Our Guide to Protein

How much protein do you need in a day? What are the top food sources of protein? At Ancient + Brave, we’re often asked about the importance of protein, and it goes without saying that we’re big fans of it. Essential for virtually every one of your cellular functions, protein truly is the building block of life.

Our ancestors recognised this, eating a variety of sources from plants and nose-to- tail nutrition to build strength, stamina and energy. Yet today, many of us struggle to meet our daily dietary protein needs for optimal health.

If you’re looking for expert tips on supporting your daily protein needs, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll help you to understand how your body uses protein and share nutritionist-led advice for keeping your protein topped up.

What is protein, and why is it important?

So much more than a muscle-builder, protein is found throughout the body and supports everything from our skin health to our immune system. 

Built from chains of amino acids- the building blocks of protein- here’s just a few examples of the way proteins’ amino acids help us to thrive:

• Amino acids such as glycine, proline and hydroxyproline support collagen production, which is essential for healthy skin, hair, nails and joints

• Protein is blood sugar-balancing and helps in avoiding energy crashes 

• Protein gives a feeling of satiety and supports a healthy metabolism

• Amino acids such as tryptophan, tyrosine and glycine help build neurotransmitters, which in turn regulate mood and sleep 

• Protein supports the production of antibodies, needed to prevent infection.

Of course, protein also repairs tissue, and it supports the building of strong and healthy muscles. These aren’t just for gym goers, they’re at the core of your metabolism, making supporting your muscle mass with regular protein essential for regulating your blood sugars and determining how your body uses carbohydrates and fats.  

In addition to being our metabolic sink, healthy muscle is also our amino acid reservoir where the body can draw upon times of stress and illness to protect key organs such as the liver, kidney and brain. Muscle is also an endocrine (hormonal) organ and is linked to your longevity. More about that in the next section. 

Why protein matters for longevity 

Getting enough protein doesn’t just help us to function; it also supports our healthspan. Different to our lifespan, which is the number of years we are expected to live, healthspan refers to the number of years that we have good health.

Protein’s role in supporting mobility, recovery and repair is vital here, and may help those prone to stiff and aching joints. And that is not the only way that protein can help us to stay healthy as we age. 

Just like collagen depletes as we age, so does muscle (unless we work at keeping it). The average person loses around 8% per decade after the age of 40, which rises to 15% after the age of 70. This not only impacts our metabolism and where we start to distribute our body fat, but it can also contribute to lower mitochondrial function and impact physical and cognitive decline.

We now know that the more muscle density you have and how much you use these muscles, determines the size and number of your mitochondria (the energy factories in our cells). The more mitochondria you have, the more energy you’ll be able to produce - and vice versa; low muscle strength coupled with low physical capacity results in lower mitochondrial function. 

Supporting our muscle health as we age puts us back in the driving seat. Focusing on movement and strength practices, protein and plant intake alongside our pillars of health can ensure that you keep a healthy amount of muscle and the benefits it comes with, throughout your lifetime.

What foods are naturally high in protein?

The good news is that when it comes to getting protein into your diet, there’s plenty of choice - here’s just a few ideas:

+Animal-based protein: Meat, fish, eggs and dairy

+Plant-based protein: Tofu, tempeh, quinoa, beans, peas, buckwheat, nuts, seeds, chickpeas, lentils, and vegetables 

+Protein powders: Such as Brave Ancestral Protein, which was created to help you meet your daily protein needs 

The best protein for you will depend on your dietary preferences and your lifestyle needs. However, when considering which protein is best for you, one thing to take into account is whether your protein is a complete protein. We’ll explore that in more detail in the next section.

It is also worth noting that the quality and bioavailability of your protein are just as important as the amount of protein you consume. 

That’s one reason why we make Brave Ancestors Protein using Beef isolate protein. Gentle on the gut, this complete protein delivers all essential amino acids in a bioavailable form the body can easily recognise and use.

Complete vs incomplete protein: What’s the difference?

Now that we’ve established the importance of protein and where to find it, we need to be clear on one thing: while all proteins contain amino acids, only complete proteins contain all of the nine essential amino acids that we rely on for optimal health. 

Sources of protein are considered to be ‘complete’ or of higher quality when they contain all nine of the essential amino acids in roughly equal amounts. These are essential because our bodies can’t create them, meaning we must get them through our diet. 

This is not to say that every time you eat protein, it must be complete. Regardless of whether they’re complete or not, plant proteins provide valuable nutrients beyond amino acids and are a healthy choice for our planet, too. 

Why Protein Quality Matters: 

Where it becomes a bit more nuanced and tricky is the idea that when we’re looking at a portion of protein, we’re looking at the protein within the food. You see, when we eat foods for their protein content, we also eat everything that comes alongside it. This can be carbohydrates, fibres, different fats and more: it’s helpful to think about what the protein is packaged with. 

