Understanding Protein Intake: The RDA vs. Optimal Intake
Why “High Protein” Is Suddenly Everywhere
It’s easy to recognize that our idea of what high protein foods are has changed in recent years. It feels like protein is no longer just chicken and protein shakes; it’s now in Snickers bars, Cheerios, Kraft mac and cheese, even Starbucks cold foam.
Products up and down grocery aisles are now plastered with “high protein” labels the way they once were with “low fat” just decades ago. And, as with most health food marketing, the messaging poses these products as superior, healthier, better. But is that always the case?
According to Cargill’s 2025 Protein Profile 61% of Americans increased their protein intake last year — up from just 48% in 2019. Food companies are filing protein-related patents left and right, rolling out new products every week. And consumers are buying in, because choosing “high protein” products feels like we’re making a smarter choice. But is that true if the product we’re eating is just proteinified candy?
Is the Protein Boom Just Diet Culture in Disguise?
In my opinion and professional experience, the rise of GLP-1 drugs has shifted how we talk about weight loss, and protein often shows up as the “safe” nutrient we should double down on. Does all of this changing rhetoric around protein make it feel like just a new obsession of diet culture?
All of this matters because these narratives don’t just live online; they shape how confident (or second-guessy!) we feel standing in the grocery aisle or deciding what to eat on a random Tuesday.
Why a High Protein Diet Is Important
Here’s the thing we can’t deny: protein is important. Essential, even! We literally can’t survive without it. Every cell in our body needs protein. Proteins are made of amino acids, and those amino acids are the building blocks for everything — muscle, enzymes, hormones, even neurotransmitters that affect our mood and mental health.
Does that mean we need to eating protein candy and drink protein water? No, not really.
Why the Protein RDA Is Often Misunderstood
Messaging around protein intake can feel really confusing. The US Secretary of Health and Human Services recently declared that the new Dietary Guidelines are “ending the war on protein.” Yet, as referenced in the Cargill report above, we know that protein deficiency isn’t something we battle in the US so that begs the question… What war?!
On the flip side, many nutrition professionals often state that most Americans are eating too much protein.
So, where is this confusion stemming from?
Some of these misunderstanding comes from interpreting the Recommended Dietary Allowance versus optimal protein intake recommendations.
The Protein RDA Is a Minimum, Not an Optimal Target
The Recommended Dietary Allowance, or RDA, is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. That works out to about 0.36 grams per pound. For a 150-pound person, that’s just 54 grams of protein a day. National survey data shows us that the average protein intake of adults in the US is around 40g per 1000 calories, or about 60-90g daily, though this varies based on sex and age, as males typically consume more protein and intake tends to decrease with age.
The RDA is not based on optimal protein intake, but “the average daily dietary intake level sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97–98%) healthy individuals in a group.”
Something interesting about the protein RDA is that it is based on analysis of nitrogen balance studies. Therefore, the RDA for protein is the amount of protein needed to avoid a negative nitrogen balance. That means the RDA is not tied to health outcomes, but is about preventing deficiency on a population level.
The RDA is not the “optimal” amount. It’s the minimum amount needed to prevent deficiency — basically, to keep you from getting sick. It’s not necessarily the amount to thrive, or to support muscle maintenance as we age, or to maximize performance.
Muscle Matters (and This Has Nothing to Do With Aesthetics)
The RDA isn’t adequate for anyone wanting to maximize muscle gain or muscle retention, and it's also inadequate for older adults at risk for muscle loss. The RDA is insufficient for growing children, pregnant or lactating women, those who engage in intense exercise, and the elderly. That’s quite the list of exceptions!
My personal opinion is that everyone (EVERYONE!!) should be actively trying to gain or at least maintain muscle mass and that’s a view that has nothing to do with aesthetics but everything to do with health and longevity. Our muscle mass is protective. It’s how we maintain protection from osteoporosis and disease, how we stay functional and independent through old age.
So while it’s not accurate to say everyone needs to double or triple their intake, it’s also not accurate to say the RDA is sufficient for all situations. The truth, as usual, is more nuanced. And when we think in that context, we can recognize that protein needs for many are probably higher.
