With today’s post we want to shed a little light on one of the macronutrients about which we can find more information and, at the same time, greater controversy and doubts are generated: the proteins. In addition, we will answer the question of how much daily protein is necessary to increase muscle mass, so it will be of great interest to all those people who are looking to increase it.
Let’s start from the basis that the proteins -together to the carbohydrates and the fats—, son one of the three macronutrients that our body needs to function correctly. A difference from the other two, proteins are NOT stored in reserve form, but they are constantly renewed. They have multiple functions, although the main and best known is structural function, since they are part of the muscles and bones, and even the nails, hair or blood vessels. However, in special situations (a very prolonged fast, for example), where the body cannot obtain energy from carbohydrates and fats, the same body transforms proteins into glucose to make the body function, hence the importance of knowing how much daily protein to take if you are a woman.
Proteins breaks down into smaller structures called amino acids, being necessary 20 amino acids different to complete a protein and maintain different cellular structures. The body synthesizes only one of these amino acids—that is, it creates them on its own—but nine of them, called essential amino acids, We must incorporate them through the diet and, in the case of athletes, they can also be incorporated through supplements or isotonic drinks.
Foods to take the recommended daily proteins
The following list lists foods rich in protein, this way you can and will know how to reach the amount of daily protein to increase muscle mass (amount of protein per 100g of food):
ANIMAL OF ORIGIN
Serrano ham | 30 grams |
Harzer cheese | 30 grams |
Natural tuna | 26 grams |
Turkey breast | 23 grams |
veal | 21.2 grams |
shrimp | 18.5 grams |
cheese shack | 13 grams |
Skimmed quark cheese | 12.6 grams |
egg white | 11 grams |
Yogurt 1.5% | 3 grams |
VEGETABLE ORIGIN
hemp seed | 37 grams |
soy beans | 34 grams |
Peanuts | 25 grams |
pumpkin seeds | 24 grams |
lentils | 23 grams |
chia seeds | 21 grams |
Almonds | 20 grams |
Quinoa | 15 grams |
Oatmeal | 13 grams |
natural tofu | 11 grams |
The Recommended daily protein amount.is at least a consumption of about 0.8 grams of protein per day for each kilo of weight. For example, a person who weighs 65 kg should consume about 52 grams of protein per day, which, in a 2000 kcal diet, would represent between 10 and 13% of what we consume as food. Given the importance of maintaining muscle mass, it is recommended that 15% of daily kcal be obtained from protein.
It must be clarified that the amount of daily protein to increase muscle mass that we are talking about refers to the grams of protein contained in the food, and not to the total grams of the food itself. For example, a large egg will provide us with 35% of its caloric value in the form of proteins (equivalent to about 6 grams).
Relationship of proteins with muscle mass gain
How much protein should you consume for a diet aimed at increasing muscle mass? The answer is variable. It depends on the person: on factors such as age, constitution, physical activity, time spent resting, etc. As always, the best will be individualize to the maximum to obtain the best results. Visiting your dietician-nutritionist will be a good option to guide you in the best way regarding feedingand a personal trainer or fitness technician to advise you on training.
However, we can mark a approximate range of between 1.3–1.8 g protein/day for said objective. We must keep in mind that Not only will we guarantee that muscle gain by eating more protein. We must also take into account the factor rest. If we do very well in terms of nutrition and training, but do not rest enough hours, it will be difficult for us to achieve the goal of increasing our muscles. This is an aspect that can go unnoticed, however it is vital when creating new muscle tissue, since the new muscle tissue is created when we sleep.
We can mark a approximate range of between 1.3–1.8 g protein/day for said objective.
What is clear is that if we do not eat the amount of protein daily, even though we train and rest correctly, we will never be able to gain the muscle mass we want.
In recent times, there has been part of the food sector that has «demonized» proteins, claiming that excessive consumption causes kidney damage. A recent review of a good part of the studies on the protein concludes that There is no evidence of negative effects on the kidneys of a high protein diet.
we must try Maintain metabolic balance of proteins through diet. However, There are good protein supplement options., especially indicated for people with a lot of physical activity who find it difficult to reach the daily recommended amount of protein through diet. Or in the case of people who follow a vegan diet, who must obtain protein through foods of plant origin (mostly legumes and cereals), and which have a lower absorption than those of animal origin (such as meat, fish ). eggs or, to a lesser extent, milk and its derivatives), making it more difficult for them to reach the daily amount to increase muscle mass. A varied intake of both sources of protein would be the most recommended for a balanced diet.
The ideal would be to include quality protein in every meal we eat and especially after trainingwhere we can turn to shakes composed of whey protein, egg white powder, etc. A good way to make the most of these post-workout shakes would be to drink them no later than two hours after finishing the training session. Don’t you still have one? vibrating screen of proteins?
These shakes are ideal for reaching the amount of daily protein to increase muscle mass, and especially indicated for endurance and strength sports. The advantage of whey protein is its rapid absorption.since it is Completely metabolized within 30-45 minutes after taking itwhich makes it ideal to help us achieve rapid recovery that promotes muscle growth.
Despite everything, the idea that women should not resort too much to this type of protein shakes is still quite present, to avoid excess muscle mass that could be unsightly.
This “fear” has no justification. Although a woman’s muscles develop more slowly than a man’s, and in general we have more body fat than them, the predisposition to gain muscle mass, as we mentioned above, varies depending on the person, your training, your lifestyle habits, etc.
a woman who wants improve your physical condition by gaining muscle mass can resort to the protein supplements to experience those changes, without needing to feel bad about it.
Protein recipe for people with intense physical activity
Below we leave you a recipe for energy/protein balls, also in a vegan version.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup instant oatmeal 2.0
- 1 cup pitted dates
- 1/2 cup pea protein isolate 2.0 (great for vegans)
- 1 tablespoon pure cocoa powder
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons of water
preparation
- We mix all the ingredients and put them through a food processor or blender until we obtain a homogeneous mass.
- There will be a ball with a thick texture with which we will form small balls. If the dough is very dense we can add a little water to thin it out.
- We form the balls and place them in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- We keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and…. To enjoy!