This isn’t a good or bad thing, but something else to be aware of, especially when you are trying to get a good balance of overall macros (proteins, fats and carbs). For example, to get 30g of protein from yoghurt, you can’t just eat 30g of yogurt but instead need about 250g or around 1 cup to get your portion of protein. This is because yoghurt also contains fat, water and plenty of vitamins and minerals too.

Let’s take a look at a few sources of protein, how much you get and a couple of ideas of what they come packaged with;

As you can see, you have to eat a lot more (by volume/weight) of plant-based foods to get the same amount of protein as you would from most animal sources. The plant-based foods contain a smaller proportion of actual protein, and the rest is carbohydrate, fat or both. 

More carbs and fat are not generally a problem in themselves and can sometimes be beneficial if you are lacking in these nutrients or fibre. However, those trying to lose weight or being conscious of their carb intake, especially, should also be aware of the other nutrients their protein is packaged with. 

What can help is knowing how much protein you are potentially consuming and obtaining those extra aminos from other sources lower in those extra macros, such as our vegan collagyn, which contains plant-based, collagen-specific amino acids.

How much protein you need depends on YOU 

In the UK, the daily recommended protein allowance for adults is 0.8g/kg. Meaning that if you consume 25-30g of protein for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you’ll be well on your way to meeting your daily protein needs.

However, it is important to note that this is the recommended amount to avoid deficiency, and more recent nutritional science recommends higher doses of 1.2 to 2g/kg for optimal health and even higher for elderly adults or those who are extremely active or in physical training.

That said, your ideal daily protein intake will vary depending on your weight, activity level, and overall health goals. You may also need to review your protein intake at different stages of life, for example, following cancer treatment, when pregnant or when training for a physical endurance event.

Nutritionist tips for supporting your daily protein needs

At Ancient + Brave, we understand that it can be hard to know if you're getting enough protein a day. To help, we’ve compiled a few tips you can use to support your daily protein intake.

• Think variety over volume: Get your protein from a variety of sources to help you hit the full range of amino acids  - animal products have high amounts of concentrated amino acids, but we also need to be mindful about incorporating plants, which have nutritional benefits beyond their protein amounts. Balance, quality (from sustainable, organic sources) and variety are key. 

• Think protein first: Get your day off to a great start by making a high-protein breakfast, such as smashed butter beans and feta on your avocado toast, smoked salmon spinach and eggs, protein pancakes with berries or a nourishing bowl of protein porridge. Add collagen peptides to your morning coffee or tea for a super easy protein boost!

• Addition Nutrition: Top your meals with little protein additions such as hemp seeds, nuts, roasted chickpeas, a boiled egg, mixed seeds, full fat greek yogurt or tofu croutons. Swap out couscous (mainly wheat) for quinoa or lentils

• Get blending: Smoothies are a great option for getting in extra protein - have it for breakfast or your afternoon snack, and add a good quality protein powder or collagen powder. 

• Top up with protein powder when you need to: On days where meeting your protein needs needs a little help, Brave Ancestral Protein is the ritual to reach for. A nutrient-dense protein powder containing 22g of protein per serving alongside antioxidant-rich plant botanicals and B vitamins, it’s thoughtfully crafted to support the energy your day demands.

FAQs

Get the answers to your protein questions at a glance.

What is a complete protein?

Complete proteins contain all nine of the essential amino acids in roughly equal amounts. An example of a complete protein is beef isolate, which is nutrient-dense and a key ingredient in Ancient + Brave’s complete protein powder.

How many grams of protein do I need per day?

In the UK, the official recommended intake for adults is around 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. This level is designed to prevent deficiency, but it represents a minimum requirement rather than an optimal intake for health, body composition, and healthy ageing. More recent research suggests most adults benefit from higher protein intakes to thrive, particularly for muscle health, metabolic function and satiety:

• 1.2–1.6 g/kg per day for generally healthy adults

• 1.6–2.2 g/kg per day for people who exercise regularly, are losing weight, or are older (to help preserve muscle mass)

Protein can be obtained from a mixture of sources, including plant proteins, animal proteins, and protein powders, and spreading intake evenly across meals is often more effective than consuming most protein in one sitting.

Can I get enough protein on a vegan or plant-based diet?

Yes, you can absolutely meet your protein needs on a vegan or plant-based diet. However, you generally need to be more mindful and intentional with your choices, as plant foods tend to contain less concentrated protein than animal-based sources. This often means combining different plant proteins, or using protein-rich options (like tofu, tempeh, legumes, and protein powders) to reach your daily target.

Beef isolate vs whey protein, which is right for me?

Both whey and beef isolate can help you to meet your daily protein needs. The right protein choice for you will depend on multiple factors, including your age, lifestyle and dietary preference. However, whey protein can be difficult for some people to digest. If this sounds like you, a protein powder made with beef isolate, such as Ancient + Brave’s Brave Ancestral Protein, may be the better choice.