The amount of protein you need in your diet depends on your age and sex. Adult women need about 5 ounces of protein daily. If you are pregnant, you may need more protein in your diet depending on your weight and stage of pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you’re concerned about protein intake during pregnancy. [2] X Trustworthy Source USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion U. S. agency responsible for promoting good nutrition based on scientific research Go to source Men under 50 need about 6oz of protein each day. After 50, men only need about 5oz of protein daily.
1oz of meat, poultry, or fish should contain roughly 1oz of protein. With other food types, protein is diluted or combined with other nutrients within the food. This changes how protein is measured. 1/4 cup of cooked beans contains about 1oz protein. One egg is 1oz of protein. A tablespoon of peanut or other nut butter also counts an ounce. Half an ounce of nuts or seeds counts as an ounce of protein.
Figure out how many total grams of protein you consumed in a given day. You can use an online calorie calculator to measure the grams of protein in any given food you consumed. You can also use nutritional labels. A gram of protein contains roughly 4 calories. [5] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Multiply the total grams of protein by 4 to determine how many total calories in protein you consumed in a day. [6] X Research source To convert ounces to grams, it can be helpful to use an online conversion system. The number of grams in an ounce is inexact, but it’s somewhere around 28. 3. It can be difficult to convert by hand and may be easier to do the conversion with an online system. You may also have to round numbers when converting ounces to grams. [7] X Research source
For example, say a food contains 200 calories and 8 grams of protein. Multiply 8 by 4, which is 32 protein calories. Divide 32 by 200, giving you 0. 16. When multiplied by 100, this comes out to 16, so 16% of the calories in that food come from protein.
It is generally accepted that your diet should consist of 40% carbohydrates, 40% protein, and 20% fat. [8] X Trustworthy Source National Institutes of Health U. S. government agency for biomedical and public health research Go to source This will vary depending on your diet, so do consult your doctor or dietitian. However, becoming aware of the percentage of protein you are getting in your diet can be useful as many people have too much of at least one of these macronutrients.
If you’re a vegetarian, protein can be found in eggs, nuts, beans, soy products, and cheeses. Stick to low-fat, healthy cheese options. [10] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source