Who Actually Benefits From Higher Protein Intake
Three main populations tend to benefit from higher protein intake:
Anyone looking to build or maintain muscle (older adults fall into this category)
Those in a dieting phase, meaning they’re eating in a calorie deficit
Those looking to maximize athletic performance
Considerations when eating animal vs plant based protein
Proteins are made of amino acids, and out of the 20 amino acids, nine are considered essential. That means our bodies can’t make them — we have to get them from food.
Animal proteins generally contain all nine in higher quality and in the right ratios, which makes them especially effective for muscle protein synthesis. This is what we call a complete protein.
Plant proteins, on the other hand, are often labeled “incomplete” because most single sources are lower in one or more essential amino acids. But that doesn’t mean plant-based eaters are at a disadvantage. By eating a variety of plant proteins (beans with rice, or tofu with quinoa) you can easily cover all the essential amino acids. The bottom line: the total amount of protein you eat is most important, and both animal and plant sources can get you there when you’re making intentional, diverse food choices.
The Protein Hierarchy: What to Focus On First
So what actually matters most when it comes to our protein intake? It’s very easy to get caught up in the weeds: How much protein per meal? Can I supplement with collagen? Which supplements are best? If I eat a meal with “too much” protein, can I not digest it all?
Total Daily Protein Intake Comes First
First and foremost: your total protein intake daily matters most. Getting adequate protein in general is more important than our timing!
Protein Distribution Matters More Than Perfect Timing
Next is how you distribute that protein throughout your meals.
It is a myth that you can only digest or utilize 30 grams of protein at a time. That idea is a skewed interpretation of the “leucine trigger hypothesis,” which isn't important to understand in detail. And if you do eat a very high-protein meal, your body isn’t using 30 grams and tossing the rest away. We can absorb all amounts of protein — it’s just that not all of it will go toward muscle building if intake is extremely high in one sitting. The rest is used for other important processes in the body.
What is helpful to know is that spreading protein intake throughout the day tends to be more ideal than having it all at once. It supports muscle protein synthesis, but it also supports satiety and sustainability. You don’t necessarily need to focus on X grams of protein per meal. Rather, aim for balanced meals across the day for the sake of satiety.
Protein Timing Around Training Is Flexible
And finally, protein timing — especially around training.
Here we get to the idea of the “post-exercise anabolic window,” or the fearmongering around “if you don’t pound protein within an hour of your workout, you’re going to lose all your gains!”
Protein after a workout is beneficial, and there is evidence supporting post-exercise protein intake — but that window isn’t nearly as tight as we may believe it to be.
In practice, this often comes down to personal preference and building the habit of including protein within a few hours after training. Protein within about 2 hours — and really even 3–5 hours — is totally fine. My personal take is that sooner (around that 2-hour mark) is beneficial, but more for the sake of satiety and routine than anything else!
Can you eat too much protein?
While we’re busting myths, let’s talk about too much protein.
There are populations where excessively high protein intake can be a concern — particularly in individuals with kidney disease. But outside of that population, there really aren’t concerns about higher protein intake negatively impacting kidney function.
Even in trials that intentionally ramp protein intake to very high levels, we don’t see adverse effects on kidney function or other health parameters.
As one review puts it, “Despite persistent beliefs to the contrary, we can find no evidence-based link between higher protein diets and renal disease or adverse bone health.”
In fact, we often see benefits, including greater bone density and lower fracture risk. I don’t think it’s fair to say that the average individual is eating too much protein, though there definitely may be more (mental) health implications around the current mental obsession with protein.
So Where Does That Leave Us With Protein Intake?
So where does that leave us? Protein is essential. It supports muscle, satiety, recovery, and even mental health, since amino acids are the building blocks for neurotransmitters. We do need protein, but rarely is anyone in a precarious place of eating far too little or too much that it will harm their health. The average American gets enough protein to prevent deficiency, but “enough” doesn’t always mean optimal. And that nuance (rather than fear, urgency, or moralization) is where this conversation really needs to live.
We can care about our protein intake while also navigating the overwhelming amount of (mis)information and fearmongering around every dietary choice we make, and I hope this article could help you do just that.
Resources & Further Reading:
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Kate Lyman
Leader, nutrition educator, and former chronic dieter helping clients rebuild their relationship with food, escape the cycle of yo-yo dieting for good, and cut through the overwhelm of nutrition misinformation.
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