common sources of protein that people in India and around the world can eat are- lean meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains.