One nutrition trend I’ve noticed over the last several months is women trying to eat more protein. I’m on the bandwagon myself, in fact. I want to preserve and add muscle mass, which will help me burn more calories on autopilot—and stay strong as I get older. (But really, I’m #teamburnmorecalories.)

I’ve written maaaaaany stories on protein over the years—how to get more protein, what to watch out for when upping your intake, choosing the best plant-based protein sources, and so on. Unlike carbs and fat, which have been demonized off and on over the years, protein seems to sail under the radar a bit. Body builders have known its importance for decades but everyone else has taken a minute to catch on. All of a sudden everyone’s like, “eat more protein!”

Boosting protein intake can help if you’re trying to maintain or lose weight, increase muscle (yes to this!), stave off metabolic changes as you age, or TTC. Why protein? Proteins are made of important amino acids that are crucial to all sorts of mechanisms in the body, including creating hormones, repairing tissues, supporting growth of a fetus, and more.

Protein can help…

…support blood sugar: Eating higher-protein foods—versus simple carbs that break down quickly—is one way to help keep your blood sugar steady, because it slows the release of glucose into the bloodstream. But protein goes beyond affecting glucose. Since it takes longer to digest, it keeps you fuller longer. It basically dulls those hormones that tell you you’re hungry and boosts hormones tell you you’re full. No need for a pricey medication!

…hormone production: Amino acids have important roles in hormone production and secretion, including fertility-related hormones. Research published in 2015 in Fertility & Sterility found that higher levels of protein consumption (especially animal protein) were associated with lower levels of testosterone, making high-protein diets a good strategy for people with PCOS. Protein is also crucial for healthy thyroid functioning.

…build/maintain muscle: Amino acids are also the building blocks of protein. Once you ingest the protein, your body breaks it down into amino acids, which it uses for something called muscle protein synthesis, i.e., building muscle. If you’re trying to add muscle or just keep yourself strong (which everyone should be doing, especially as we get older), you need adequate protein on board to support that process.

…ease PMS: Having adequate amounts of protein—especially animal protein—in the diet has been linked with fewer PMS symptoms in younger women (under age 40), according to a study published in 2019 in Public Health Nutrition. (Other large studies haven’t found a correlation between macronutrient intake and PMS symptoms.)

…regulate weight: Simply put, increasing your protein intake makes it easier to take off pounds, which can boost fertility in addition to helping improve metabolic disorders. Just like exercise acts like a fountain of youth, adding protein helps you preserve and build muscle (the lean stuff) while you lose fat. That’s the kind of trade you want! It’s also beneficial for those people who may be underweight—something I see very frequently in my clinic. It helps them add muscle and bolster their reserves to help improve fertility.

So How Much Protein Do You Need?

The current recommendations of 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight, which is about 56 grams a day for a 155-pound person, is the minimum. For decades, dietitians have been saying people should stick to this number, but it’s a minimum amount. Not any longer. More and more research is showing that higher intakes—almost double the current recommendations—are beneficial for weight loss, building muscle, and preserving muscle with age. To make sure you’re getting enough, aim for about 0.70 grams per pound or almost 110 grams per day.

How to Get More Protein

I’m a big fan of getting protein in real food versus shakes, bars or other highly processed foods, but do what you gotta do. (If you are going to opt for shakes, look for isolate forms. That way you don’t get the sugar that some companies add in. You won’t get any carbs or fat either—just the protein.) In whole foods, you get the benefit of all the other naturally occurring nutrients without all the chemicals and preservatives that come in highly processed options. Consider the following:

Cottage cheese (28 g/cup)

Beef (25 g/3 oz.)

Pork loin (23 g/3 oz.)

Chicken breast (21 g/half-cup chopped)

Greek yogurt (plain) (20 g/7 oz.)

Shrimp (20 g/3 oz.)

Salmon (17 g/3 oz.)

Tempeh (15 g/half-cup)

Tofu (10 g/half-cup)

Lentils (9 g/half-cup)

Edamame (8.5 g/half-cup)

Quinoa (8 g/cup)

Black beans (8 g/half-cup)

Pumpkin seeds (7 g/quarter cup)

Almonds (6 g/oz.)

Eggs (6 g/egg)

Peanut butter (3.5 g/tablespoon)

Hummus (1.2 g/tablespoon)

My Favorite New High-Protein Pizza/Snack

I love pizza, but I’m trying to cut back on eating too many refined carbs, not to mention those high-fat toppings. I’ve developed a fondness for cauliflower crusts, and recently I stumbled on a recipe in my recipe file (yes, I have one of those) that is approximately 20 years old for a pizza made with chickpea flour. It’s for Chick Peazza—get it? It has 13 grams of protein if you eat the whole thing, which isn’t hard to do, and it’s gluten-free.

2/3 cup chickpea flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)

1/3 tsp salt

1 cup water

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or use dried)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp grated parmesan

Black pepper

1. Combine the flour, salt, water and thyme in a bowl (add water slowly to prevent clumping). The batter will seem thin and you’ll think it’s wrong, but the recipe works better when it’s thin. Let sit for 30 minutes, then restir to make sure it’s not clumpy.

2. Preheat your broiler and at the same time, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, pour in the batter. (You may not be able to fit it all in, depending on the size of your skillet. Mine is a nine-inch skillet and I had enough batter for two peazzas.) Drizzle remaining olive oil on top and sprinkle on the cheese and pepper.

3. Cook until the batter has set (several minutes), then place in the broiler to brown the top (keep an eye on it!). Cool and serve. (Feel free to sprinkle on fresh herbs.) I was skeptical at first and my first try wasn’t super successful, looks-wise, but it tasted great. You can’t go too wrong with olive oil and cheese, after all. So, be patient. It may take a couple of tries before you get it just right. Now, could you add other toppings on this peazza? You tell me!