Why You Need More Protein, as a Woman

Protein—it’s not just for bodybuilders or those on a high-protein diet craze. As a woman, protein is an essential part of your nutrition and can significantly impact your metabolism, muscle maintenance (or gain), body composition, and overall health. But despite its importance, many women still fall short of getting enough protein in their daily meals. Let’s dive into why protein is so vital for women and how it benefits everything from your metabolism to how you feel throughout the day.

Why Do I Need It?

Let’s be real: protein is having its moment. It’s everywhere, from Instagram memes joking about quitting your job just to eat more chicken breast, to influencers showing off their high-protein snacks. It’s hard to ignore that protein is the current darling of the health and fitness world. But despite all this hype, many women still aren’t getting enough of it in their diets.

Why does this matter? Protein is a macronutrient made up of amino acids, which are the building blocks for muscle, skin, hair, and hormones. But beyond just building muscle, protein is essential for repairing tissue, producing enzymes, and supporting overall bodily functions. So, it’s not just the gym junkie or fitness fanatic who needs more protein—every woman, regardless of activity level, should prioritize protein in their meals.

1. Supports Muscle Maintenance & Growth

Muscle isn’t just about looking toned or fit; it’s essential for your overall health and function. As we age, we naturally begin to lose muscle mass—a process known as sarcopenia, that happens to everyone. For women, this starts in our 30s and accelerates after menopause. Protein becomes crucial here because it helps maintain and even build muscle mass, which is key for a healthy, strong body.

Muscle isn’t just a cosmetic benefit; it plays a significant role in metabolism, balance, strength, and mobility. It’s your body’s powerhouse—every step you take, every movement, relies on it. In fact, muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue, meaning the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest. This can contribute to easier weight management and a better body composition overall.

2. Improves Metabolism

Your metabolism is responsible for turning food into energy. The higher your metabolic rate, the more efficiently your body burns calories and fat. Protein plays an important role in boosting your metabolism in two key ways: through the thermic effect of food (TEF) and by supporting lean muscle mass.

The thermic effect of food refers to the energy your body uses to digest, absorb, and process nutrients from the food you eat. Protein has a higher thermic effect than fats or carbohydrates, meaning that your body burns more calories just to digest protein. Studies have shown that the thermic effect of protein is about 20-30%, while carbs are around 5-10%, and fats only 0-3%. Simply put, eating protein requires your body to work harder to process it, helping to boost your metabolism.

Since muscle burns more calories than fat, increasing your muscle mass with the help of protein can lead to a more efficient metabolism. So, by maintaining or increasing muscle mass, you’re giving your body a “metabolic boost,” which can help with fat burning, overall energy expenditure, and a better calorie balance.

3. Body Composition

When it comes to body composition, the goal is often to decrease fat while maintaining or increasing muscle mass. One of the best ways to improve your body composition is to ensure you’re getting enough protein.

• Fat Loss: Protein helps promote fat loss in several ways. First, it helps keep you feeling fuller for longer, which can reduce overall calorie intake. Second, when you’re in a calorie deficit (eating fewer calories than you burn), protein can help preserve muscle mass, so the weight you lose is more likely to come from fat, rather than muscle.

• Muscle Gain: If you’re looking to build muscle, protein is non-negotiable. Muscle protein synthesis (the process by which your body builds new muscle) depends on adequate protein intake. For women who lift weights, do resistance training, or participate in other physical activities, protein provides the fuel necessary to recover and build lean muscle after exercise.

By consuming enough protein, you can shift your body composition toward a higher muscle-to-fat ratio, which has numerous health benefits, including improved strength, reduced risk of chronic disease, and better physical function.

4. Food Satisfaction

Protein is one of the most satiating macronutrients. It helps curb hunger and keeps you feeling full longer after meals, which can be particularly helpful for women who struggle with cravings or emotional eating. When you’re eating a protein-rich meal, the feeling of satiety tends to last longer, reducing the urge to snack or overeat later.

Why does this happen? Protein has a profound effect on hunger-regulating hormones, like ghrelin (the “hunger hormone”) and leptin (the “fullness hormone”). Higher protein intake has been shown to reduce ghrelin levels and increase leptin, making you feel satisfied and helping control appetite.

By balancing meals with protein, you can avoid energy crashes and mood swings that often accompany carb-heavy meals, which helps you stick to healthier eating patterns over time.

5. Hormonal Balance

Hormonal balance is particularly important for women, and protein plays a role in regulating many of the hormones that keep our bodies functioning properly. For example, insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels. Consuming protein with meals can help prevent insulin spikes and crashes, keeping your blood sugar levels stable and preventing cravings and irritability.

