How Much Should You Eat to Get Enough Protein?

A lot of people debate the question: how much protein do you need each day? But few talk about what this means in a practical way. This page is aimed at two groups of people. First, those who aren't getting enough protein and think that a slice of cheese or some "meaty" vegetable is enough. Second, those who eat meat, or other high-protein foods, regularly, yet still worry they're not getting enough.

This chart shows how much of a particular food you need to eat to consume 25 grams of protein. Other than it being a reasonably round number, why did I choose 25? Because 25 grams is about what most small children need for protein each day. 50 grams is the bare minimum most adults need (40 grams is rock bottom low but 50 is safer). 75 grams is a better goal for most adults, and a good solid amount. 100 grams is where many women who are pregnant or nursing (or both) would be, or those who are very physically active.

Lowcarb diets are often called "high protein" diets, but they really aren't. Sure, you'll get people who are so thrilled to have a favorite food be "on the diet" that they'll binge on meat, but it's not the norm. Meat is suggested for lowcarbers following Dr. Atkin's two-week induction (first stage) plan, because it has no carbs and keeps you full and on the diet, but it's hardly meant as a staple food beyond that, despite what some lowcarbers themselves might want to believe.

As a vegetarian lowcarber, you need to really plan out what you're going to eat, beacause most vegan sources of protein are also filled with carbs (goodbye rice and beans!). It is indeed possible to get too little if you're not careful.

Can you eat too much protein? of course, but few do. Ignore all the dire warnings that your kidneys will explode and just keep it reasonable. I don't know what the upper limits of protein intake are but (aside from certain medical conditions or extreme althletes), I wouldn't go over 2-300 grams and 150 is certainly very safe.

Information comes from the USDA Nutrient Database, unless stated otherwise.

