The U.S. government’s recommended daily allowance (RDA) for the average adult is 50 to 60 grams of protein a day. There is a lot of room for variation around those numbers based on:
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Sex (men need more than women)
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Size (including muscle and fat)
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Physical activity
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Age (Older adults may need more to preserve muscle mass. Children need more for growth.
The average American eats far more than needed, and this leads to illnesses like heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Doctors like Dr. Andrew Weil say too much protein taxes the digestive tract, the kidneys and the liver. Almost everyone believes that we need a lot of protein and that meats, dairy and eggs are the only serious sources of protein.
There are four other major sources of protein:
|
Legumes Per ½ cup moist |
Grains Per 1 cup moist |
Nuts/seeds |
|
Soy beans 14.5g Tofu 10g Tempeh 16g Silk 4g |
Brown Rice 5g |
Almonds 6g/oz
|
|
Black beans 7g |
Corn 6g |
Cashew nuts 5g/oz |
|
Gr Northern beans 7.5g |
Wheat pasta* 7.5g |
Pistachios 6g/oz |
|
Pinto beans 7g |
Oats 4g |
Walnuts 4g/oz |
|
Garbanzo beans (or Chick peas)7g |
Barley* 3.5g |
Pecans 3g/oz |
|
Lima beans 6g |
Quinoa 8 g |
Macadamias 5g/oz |
|
Kidney beans 8g |
Cous Cous* 6g |
Hazelnuts 5g oz |
|
Navy beans 8g |
Amaranth 4g |
Pine nuts 4.5g/oz |
|
Mung beans 7g |
Buckwheat 5.7g |
Flax seeds 1.9g/tbsp |
|
Adzuki beans 8g |
Millet 6g |
Pumpkin seeds 9g/ 1/4 cup |
|
Black Eyed peas 8g |
Sorghum 6g |
Sunflower seeds 1.7 g/tbsp |
|
Green Peas 4g |
Rye* 2.5g |
Chia seeds 1.25g/tbsp |
|
Lentils 5.5g |
Triticale* 25g |
Hemp seeds 3.25g/tbsp |
|
Peanut Butter 32g |
Sesame seeds 1.6g/tbsp |
|
|
Poppy seeds 1.6g/tbsp |
*contains gluten
Not listed in any of these categories is a protein source Nutritional Yeast Flakes. It has 5g of protein per tablespoon and has a light cheesy taste that goes well with spaghetti sauces and salads.
Special Notes:
Beware of possible glutton sensitivities. Celiac disease isn’t the only reaction a person can get from glutton. Glutton and seitan are in pastas, breads and many veggie meat substitutes. More info.
Garth Davis, MD: author of “Proteinaholic” an in-depth analysis of the harm of too much protein and how to get enough protein says it is unnecessary to count grams of protein. Eating a healthy diversified diet with legumes grains, nuts, and seeds should cover protein needs.
In addition to protein, we need natural nutrients, carbohydrates, fats, and fiber. The protein sources in the chart above are a food treasury for these. Don’t forget to eat a variety of vegetables.
A healthy diet will have a great variety of all these components.
Vitamin B-12