Protein for older adults: how much you need and the best foods to get it

Written by James Frost, founder of Flaming Phoenix. Updated October 2026.

Most healthy older adults need 1.0 to 1.2g of protein per kilogram of body weight a day, according to the ESPEN expert group. For a 65kg woman that is 65 to 78g; for an 80kg man, 80 to 96g. Both are well above the UK reference intake of 0.75g per kg, and protein works best spread across three meals. My high calorie high protein diet guide includes a gentler small-appetite version of a full day.

This guide is for older adults and the people who shop and cook for them. It works the numbers out by body weight, lists the everyday UK foods that supply protein with the amount in a normal portion, and spends most of its time on the real problem: getting enough when appetite is small.

Two cautions first. If a doctor has told someone to limit protein, follow that advice over anything here. And if weight is being lost without trying, eating has suddenly changed, or swallowing is difficult, speak to a GP before changing what someone eats.

How much protein does an older adult need a day?

A healthy older adult needs about 1.0 to 1.2g of protein for every kilogram they weigh each day, which is 65 to 78g for someone weighing 65kg.

That range comes from the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, whose 2014 expert group recommendations also suggest 1.2 to 1.5g per kg for older people who are unwell and eating too little, or at risk of it. The UK figure is lower: the Reference Nutrient Intake is 0.75g per kg for all adults, which the British Nutrition Foundation lists as 53.3g a day for men over 50 and 46.5g for women over 50. Those reference values date from 1991, and the BNF itself notes that older adults may need more.

The method is simple: take body weight in kilograms and multiply by 1.0 and by 1.2. The figure goes by weight, not by birthday, so a 60-year-old and a 75-year-old of the same weight land in the same range.

How much protein does a 70-year-old woman need daily?

A 70-year-old woman weighing 65kg needs about 65 to 78g of protein a day on the ESPEN range, against about 49g on the UK reference intake.

The working: 65 × 0.75 = 48.75g (UK reference intake); 65 × 1.0 = 65g; 65 × 1.2 = 78g. Split over three meals, the upper figure is 78 ÷ 3 = 26g a meal.

How much protein does a 60 or 70-year-old man need?

A man in his sixties or seventies weighing 80kg needs about 80 to 96g of protein a day on the ESPEN range, against 60g on the UK reference intake.

The working: 80 × 0.75 = 60g; 80 × 1.0 = 80g; 80 × 1.2 = 96g. That is 27 to 32g at each of three meals: roughly a 100g chicken breast at dinner, or two eggs, a glass of milk and a slice of cheese at breakfast.

Why do older adults need more protein?

Older muscle responds less to a given amount of protein than younger muscle does, so it takes more protein at a sitting to get the same muscle-maintaining effect.

Researchers call this anabolic resistance. Muscle is what lets someone get up from a chair, carry the shopping, stay steady on the stairs and recover after a spell of illness or time in bed. Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass, and in later life the margin for falling short is small.

Falling short is common. In a 2020 study of 256 adults aged 65 to 89 in South Yorkshire, fewer than 15% reached the ESPEN figure of 1.2g per kg, and only one person reached 25g of protein at all three meals.

How much protein should an older adult eat at each meal?

Aim for about 25 to 30g of protein at each of three meals, because older muscle responds better to a decent amount at once than to the same protein in scraps.

That figure comes from the University of Sheffield researchers behind the South Yorkshire study, who found breakfast was the weakest meal. Only 21% of the men and 26% of the women reached 25g in the morning, compared with 67% and 77% in the middle of the day.

Here is a breakfast that gets there, using the McCance and Widdowson values below:

• Two boiled eggs, about 100g out of the shell: about 14g of protein.
• A 200ml glass of whole milk: about 7g.
• 30g of cheddar on toast: about 8g.

That is 14 + 7 + 8 = 29g, before counting the bread. It is also a lot of breakfast for a small appetite. Scrambling the two eggs with the 30g of cheese grated in puts 22g on one small plate, and the milk can come later as a drink between meals.

What are the best high protein foods for elderly people?

The best high protein foods for elderly people in the UK are familiar staples: eggs, milk, cheese, yoghurt, fish, chicken, baked beans, lentils and tofu.

Protein figures below use McCance and Widdowson values per 100g, as published by the British Nutrition Foundation, scaled to a typical portion.

• Grilled chicken breast: 32g per 100g, so a 100g portion gives about 32g.
• Cheddar: 25.4g per 100g, so a 30g piece the size of a small matchbox gives about 8g.
• Boiled eggs: 14.1g per 100g, so two medium eggs give about 14g.
• Whole milk: 3.4g per 100g, so a 200ml glass gives about 7g.
• Red lentils, boiled: 7.6g per 100g, so 150g, about a bowl of dahl, gives about 11g.
• Baked beans: 5.0g per 100g, so half a 415g tin gives about 10g.
• Tofu, steamed: 8.1g per 100g.
• Almonds: 21.1g per 100g, so 30g, ground into porridge or eaten whole, gives about 6g.

