Your Daily Protein – How Much? – What source? - April 2026 Newsletter
Your Daily Protein – How Much? – What source?
Hello, this is Dr. Ellen. In this month’s newsletter, I want to take a look at the ongoing debate about the optimal type and amount of protein we consume daily. The controversy was brought into the general public’s view with the release of the 2025-2030 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) earlier this year.(1) They recommend a significant increase in daily protein intake and encourage animal sources compared to previous guidelines. This position has been gaining momentum over the past several years, fueled by the increased interest in exercise, particularly resistance training, to help increase muscle mass and strength. Improved muscle health, in turn, has been seen as playing an important role in improving healthspan. Let’s take a quick look at the controversy.
By the way, if you haven’t had a chance to see my previous newsletters, you can find them on my website, www.drellencutler.com under ‘Free Resources’.
The Most Recent DGAs and Daily Protein Intake
The new 2025-2030 DGAs significantly increased the recommended daily protein intake for a healthy adult. A presumed advantage to the increase is that getting optimal daily amounts of protein assures optimal maintenance and production of cellular and tissue structures, hormones, and enzymes. And unlike fats and carbohydrates, the body cannot store proteins.
To my knowledge, no other medical organization has as yet recommended the daily intake of that much protein for a healthy adult unless they are trying to build muscle. For many years now, there has in fact been concern that the average healthy American is consuming too much protein. That concern is mitigated with adequate fluid intake to facilitate removal of the waste products of protein metabolism from the blood (in those with normal kidney function).(2)
National recommendations for protein intake have previously been based on 2 listings: the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) and the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs). The RDA is generally determined to be the EAR plus 2 standard deviations from the mean, which by definition meets or exceeds the requirement for 97.5% of the population. For both women and men 18 years and older, the RDA is 0.8 g/kg of body weight. For example, for a 57-kg woman (~125 pounds) the RDA is 46 g/d, and for a 70-kg man (~155 pounds), the RDA is 56 g/d. (These amounts are somewhat higher for earlier age groups, with younger ages requiring greater intake.) The recommended daily intake of protein in the new DGAs is significantly higher, 1.2 to 1.6 g per day of protein, recommending up to 91 g/d and 112 g/d for the previous examples, respectively. These average about 101 g/d. Interestingly, combining several different reports of individuals’ actual daily protein intake, a reasonable estimate of protein intake in US adults is between 90 to 100 g/d, with about 70% to 85% being animal-based protein. This is more protein (and more animal-based protein) than most, if not all, countries in the world.(3,4)
The Most Recent DGAs and Plant vs. Animal Protein Source
The new DGAs also promote significant intake of animal protein, including meat, poultry, eggs, and full‑fat dairy, as well as butter or beef tallow for cooking or adding fats. Some recent research suggests that older adults may benefit from increased animal protein intake. However, a major concern about emphasizing animal-based protein intake is that it makes the DGAs’ recommendation of limiting daily saturated fat intake to <10% of calories more difficult to obtain. This may increase cardiovascular disease risk. Importantly, increasing intake of plant-based proteins while limiting animal-based proteins has been shown to be health-promoting and facilitate the prevention of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and even some cancers. There is significant evidence showing plant proteins reduce the risk of all-cause disease because they are accompanied by an abundance of micronutrients and fiber not found in animal-derived foods.(2,3,4,5)
Consuming a variety of plant proteins can provide adequate protein and a full spectrum of essential amino acids (the building blocks of proteins that are not synthesized by the body). For example, grains such as wheat and oats are relatively low in lysine, but can be balanced by eating legumes.(6) Conversely, legumes such as lentils and chickpeas are relatively low in methionine, but can be balanced by eating grains.(7) Foods that contain adequate amounts of all nine essential amino acids are considered complete proteins. Plant-based examples of these are soy products (even though they are legumes) and amaranth and buckwheat (these last two being ‘pseudograins’).(8,9,10)
Ellen Cutler Method (ECM)
Over my years of practice, I have repeatedly found ECM energetic testing and clearing methods to be quite effective in mitigating many of my patients’ persistent problems as well as optimizing their overall health. Through ECM testing I can determine the nature of their complaints and then test them to find if there are specific reactivities related to their problems. This fundamentally includes testing specific foods and overall dietary patterns. Upon testing, I have found the vast majority of my patients benefit by moving toward a whole food plant-based diet and away from processed and especially ultra-processed ‘foods’. For those foods to which the patient is reactive, I use ECM clearing methods to desensitize their identified and related reactivities. This approach usually leads to very gratifying results!
Please be well, be healthy, but remember…
“The more you substitute plant foods for animal foods, the healthier you are likely to be.”
Dr. Ellen
References:
“Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030” at https://cdn.realfood.gov/DGA.pdf
“Pros and Cons of the New US Dietary Guidelines” at https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/pros-and-cons-new-us-dietary-guidelines-2026a10006mc?ecd=WNL_tp54u_JRNE_pos4_260319_etid8199456&uac=91354PR&impID=8199456
“Maximizing the intersection of human health and the health of the environment with regard to the amount and type of protein produced and consumed in the United States” at https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/77/4/197/5307079?login=false
“Everything You Thought You Knew About Protein Is Wrong” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMwf_9wqWY0
“The Latest US Nutritional Guidelines for 2025-2030” at https://drellencutler.com/newsletter-archive/the-latest-us-nutritional-guidelines-for-2025-2030-february-2026-newsletter
“40 Sources of Lysine to Add to Your Plate” at https://www.healthline.com/health/lysine-foods
“What Foods Are High in Methionine (L-Methionine) and What Is It Good For?” at https://www.medicinenet.com/what_foods_are_high_in_methionine_what_good_for/article.htm
“Is soy a complete protein” at https://www.soyconnection.com/nutrition-and-research/is-soy-a-complete-protein
“Prospects for the Use of Amaranth Grain in the Production of Functional and Specialized Food Products” at https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12071837/
“Buckwheat 101: Complete Protein, Low GI, Gluten-Free Goodness” at https://wadolab.com/blogs/sangaku/buckwheat-101-part1
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease
