If your teenager trains several times a week, plays weekend sport and is growing at what sometimes feels like an unbelievable rate, you may have wondered:
Are they actually eating enough protein?
It is one of the most common nutrition questions parents of young athletes ask.
Protein is important for everyone, but during adolescence the body is doing two demanding jobs at once: growing and developing while also recovering from sport and training.
The tricky part is that there isn't one magic number that applies to every teenager.
A 13-year-old who plays one game of football each week doesn't necessarily have the same nutritional requirements as a 15-year-old training five times a week and playing on the weekend.
So let's break it down.
How much protein does a teenage athlete need?
For Australian children and teenagers generally, the official protein Recommended Dietary Intake varies according to age and sex. For example, the Australian RDI for boys aged 14–18 is 65g per day, while for girls aged 14–18 it is 45g per day. These figures, however, are general population recommendations rather than sports-specific targets.
For 12–18-year-old athletes, Sports Dietitians Australia provides a useful sports-specific guide of approximately:
1.3–1.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
Research specifically examining young athletes also commonly uses approximately 1.5g/kg/day as a practical target when overall energy requirements are being met.
That means your teenager's body weight and training load are more useful than age alone when estimating their protein needs.
Quick protein guide for sporty teenagers
The table below is designed as a practical guide for parents, not an individual prescription.
| Example | Training load | Approx. guide | Example at 45kg | Example at 55kg | Example at 65kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active teenager | Sport/training a few times per week | ~1.3g/kg | ~59g | ~72g | ~85g |
| Regular young athlete | Training around 4–5 times per week | ~1.5g/kg | ~68g | ~83g | ~98g |
| Heavily training young athlete | Frequent/intense training and competition | Up towards ~1.8g/kg | ~81g | ~99g | ~117g |
Important: These are approximate examples based on the 1.3–1.8g/kg/day sports nutrition range, rather than rigid recommendations based on number of training sessions. Training intensity, duration, type of sport, growth, sex, total food intake and individual health all matter.
For personalised advice – particularly for elite athletes, teenagers with allergies or restricted diets, or athletes trying to gain or lose weight – speak with an Accredited Sports Dietitian.
Want to estimate your teenager's protein needs?
A simple starting calculation is:
Body weight in kg × approximately 1.3–1.8g = approximate daily protein range
For example, take a 50kg teenage athlete:
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50 × 1.3 = 65g
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50 × 1.5 = 75g
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50 × 1.8 = 90g
So rather than deciding that every sporty teenager needs 100g of protein a day, you can see why body size and training load make a big difference.
Why do teenage athletes need protein?
Protein isn't just about building big muscles.
Proteins are made from amino acids, which the body uses for an enormous number of functions. During adolescence, protein supports normal growth and development, the building and maintenance of body tissues, and muscle repair and adaptation following exercise.
For a young athlete, protein has two particularly important jobs.
They're growing, sometimes rapidly.
And they're training, which creates an additional need for repair and recovery.
This is why adequate nutrition is so important during the teenage years.
But protein shouldn't be considered in isolation.
A teenager can eat plenty of protein and still be under-fuelled.
Carbohydrates, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and sufficient overall energy are also essential for young athletes. When overall energy intake is inadequate, dietary protein may be used for energy rather than being available for its other important roles.
Protein after training and games: why does it matter?
After exercise, the body moves into recovery mode.
Training provides the stimulus for adaptation, while nutrition provides the raw materials the body needs to repair and rebuild.
Research in youth athletes suggests that spreading protein throughout the day may be more useful than eating very little protein all day and then consuming an enormous steak at dinner.
One practical sports-nutrition approach is approximately 0.3g of protein per kilogram of body weight at several eating occasions across the day.
That could mean protein at breakfast, lunch, an afternoon or post-training snack, dinner and another appropriate snack, rather than trying to cram the entire day's protein into one or two meals.
And importantly, recovery isn't just protein. Carbohydrates also play an important role in replenishing fuel stores after sport.
How much protein is actually in everyday food?
This is where things become much easier for parents.
You don't necessarily need to count every gram your teenager eats. Instead, learn which foods provide meaningful amounts of protein and include them regularly throughout the day.
Approximate amounts can vary according to the food, brand, serving size and preparation method, but this gives you a useful guide:
| Food | Typical serving | Approx. protein |
|---|---|---|
| Egg | 1 large | 6–7g |
| Eggs | 2 large | 12–14g |
| Chicken breast | 100g cooked | ~30g |
| Lean beef | 100g cooked | ~25–30g |
| Tuna | 95g tin | ~20–25g |
| Salmon | 100g | ~20–25g |
| Greek yoghurt | 200g | ~15–20g depending on brand |
| Cow's milk | 250ml | ~8–9g |
| Soy milk | 250ml | ~7–9g depending on brand |
| Cottage cheese | 100g | ~11–13g |
| Firm tofu | 100g | ~12–17g depending on product |
| Lentils | 1 cup cooked | ~15–18g |
| Peanut butter | 2 tbsp | ~7–8g |
| DYVAL Organic Protein Powder | 2 x tbps | 22.7g |
Australian food composition data confirms that foods such as cooked chicken can contain around 30g of protein per 100g, although exact amounts naturally vary between foods and preparation methods.
What could 80g of protein actually look like?