Greek-style yoghurt, cottage cheese and tinned salmon or sardines are also good sources; protein varies by brand, so check the label. In the South Yorkshire study, meat, fish and dairy supplied 86% of the protein people ate. For foods that bring calories and protein together, see my guide to high calorie high protein foods.

What is the best protein for older adults?

The best protein for an older adult is the one they will eat at every meal; meat, fish, eggs and cheese give the most per mouthful, milk is the easiest to drink, and beans, lentils and tofu work well too.

That holds whether the question is the best protein for a 60-year-old man or for an 85-year-old with a small appetite: there is no special protein for later life, only enough of it, spread across the day. The Sheffield team suggest including a protein source at every meal and point to beans, lentils, tofu and peas as plant options. Mixing several sources over a day is a sensible way to use them.

How do you get enough protein when appetite is small?

When appetite is small, add protein to food that is already being eaten and serve the protein part of the meal first, rather than asking anyone to eat more.

• Fortify milk: Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust's diet sheet suggests four heaped tablespoons of milk powder whisked into a pint of full-cream milk, used in cereal, sauces, soups and puddings.
• Grate cheese into mashed potato, soup, scrambled egg and beans.
• Stir Greek yoghurt or ground almonds into porridge.
• Put the fish, egg or cheese in the half of the plate that gets eaten. If only half the meal goes, let it be that half.
• Offer a milky drink between meals rather than tea or water.

Soft food helps when chewing is hard work; my guide to soft high calorie foods has options, and for smooth textures there is a guide to high calorie pureed foods. Drinks are covered in high calorie drinks, and the wider picture for carers is in high calorie foods for older adults. For more ways to enrich everyday food, see easy ways to eat more calories.

An easy cupboard standby is Phoenix Bars, the soft high calorie protein bars I make. Each is a source of protein, with up to 19g in a compact, lightweight 120g bar, and can be eaten a small piece at a time or stirred into milk as a porridge.

Does exercise matter as well as protein?

Yes: protein supplies the material, but muscle needs regular work to make use of it, which is why ESPEN pairs its protein advice with daily activity.

The NHS physical activity guidelines for older adults recommend activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility on at least 2 days a week. Its examples include carrying heavy shopping bags, heavy gardening, yoga, working with resistance bands and lifting weights. A protein-rich meal on the same day as that kind of activity puts both halves together.

When should you get advice?

Get advice from a GP if weight is being lost without trying, eating has suddenly changed, or chewing and swallowing have become difficult.

The NHS advises seeing a GP if a lot of weight has been lost without meaning to over the last 3 to 6 months. For swallowing, the NHS advice is more urgent: ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if eating or drinking causes coughing or choking. A GP can refer to a dietitian, who can set a protein target for the person rather than for the average older adult. And if a doctor has advised less protein, not more, that advice comes first.

Frequently asked questions

Do older adults need protein powder or shakes?

Usually not. Ordinary food goes a long way: two eggs (14g), a glass of milk (7g), a 30g piece of cheese (8g) and a 100g chicken breast (32g) come to 61g before counting bread, beans or pudding. Milk powder whisked into milk or porridge adds more without adding bulk. If someone still cannot eat enough, a GP or dietitian is the right person to suggest anything further.

What is a good high protein dinner for an elderly person?

A small portion of something familiar and soft: fish pie with grated cheddar in the mash, chicken casserole, cauliflower cheese, or dahl with rice. A 100g piece of grilled chicken breast gives about 32g of protein on its own, which covers a whole meal's target for most older adults.

Are protein bars a good option for older adults?

Yes, if the bar is soft and brings calories as well as protein. Phoenix Bars, which I make, are soft, with up to 557 calories and up to 19g of protein in a compact, 120g bar, and can be eaten a small piece at a time or stirred into milk as a porridge. Many other protein bars are firm and chewy, which is hard work for older teeth, and some are designed for weight loss, with few calories, which is the wrong way round for a small appetite.

Can vegetarians and vegans get enough protein in later life?

Yes, with a protein source at every meal. Per 100g, almonds give 21.1g, tofu 8.1g, boiled red lentils 7.6g and baked beans 5.0g. Vegetarians can add eggs, milk and cheese, which are the easiest to eat in quantity. Mixing several plant sources across the day is more useful than relying on one.

Related guides

• High calorie high protein foods that do both
• High calorie foods for older adults with a small appetite
• Soft high calorie foods
• Meals for elderly people
• High calorie drinks, smoothies and milkshakes

Sources: ESPEN Expert Group, protein intake and exercise for optimal muscle function with aging (2014); British Nutrition Foundation, protein; Morris and others, inadequacy of protein intake in older UK adults, Geriatrics (2020); University of Sheffield, more than half of older people don't consume enough protein; NHS, physical activity guidelines for older adults; Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, high calorie, high protein diet; NHS, when to see a GP about weight loss; NHS, swallowing problems.

Questions or corrections: email James at jfrost@flaming-phoenix.co.uk.