How to prevent protein deficiency
Nov 10, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yu Yongchao
Introduction
To prevent protein deficiency, it is generally recommended to ensure adequate intake of high-quality protein, maintain a balanced diet, pay attention to the needs of special populations, avoid excessive cooking, and regularly assess dietary patterns. Daily meals should include sufficient sources of high-quality protein, such as animal-based proteins like eggs, milk, lean meat, fish, and shrimp. These proteins have amino acid profiles closer to human requirements and are highly digestible and bioavailable.
To prevent protein deficiency, it is generally important to ensure adequate intake of high-quality protein, maintain a balanced diet, address the needs of special populations, avoid excessive cooking, and regularly assess dietary patterns. A detailed analysis is as follows:
1. Ensure sufficient intake of high-quality protein: Daily meals should include adequate sources of high-quality protein. Animal-based proteins such as eggs, milk, lean meat, fish, and shrimp, as well as plant-based proteins like legumes and soy products, provide amino acid profiles closer to human requirements. These proteins are highly bioavailable and efficiently absorbed, effectively meeting the body's protein needs.
2. Maintain a balanced diet: Avoid a monotonous diet by combining protein-rich foods with grains, vegetables, and fruits in a balanced way. Carbohydrates from grains supply energy, while vitamins and minerals from vegetables and fruits aid protein absorption, enhancing overall nutritional intake.
3. Address the needs of special populations: Children and adolescents during growth and development, pregnant and lactating women, older adults, and individuals recovering from surgery have higher protein requirements than the general population. Protein intake should be appropriately increased according to their physiological characteristics to meet metabolic and tissue repair demands.
4. Avoid overcooking: When preparing protein-rich foods, control cooking time and temperature to avoid excessive frying, deep-frying, or boiling. Overcooking can denature proteins, reduce their nutritional value, impair digestibility, and diminish the effectiveness of protein supplementation.
5. Regularly evaluate dietary patterns: Develop the habit of periodically reviewing your daily diet to identify potential long-term insufficient protein intake. If protein sources are found to be limited or inadequate in quantity, adjust meal plans promptly by increasing the proportion of protein-rich foods.
Preventing protein deficiency requires long-term adherence to a balanced diet without extreme dieting or picky eating. If symptoms such as fatigue, muscle loss, or weakened immunity—possible signs of deficiency—are observed, dietary adjustments should be made promptly or medical evaluation sought.