An 80g protein target can sound enormous until you spread it across an entire day.
For example:
Breakfast:
2 eggs + milk = approximately 20g
Lunch:
Chicken wrap with approximately 80g chicken = approximately 25g
Post-training:
Greek yoghurt with fruit = approximately 15g
Dinner:
Beef, chicken, fish, tofu or another protein-rich meal = 25g+
Suddenly you're already around 85g of protein without having to create an extreme high-protein diet.
And that's before counting the smaller amounts of protein found in foods such as bread, oats, pasta, nuts and grains.
Not all protein sources are exactly the same
You'll often hear people talk about "high-quality protein".
This generally refers to the protein's essential amino acid profile and how well it can be digested and utilised by the body.
Animal proteins such as eggs, dairy, meat and fish typically contain all nine essential amino acids in useful proportions.
Some plant foods contain lower levels of one or more essential amino acids, but that doesn't mean plant protein is "bad" protein.
A varied diet containing different plant proteins can provide all of the essential amino acids the body needs.
And some concentrated plant proteins, including pea protein isolate, can provide a high-quality source of protein.
Human research examining pea protein isolate found high real ileal protein digestibility and concluded that it was capable of meeting essential amino acid requirements, although individual amino acids were somewhat less digestible than those in the dairy protein used for comparison.
So we wouldn't describe foods as simply "good protein" and "bad protein".
A better question is:
What else comes with the protein?
A whole-food protein source can also provide valuable nutrients including iron, calcium, zinc, B vitamins, healthy fats and other nutrients growing teenagers need.
That is another reason why protein powder should complement a nutritious diet rather than replace it.
Why DYVAL chose organic golden pea protein
At DYVAL, we created our protein specifically with young athletes in mind.
Rather than taking an adult bodybuilding protein powder and simply marketing it to teenagers, we wanted something simple that could fit naturally into a young athlete's diet.
DYVAL Organic Protein Powder uses premium certified organic golden pea protein and provides 22.7g of plant-based protein per serve.
It's:
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Plant based
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Dairy free
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Naturally lactose free
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Made with certified organic pea protein
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Designed to be smooth and creamy
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Made in Australia
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Created specifically with young athletes in mind
A protein shake isn't intended to replace breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Think of it as another convenient protein option.
For example, after late football training when dinner is still an hour away, blended into a smoothie after the gym, added to oats, or used in a recipe when getting enough protein from food alone is difficult.
SHOP DYVAL ORGANIC PROTEIN POWDER
Does every teenage athlete need protein powder?
No.
And this is important.
A teenager can absolutely meet their protein requirements through food.
Eggs, chicken, beef, fish, yoghurt, milk, tofu, beans, lentils, nuts and other foods can all contribute.
Protein powder is about convenience, not necessity.
If your teenager finishes training late, doesn't have much appetite immediately afterwards or needs an easy protein source on a busy tournament day, a protein shake can be a practical way of supplementing their normal food intake.
But it shouldn't replace a balanced diet.
Five easy ways to increase protein for a sporty teenager
1. Start at breakfast
Breakfast is often where teenagers miss protein.
Instead of toast or cereal alone, try adding eggs, Greek yoghurt, milk, soy milk, nut butter or a smoothie containing a protein source.
2. Put protein in the lunchbox
Chicken wraps, egg sandwiches, tuna, cheese, yoghurt, roasted chickpeas or leftovers from dinner can all help.
3. Plan the post-training food before training starts
Don't wait until your teenager finishes training starving at 8pm.
Have something ready.
That might be Greek yoghurt and fruit, milk and a banana, eggs on toast, a chicken wrap, leftovers, or a protein smoothie.
4. Spread protein across the day
Rather than chasing a huge number at dinner, aim to include a useful protein source at several meals and snacks.
5. Look at the whole diet
Protein is only one part of sports nutrition.
Young athletes also need enough total food, carbohydrates to fuel training, healthy fats, hydration and sufficient micronutrients to support growth and development.
A simple protein checklist for parents
Rather than obsessively counting macros, ask:
Does my teenager have a protein source at breakfast?
Is there protein in their school lunch?
Do they have a useful recovery snack or meal after training?
Does dinner contain a quality protein source?
Are they eating enough overall to support both their sport AND their growth?
If the answer is yes to most of those questions, you're already building a very good foundation.
How much protein does a sporty teenager need?
There isn't one protein number that applies to every teenager.
For 12–18-year-old athletes, Sports Dietitians Australia suggests approximately 1.3–1.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight each day, with protein spread regularly throughout the day and included after training.
For a 50kg young athlete, that equates to approximately 65–90g per day.
For a 60kg young athlete, it's approximately 78–108g per day.
But protein is only one part of the picture.
Growing athletes need sufficient energy, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, hydration, sleep and recovery as well.
Start with real food, spread protein throughout the day, pay particular attention to recovery after training, and use convenient options such as protein shakes when they genuinely make life easier.
Because for a young athlete, nutrition isn't simply about today's training session.
It's about fuelling a growing body as well.
This article provides general nutrition information only and is not individual medical or dietary advice. Young athletes have different requirements depending on age, body size, growth, sex, training volume, dietary pattern and health. If you are concerned about your child's nutrition, growth or sports performance, seek individual advice from an Accredited Practising Dietitian or Accredited Sports Dietitian.