Your Guide to Protein: Why It Matters and How to Include It in Your Diet

By Joelle Pfammatter, Certified Nutritionist

How much protein do you need per day?  

Protein is essential for everyone — but how much protein do you really need each day? The answer depends on factors like body weight, age, and activity level. For most healthy adults, the recommended daily intake is about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. That means a person weighing 70 kg would need roughly 56 grams of protein per day. If you’re physically active, an athlete, over 65, or recovering from illness, your body may require more protein to stay strong, support muscle maintenance, and aid recovery.

Here is how to calculate your daily protein needs:  

0.8 x your body weight (in kg) = grams of protein per day.  

70 kg x 0.8 = 56 g protein/day

Spread Your Protein Throughout the Day

To get the most benefit, distribute your protein intake across meals. Including protein in every meal not only supports your muscles but also helps you feel satisfied longer and maintain steady energy throughout the day.

A sample daily plan might look like this:

1. Breakfast: 15 – 20 g  

2. Lunch: 20 – 25 g 

3. Dinner: 20 – 25 g 

This approach helps your body absorb and use proteins more effectively – keeping your muscles fueled, your energy steady, and your metabolism active all day long.  

Is all protein the same?  

Not all proteins are created equal. The quality of a protein depends on its amino acid composition and its biological value — basically, how efficiently your body can use it.

Animal proteins, found in meat, fish, eggs, and dairy, are considered complete proteins. They contain all nine essential amino acids and usually have a high biological value, making them easier for your body to digest and use.

Plant proteins often lack one or more essential amino acids. That’s why it’s important to combine different plant-based sources, such as beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, to ensure you get a complete amino acid profile — especially if you rarely or never consume animal products.

What are amino acids?  

Amino acids are the tiny building blocks of proteins, but their role goes far beyond that. Think of them as the essential components your body uses to build muscles, enzymes, hormones, and even your skin, hair, and nails. Proteins are made up of about 20 different amino acids, which link together in countless combinations to create the diverse proteins your body needs. Your body uses amino acids to produce new proteins, such as muscle and bone tissue, as well as other important compounds like enzymes and hormones. In some cases, amino acids can also serve as an energy source.

Not all amino acids are the same:

• Non-essential amino acids – Your body can make 11 of these on its own, so you don’t necessarily need to get them from food.

• Essential amino acids – There are 9 amino acids your body cannot produce, so it’s crucial to get enough of these from your diet to keep your body functioning properly.

By including a variety of protein sources in your meals, you ensure your body has all the amino acids it needs to repair tissues, support metabolism, and maintain overall health.

Biological Value – How efficient is your Protein?  

Ever wondered why some proteins are “better” than others? The answer lies in their biological value (BV) — a measure of how efficiently your body can use a protein to build its own tissues. 

• Egg protein is used as a reference with a BV of 100. 

• Animal proteins like meat, fish, and dairy usually have a higher biological value. This is because their amino acid profile closely matches what humans need. 

• Plant proteins usually have a lower biological value (BV). However, you can improve this by mixing different sources, like grains and legumes.  

Did you know? You can boost the quality of proteins by combining certain foods. For example, potatoes with eggs or rice with beans create a more complete amino acid profile, improving the protein’s biological value (BV). Cooking, soaking, or sprouting foods can also enhance digestibility and reduce compounds that interfere with nutrient absorption, helping your body make the most of every meal.

Smart Protein Combinations 

If your meals include animal products, your protein needs are usually covered. For vegetarians and especially vegans, careful combination of plant proteins is key to ensure all essential amino acids are included.  Even if you aren’t fully vegetarian, incorporating plant-based proteins regularly benefits both health and the environment. The Swiss Society for Nutrition (SGE) recommends: 

• Limiting meat consumption to 2–3 times per week 
• Including legumes at least once per week 

How to Combine Proteins

You don’t need to mix everything in one single meal — just ensure variety throughout the day.  
Thoughtful combinations can significantly improve the nutritional value of your protein intake. Some effective pairings include:  

• Grains with legumes: Rice with beans, lentils with pasta 

• Legumes and seeds or nuts: Lentil salad with pumpkin seeds, hummus with sesame or nut butters 

• Grains with dairy: Oats with yogurt, bread with cheese 

• Pseudocereals: Quinoa, amaranth, or buckwheat combined with legumes 

By combining these foods strategically, you can maximize amino acids intake, improve protein quality, and support muscle maintenance, metabolism, and overall wellness – even on a plant base diet.  

Rather than obsessing over exact grams per meal, focus on: 

• Eating high-quality protein sources regularly 

• Combining plant proteins strategically if needed 

• Maintaining variety and balance in your meals 

This approach makes it easy to cover your protein needs while supporting long-term wellness — without turning your diet into a math problem. 
Focus on variety, balance, and sustainability. Your body gets all the amino acids it needs, supports muscle repair and metabolism, and promotes long-term wellness.

Collagen – The Structural Protein

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. It provides structure and strength to skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, and joints — essentially helping tissues stay firm and flexible. Your body naturally produces collagen from amino acids found in protein-rich foods, along with nutrients like vitamin C, zinc, and copper. Over time, collagen production tends to slow down, which can affect skin elasticity and joint function.

You can support collagen formation through everyday nutrition by:

• Including a variety of protein sources to provide the necessary amino acids
• Eating vitamin C-rich foods such as berries, citrus fruits, or peppers
• Ensuring adequate micronutrient intake through a balanced diet
• Collagen supplements, such as hydrolyzed collagen peptides, are also available.