People of all ages need adequate protein to build and repair muscles and bones, for energy, and to make hormones and enzymes. But just how much protein does a 70-year-old woman need daily?

If you're over 70 and typically have just toast and jam for breakfast, you should consider adding protein to your meal. While protein at breakfast is a good idea at any age, research suggests that eating the right amount daily is even more important for maintaining optimal health when you're 70 and older. Let's dive into why and how much.

How Much Protein Does a 70-Year-Old Woman Need? 

Although you may have met the recommended daily intake of protein in young adulthood and middle age, changes in appetite and food intake later in life can result in not getting enough of this macronutrient. You also may not be deriving enough value from the protein you are consuming.

General guidelines for the entire adult population once recommended consuming 0.8 g of protein for every kilogram of body weight per day (0.8 g/kg/day). But Carol Greenwood, a specialist in geriatric nutrition at the University of Toronto, says nutrition research suggests that people over the age of 70 should get at least 1 g/kg/day.

"For the average 50-year-old, 55 to 70 grams of protein each day is likely enough," says Greenwood. "But new data points to the 0.8 g/kg/day standard being a bit low for people over 70, so a range of 70 to 85 grams is probably a healthier target."

What If You're Not Hungry? 

As people age, their sense of taste begins to change. In addition, a diminished sense of smell can make even favorite foods taste different or less appealing. You may not feel like eating as much as you used to, putting you at risk of not getting enough nutrients.

"Most older adults just don't have the appetite they used to have," Greenwood says. "This is true even for healthy, community-dwelling older people; they just can't eat the quantities they did when they were 50. As their appetite declines, there's less room for empty calories, so they have to be careful to eat more protein than they used to even if they don't feel like it."

When You Eat Protein Is As Important As How Much

Another consideration is how often you eat protein during the day. Younger adults have the ability to store small amounts of amino acids (protein's building blocks) from one meal to the next, but that changes around the age of 70, according to Greenwood.

"For people 70 and older, the window of time between protein meals must be shorter than in younger people. You shouldn't count on having a steak for dinner, and then no protein until tomorrow night's dinner. Every meal should have some healthy source of protein in it."

How to Get More Protein

Nutritious, lower-fat sources of protein include poultry, fish, low-fat dairy products, and eggs.

• 3 1/2 ounces (100 g) of chicken breast = about 30 grams of protein
• 1/2 cup of cottage cheese = 15 grams of protein
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt = about 15 grams of protein
• 1 large egg = about 6 grams of protein

Plant-based sources of protein include seeds like hemp hearts, which have 10g of protein in a 30g (3 Tbsp) serving. Alternatively, incorporating hemp protein powder into a shake is also a good way of getting all the necessary amino acids. Nuts have been linked to greater longevity but not necessarily weight gain despite being high in calories.

A Word From Verywell

As you become older (over 70 years old), you may become less efficient at using and storing the protein in the food you eat. Your appetite may diminish, so you may need to make an extra effort to get enough nutrients. Space your protein intake evenly throughout the day.