In your younger years, you need about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of your bodyweight a day (that’s 0.36 grams per pound for the non-metric system users among us). As you age, that number goes up to about 1.0–1.2 g/kg (0.45–0.54 g/lb) each day. Older bodies get less efficient at using protein to build muscle, so you need to give it more to work with to keep up the same muscle mass.
Keeping up with your protein helps ward off sarcopenia (loss of muscle mass, strength, and function), and it also supports metabolic health, immunity, and hormone regulation, says Lon Ben-Asher, MS, RDN, LD/N, registered dietitian/nutritionist at Pritikin Longevity Center.
But when it comes to the type of protein you serve up at mealtime, most experts agree (Ben-Asher included) that plant sources are superior to meat for long-lasting health.
“Processed or red meats such as beef, bacon, ham, consistently linked to cardiovascular disease, increased cancer risk as a Group 1 carcinogen per WHO classification,” says Ben-Asher.
That’s why he sticks to plant protein sources such as tofu, tempeh, TVP (textured vegetable protein, a meat substitute made from soybeans), beans, lentils, peas, and chickpeas. He rounds out his protein quota with healthy fish sources like salmon, trout, and mahi-mahi.
Favoring plant protein comes with a bonus, says Ben-Asher, because the dietary fiber and phytonutrients only found in plants is fuel for healthy microorganisms that colonize gut microbiota.
“This helps support a healthy immune response, proper GI function, mental health, hormonal balance, reducing inflammation, nutrient absorption, and brain health—all factors linked to healthy aging,” he says.
ROYGBIV for cell protection
Courtesy Elizabeth Shaw, MS RDN CPT