Protein also supports thyroid function, which is essential for maintaining a healthy metabolism. A diet rich in protein helps ensure that the body has the building blocks it needs to produce the right levels of thyroid hormones. For women dealing with hormonal imbalances—whether from conditions like PCOS, perimenopause, or postpartum—protein can be an important tool for stabilizing mood and energy levels.

image courtesy of Pinterest

How Much Do I Actually Need?

Now, let’s address one important issue: the current Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein, which is 46 grams per day for women, is widely considered grossly insufficient for many women, especially those who are active or looking to maintain or build muscle. A more appropriate recommendation for protein intake is 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, this would mean consuming 120 to 150 grams of protein daily. This amount helps maintain muscle mass, boost metabolism, and support overall health, especially for active women.

The current RDA is based on minimal protein needs to avoid deficiency, but it doesn’t account for factors like increased physical activity, muscle gain, or fat loss, which require higher protein intake. If you’re someone who is exercising regularly or trying to improve your body composition, you’ll likely need more protein than the standard RDA suggests.

Unfortunately most of the women I meet in my practice struggle to get even half the required amount. And with protein powders and bars becoming ubiquitous and promoted in recipes on Instagram and TikTok by major influencers, it can feed in to the perception that it’s just really difficult to get all of your protein from natural, whole foods, and that you need these supplements to eat a high protein diet.

I’m here to tell you you don’t need those supplements. With a little planning, you can easily eat a high protein diet with just real, natural foods.

You’ll want to aim for close to 30g of protein at breakfast, and then spreading the rest of your intake out through the day at regular intervals - aiming for 25-45g at each meal, and pairing it with healthy fats and carbs for balanced meals.

What are some good sources of whole foods proteins?

Not all proteins are created equal. There are complete proteins and incomplete proteins, and understanding the difference is essential, particularly for those following a plant-based diet.

• Complete proteins contain all nine essential amino acids that your body cannot produce on its own. These amino acids are necessary for muscle building, immune function, and a range of other bodily processes. Animal-based proteins (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy) are complete proteins.

• Incomplete proteins, on the other hand, are missing one or more of the essential amino acids. Most plant-based proteins, such as beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, and grains, are incomplete. This doesn’t mean that plant-based proteins are “bad”; it simply means you need to combine different plant-based protein sources to ensure you’re getting all the essential amino acids. For example, combining beans with rice or hummus with whole-grain pita creates a complete protein profile.

It’s important to note that very few vegan protein sources are complete proteins on their own, so it’s crucial to diversify plant-based protein intake to ensure you’re getting all the necessary amino acids.

There are plenty of protein-rich foods available, whether you follow a plant-based or omnivorous diet. Here are some top sources:

1. Animal-Based Proteins

Pasture-fed, organic and local chicken, turkey, beef, eggs, fish, shellfish, bone broth, and collagen are all excellent sources of high-quality protein.

2. Plant-Based Proteins

Many of my clients choose to be entirely plant-based. I recommend lentils, beans, quinoa, tofu, edamame, seitan and tempeh combined with whole grains, seeds and nuts to create balanced plates with all 9 amino acids.

3. Dairy

What’s wrong with dairy? I’m not sure why everyone moved to options like almond milk (of little nutritional value, just low calorie) or oat milk (negligible protein content). Full-fat, whole organic milk from local pasture-fed cows - especially the A2 variety - is a fantastic whole food! Lower fat milk has been processed to reduce the calories - losing vital nutrients along the way. Whole-milk yogurt, cheese, quark and cottage cheese, cream and butter can all be part of a balanced whole foods lifestyle.

4. Grains

Oats, chia and whole grains are mostly considered carbohydrates, but they do have some protein content as well. Pairing them with other protein sources on this list will create a satiating meal and give you sustained energy.

5. Nuts & Seeds

The little things add up! While I wouldn’t recommend relying on these as your main protein source, I like to sprinkle them on most of my meals for an added protein and fibre boost.

6. Beans & Legumes

These are an absolute powerhouse and such a staple for me. Packing the perfect punch of protein and fibre, there’s a huge variety to choose from, and so many exciting ways to prepare them.

Key Takeaway

Protein is an absolute game-changer for women’s health and it is essential for more than just building muscles. It’s crucial for maintaining metabolic health, improving body composition, supporting hormonal balance, and ensuring you feel satisfied after meals. By prioritizing protein in your diet, you’ll experience more energy, better physical performance, and enhanced overall well-being. So, whether you’re lifting weights, chasing after kids, or just getting through a busy day, remember that protein is a powerhouse nutrient that will support you at every stage of life.