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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  

 


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