🥩 PROTEIN 101 Build strength. Fuel your body. Make informed choices.

What You Really Need to Know About Protein

Wendy has seen a ton of ads on socials that claim to be the best or all you need or a million grams of protein. So, she asked Dr. Martin, who has a bachelor’s degree in nutrition, a few questions about protein and choosing products. (Then Chat made it into a cute, formatted flyer)

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💪 01 | WHY DOES YOUR BODY NEED PROTEIN?

Protein does WAY more than build muscle!
🔨 Build & Repair -Muscles • Skin • Tendons • Ligaments
🧬 Make – Enzymes • Hormones
🛡️ Protect – Supports your immune system
💅 Maintain – Hair • Nails • Healthy tissues
❤️ Support – Healing • Pregnancy • Growth
🍽️ Keep You Full – Protein can increase satiety & help preserve muscle during weight loss.
PROTEIN TIP: Your body doesn’t have a large storage reserve for amino acids, so getting protein regularly throughout the day matters.
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🥚 02 | IS ALL PROTEIN CREATED EQUAL?

Nope! Protein quality depends on both the number of amino acids and digestibility.
⭐ COMPLETE PROTEINS – Contain all 9 essential amino acids.
Examples: Eggs • Dairy • Meat • Fish • Soy • Whey
🌱 INCOMPLETE PROTEINS – Are missing one or more essential amino acids.
Examples: Beans • Lentils • Peas • Rice • Oats • Nuts • Seeds • Vegetables
PLANT PROTEIN TIP: Incomplete proteins aren’t “bad” proteins! Eating a variety of plant foods throughout the day can provide the amino acids your body needs.
🔬 DIGETSABILITY
Think about what your body can digest, absorb, and use.
HIGHLY BIOAVAILABLE
🥛 Whey 🥚 Eggs 🥛 Milk protein
VERY GOOD
🥩 Beef 🍗 Chicken 🐟 Fish
GOOD
🌱 Soy
LOWER QUALITY AS A STAND-ALONE PROTEIN
Pea Protein 🍚 Rice Protein 🦴 Collagen
COLLAGEN CHECK: Collagen can be absorbed well, but it isn’t a complete protein. Don’t rely on collagen as your only protein source.
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☕ 03 | ARE TIKTOK PROTEIN COFFEES & REFRESHERS HEALTHY?

Sometimes! Adding protein to coffee or a flavored drink doesn’t automatically make it healthy. The rest of the nutrition label still matters.
🔎 WHAT TO LOOK FOR
💪 Protein: Aim for around 20g when using the drink as a meaningful protein source.
🍬 Added Sugar: Lower is generally better. A good target is under 5–8g of added sugar.
🥛 Protein Source: Look for Whey, Milk, or Soy protein
📝 Ingredients: Keep it simple
🚨 WATCH OUT FOR:
• 30+g of added sugar
• Very high calories with little protein
• High amounts of saturated fat
• Protein coming primarily from collagen
COLLAGEN CHECK: Collagen isn’t necessarily bad—it can be useful for specific purposes such as supporting skin and connective tissues. But because it isn’t a complete protein, it shouldn’t be your primary protein source.
💡 THE TAKEAWAY
Protein can improve a coffee or refresher—but “protein” doesn’t magically make a sugary drink healthy.
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🍫 04 | CHOOSING PROTEIN BARS & SHAKES

Protein bars and shakes can be convenient tools, especially when you’re busy, traveling, going to class, or heading to a workout. But not all products are created equally.
💪 START WITH PROTEIN
A general guideline:
SNACK: 10–20g protein
MEAL REPLACEMENT / POST-WORKOUT: 20–30g protein
🥛 LOOK AT THE PROTEIN SOURCE – Good options include:
•Whey isolate
•Whey concentrate
•Milk protein isolate
•Soy isolate
•Pea + rice protein blends
PLANT-BASED TIP: Combining different plant proteins, such as pea + rice, can provide a more complete amino acid profile than relying on either one alone.
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🍪 05 | DOES “30g PROTEIN” = HEALTHY?

Not necessarily! Protein is only one piece of the nutrition puzzle.
FOOD PROTEIN WHAT ELSE?
🍗 Grilled Chicken 30g Nutrient-dense protein
🥣 Greek Yogurt 20g Protein + calcium
🍪 Protein Cookie 30g 450 calories + 28g sugar

🚨 DON’T GET FOOLED BY THE FRONT OF THE PACKAGE! When choosing a protein-rich food, check the whole nutrition label:
Calories • Added Sugar • Saturated Fat • Fiber • Sodium • Ingredients • Vitamins
💡 THE TAKEAWAY:
The food with the most protein isn’t automatically the healthiest choice.
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⚖️ 06 | HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO YOU ACTUALLY NEED?

The answer depends on YOU. Your needs can change based on:
🏋️ Strength training
⚖️ Weight loss
🏃 Activity level
👵 Age
🤰 Pregnancy
🎯 Fitness goals
GENERAL STARTING POINT
0.36 g of protein × body weight in pounds
Example: 120 lbs × 0.36 = ~43g/day
For general health, spread your protein intake throughout the day instead of eating it all at once.
YOUR NUMBER MAY BE DIFFERENT! Athletes, people strength training, individuals trying to preserve muscle while losing weight, older adults, and people with increased nutritional needs may require more.
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🥩 06 | HOW MUCH PROTEIN CAN YOU ABSORB?

🚨 BIG PROTEIN MYTH:
“Your body can only absorb 20–30g of protein at a time.”
FALSE! Your body can absorb essentially all of the protein you eat.
The better question is: How much can your body use at one time to maximize muscle protein synthesis?
For many healthy adults: ~20–30g of high-quality protein per meal can be enough to significantly stimulate muscle protein synthesis.
Some people may benefit from 30–40g or more, including larger individuals, older adults, or people following intense training.
SO WHAT HAPPENS TO THE EXTRA?
It’s not automatically wasted! Your body can use protein for:
🔨 Tissue repair
🧬 Enzymes & hormones
🛡️ Immune function
⚡ Energy when needed
50g of protein isn’t “wasted.” It just doesn’t mean you’ll build twice as much muscle as you would from 25g.
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🧠 PROTEIN 101: THE 5 THINGS TO REMEMBER

① PROTEIN IS ESSENTIAL
Your body needs it every day.
② QUALITY MATTERS
Look at amino acids and digestibility.
③ MORE ≠ ALWAYS BETTER
Don’t choose a food because it has the highest protein number.
④ SPREAD IT OUT
Getting protein throughout the day can be a practical strategy.
⑤ LOOK AT THE WHOLE FOOD
Protein + fiber + vitamins + minerals + healthy fats + overall calories = the bigger picture.
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