Food Protein Fat Total Carbs Fiber Net Carbs 1 cup = g Protein Fat Total Carbs Fiber Net Carbs Food Family Notes per 100 grams per cup Flaxseed 18.29 42.16 28.88 27.3 1.58 168 30.73 70.83 48.52 45.9 2.62 Linaceae (Flax) (related to nothing) 23% of total weight is omega-3 EFA Almond flour, full fat 20.83 50 16.67 12.5 4.17 96 20 48 16 12 4 Rosaceae (Roses) Now Foods brand, from packaging. Bob's Red Mill brand is similar Hazelnuts or filberts 14.95 60.75 16.70 9.7 7.00 75 11.21 45.56 12.53 7.3 5.23 Corylaceae (Hazel) Per cup is for ground, full fat Sesame seeds, whole, dried 17.73 49.67 23.45 11.8 11.65 144 25.53 71.52 33.77 17.0 16.77 Pedaliaceae (Sesame) Wheat gluten 75.16 1.85 13.79 0.6 13.19 120 90.19 2.22 16.55 0.72 15.83 Poaceae (grass): Triticeae (gluten) Not the same as high gluten flour. USDA doesn't give g/cup, info is from Bob's Red Mill package Peanut flour, defatted 52.20 0.55 34.70 15.8 18.90 60 31.32 0.33 20.82 9.5 11.32 Leguminosae (Peas, Beans, Legumes): Aeschynomeneae (peanut) Soy flour, defatted 45.51 8.90 34.93 16.0 18.93 105 47.79 9.35 36.68 16.8 19.88 Leguminosae (Peas, Beans, Legumes): Phaseolae Same subfamily as peas and most beans Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened 19.60 13.70 54.30 33.2 21.10 86 16.86 11.78 46.70 28.6 18.10 Sterculiaceae (related only to kola nut) Dutch cocoa has slightly less fiber & protein; same total carbs & fat Coconut flour 19.3 8.7 64.8 38.5 26.3 - - - - - - Arecaceae (Palmae Palms) Tropical Traditions organic coconut flour, from packaging. Nuilife brand almost identical Food Protein Fat Total Carbs Fiber Net Carbs 1 cup = g Protein Fat Total Carbs Fiber Net Carbs Food Family Notes per 100 grams per cup Sunflower seed flour, partially defatted 48.06 1.61 35.83 5.2 30.63 64 30.76 1.03 22.93 3.3 19.63 Asteraceae, (Compositae Daisies) Sesame flour, partially defatted 40.32 11.89 35.14 - 35.14 - - - - - - Pedaliaceae (Sesame) Fiber content unknown Cottonseed flour, partially defatted 40.96 6.20 40.54 3.0 37.54 94 38.50 5.83 38.11 2.8 35.31 Malvaceae (Mallow) Chickpea flour (besan) 22.39 6.69 57.82 10.8 47.02 92 20.60 6.15 53.19 9.9 43.29 Leguminosae (Peas, Beans, Legumes): Cicereae (chickpea) Carob flour 4.62 0.65 88.88 39.8 49.08 103 4.76 0.67 91.55 41.0 50.55 Caesalpinaceae Sometimes considered a legume Food Protein Fat Total Carbs Fiber Net Carbs 1 cup = g Protein Fat Total Carbs Fiber Net Carbs Food Family Notes per 100 grams per cup Acorn flour, full fat 7.49 30.17 54.65 - 54.65 - - - - - - Fagaceae (Beech, Oak) Fiber content unknown Oats 16.89 6.90 66.27 10.6 55.67 156 26.35 10.76 103.38 16.5 86.88 Poaceae (grass): Avena (oats) Most oats are contaminated with wheat, though they don't have gluten themselves Amaranth 14.45 6.51 66.17 9.3 56.87 195 28.18 12.69 129.03 18.1 110.93 Amaranthaceae (pigweed) Quinoa 14.12 6.07 64.16 7.0 57.16 170 24.00 10.32 109.07 11.9 97.17 Chenopodeaceae (Goosefoot) Same family as beets/chard Triticale flour, whole-grain 13.18 1.81 73.14 14.6 58.54 130 17.13 2.35 95.08 19.0 76.08 Poaceae (grass): Triticeae (gluten) Hybrid of wheat and rye Oat flour 14.66 9.12 65.70 6.5 59.20 - - - - - - Poaceae (grass): Avena (oats) Most oats are contaminated with wheat, though they don't have gluten themselves. Appears to have about 140 g/cup Food Protein Fat Total Carbs Fiber Net Carbs 1 cup = g Protein Fat Total Carbs Fiber Net Carbs Food Family Notes per 100 grams per cup Spelt 14.57 2.43 70.19 10.7 60.20 174 25.35 4.23 122.13 18.6 103.53 Poaceae (grass): Triticeae (gluten) Wheat flour, whole-grain 13.70 1.87 72.57 12.2 60.37 120 16.44 2.24 87.08 14.6 72.48 Poaceae (grass): Triticeae (gluten) Buckwheat flour, whole-groat 12.62 3.10 70.59 10.0 60.59 120 15.14 3.72 84.71 12.0 72.71 Polygonaceae (Knotweed) Same family as rhubarb/sorrel Kamut 14.70 2.20 70.38 9.1 61.28 186 27.34 4.09 130.91 16.9 114.01 Poaceae (grass): Triticeae (gluten) Barley, pearled 9.91 1.16 77.72 15.6 62.12 200 19.82 2.32 155.44 31.2 124.24 Poaceae (grass): Triticeae (gluten) Rye flour, medium 9.39 1.77 77.49 14.6 62.89 102 9.58 1.81 79.04 14.9 64.14 Poaceae (grass): Triticeae (gluten) Millet 11.02 4.22 72.85 8.5 64.35 200 22.04 8.44 145.70 17.0 128.70 Poaceae (grass): Paniceae (millet) Barley flour 10.50 1.60 74.52 10.1 64.42 148 15.54 2.37 110.29 14.9 95.39 Poaceae (grass): Triticeae (gluten) Buckwheat groats, roasted (kasha) 11.73 2.71 74.95 10.3 64.65 164 19.24 4.44 122.92 16.9 106.02 Polygonaceae (Knotweed) Same family as rhubarb/sorrel Teff 13.30 2.38 73.13 8.0 65.13 193 25.67 4.59 141.14 15.4 125.74 Poaceae (grass): Eragrostideae Sorghum 11.30 3.30 74.63 6.3 68.33 192 21.70 6.34 143.29 12.1 131.19 Poaceae (grass): Andropogoneae Wild rice 14.73 1.08 74.90 6.2 68.70 160 23.57 1.73 119.84 9.9 109.94 Poaceae (grass): Oryzae (rice) Chestnut Flour 6.55 3.67 78.0 9.2 68.8 - - - - - - Fagaceae (Beech, Oak) Colossal brand, from website Cornmeal, whole-grain, yellow 8.12 3.59 76.89 7.3 69.59 122 9.91 4.38 93.81 8.9 84.91 Poaceae (grass): Andropogoneae Food Protein Fat Total Carbs Fiber Net Carbs 1 cup = g Protein Fat Total Carbs Fiber Net Carbs Food Family Notes per 100 grams per cup Rice flour, brown 7.23 2.78 76.48 4.6 71.88 158 11.42 4.39 120.84 7.3 113.54 Poaceae (grass): Oryzae (rice) Wheat flour, white, all-purpose, unenriched 10.33 0.98 76.31 2.7 73.61 125 12.91 1.23 95.39 3.4 91.99 Poaceae (grass): Triticeae (gluten) Rice, brown, long-grain 7.94 2.92 77.24 3.5 73.74 185 14.69 5.40 142.89 6.5 136.39 Poaceae (grass): Oryzae (rice) Cornmeal, degermed, unenriched, yellow 7.25 1.79 79.15 4.0 75.15 159 11.53 2.85 125.85 6.4 119.45 Poaceae (grass): Andropogoneae Rice, white, short-grain 6.50 0.52 79.15 2.8 76.35 200 13.00 1.04 158.30 5.6 152.70 Poaceae (grass): Oryzae (rice) Potato flour 6.90 0.34 83.10 5.9 77.20 160 11.04 0.54 132.96 9.4 123.56 Solanaceae (Nightshades) Rice flour, white 5.95 1.42 80.13 2.4 77.73 158 9.40 2.24 126.61 3.8 122.81 Poaceae (grass): Oryzae (rice) Food Protein Fat Total Carbs Fiber Net Carbs 1 cup = g Protein Fat Total Carbs Fiber Net Carbs Food Family Notes per 100 grams per cup Arrowroot flour 0.30 0.10 88.15 3.4 84.75 128 0.38 0.13 112.83 4.4 108.43 Taccaceae (order: Liliales (lilies)) Tapioca, pearl 0.19 0.02 88.69 0.9 87.79 152 0.29 0.03 134.81 1.4 133.71 Euphorbiaceae From the yuca plant Cornstarch 0.26 0.05 91.27 0.9 90.37 128 0.33 0.06 116.83 1.2 115.63 Poaceae (grass): Andropogoneae

Cyndi Norwitz / webmaster@immuneweb.org / Last Modified: 1/5/09