What are the richest food sources of protein?
For standard portion sizes, the richest source of protein is meat – e.g. chicken breast, steak or a pork chop (processed meats such as
sausage, ham and bacon usually contain less). This is closely followed by fish such as cod, salmon or tuna. Tinned fish is also a good source.
After this comes eggs and then dairy – so cheddar cheese, yoghurt and milk. Plant based milks tend to have less protein in; soy comes just below cow’s milk; oat milk has a small amount; and almond milk has a negligible amount of protein.
Vegan food sources tend to have less protein than animal sources, however soya and tofu come top (with around half the amount per weight of that in meat). Then beans, pulses, quinoa, nuts and seeds.
For health or sustainability reasons, many people are reducing their meat consumption, so it is important to consider the non-animal protein sources, and which combinations will contain all of the 9 essential amino acids.
How often do you need to consume these foods to get enough protein?
The amount of protein you need depends on your body weight. You also need more protein as you get older to prevent loss of muscle mass and function, and so maintain your mobility. As a rough guide, most older adults would need between 80g and 100g protein per day.
To achieve this, you need to eat 3 to 4 palm-sized portions of protein rich foods every day, so a portion with every meal as a minimum.
How can you ensure you get more protein in your diet?
From speaking to older adults in primary care clinics or on hospital wards, it’s clear that it isn’t easy for everyone to consume enough protein in their diet to meet their requirements. People’s appetites often reduces as they get older – and with it their protein intake. In a survey we undertook, we asked 2,000 members of the public over the age 50 about their diet and knowledge of protein. A quarter of people gave lack of appetite as the reason for not eating enough protein.
We also found that a large majority of people did not know how much protein they should be eating – or that their daily optimum amount increases as they age. This gap in knowledge led us to develop a ‘protein calculator’ so people can easily find out how much they should be eating. (hyperlink)
Another reason for low protein intakes is dietary choices, with vegetarians and vegans often struggling to reach their daily needs.
A number of studies have also shown that people tend to eat a good amount of protein only at one meal in the day, with breakfast being the one where protein intake is the lowest.
These are just some of the reasons that the majority of older adults have a big protein gap in their diet.
To maintain your strength and mobility, ensure you are eating a good portion of protein with every meal or snack. This will help your muscles stay healthy and help you to stay active.
What is the simplest way to add protein to your diet that doesn't cost a lot?
This is a tricky one as often the best quality protein sources tend to come at the highest cost.
A number of foods are good protein sources without being at the top end of the cost scale. These include: eggs, tinned fish, tinned beans and pulses (lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, baked beans), some meat cuts, yoghurt and milk.
If what you eat does not meet your protein requirements, then a high quality protein supplement tailored for older adults, such as Provytl 50+, could be a cost effective, healthy and convenient way to boost your intake
Get rewards
Sign up as a Provtyl 50+ Disciple and earn monthly commission rewards each time your friends and family subscribe.
