Ask your doctor to recommend a nutritionist or find a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. [4] X Trustworthy Source EatRight. org Organization associated with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics providing advice about food, health, and fitness Go to source
You can also use online calculators to determine your RDA: https://www. nal. usda. gov/human-nutrition-and-food-safety/dri-calculator For example, a person who weighs 120 pounds should eat 43. 2 grams of protein a day (120 x 0. 36 = 43. 2).
While this amount may seem high when figured as a percentage, dietitians remind that RDA is the minimum amount needed to function. Most Americans get 16% of their calories from protein, although they should be getting more.
If you have kidney or liver disease, you should decrease the protein in your diet according to your doctor’s recommendation. [9] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source
Protein also makes up the structure and support of every cell in the body. Transport proteins allow substances to move in and out of the cells.
Essential amino acids: You must get these from your diet, as they cannot be made by your body. Non-essential amino acids: These are produced by the body. Conditional amino acids: These are ones that we would normally be able to produce in the necessary amount, but during times of stress and illness we need more.
For example, even though red meat contains protein, it can also increase blood pressure and cholesterol. Instead, choose lean meats like turkey or beans.
The egg has the highest biological value of all proteins. The biological value provides a measurement of how efficient the body utilizes protein consumed in the diet. Eggs and other animal proteins are considered “complete” proteins, as they contain all of the essential amino acids. [14] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source 2 eggs contain 13 grams of protein.
Soy products (Eat 75 grams of tofu to get 21 grams of protein) Meat substitutes Legumes (Try 3/4 cup cooked lentils for 13 grams of protein) Nuts (Try 1/4 cup of almonds for 8 grams of protein) Seeds Whole grains (Eat 1/2 cup whole grain pasta for 4 grams of protein)
Potato with the skin (5 grams of protein) 1/2 cup of broccoli (2 grams of protein) Avocado (3 grams of protein) Banana (1 gram of protein)
1 cup of milk (8 grams of protein) 1/2 cup of cottage cheese (15 grams of protein) 1. 75 ounce of cheddar cheese (12 grams of protein) 3/4 cup of yogurt (8 grams of protein)
For example, protein intake from a simple breakfast like oatmeal with blueberries, milk, and yogurt would break down like this: 1 cup of oats (10. 65 g of protein), 1/2 cup blueberries (0 protein), 1 cup of low-fat milk (4. 26 g protein), and 1/2 cup of plain Greek yogurt (10. 19 g protein) = 25. 1 grams of protein.
Remember that there are special circumstances in which you might need more protein in your diet. For example, if you’re 120 pounds, but are nursing, you should be eating a minimum of 71 grams of protein a day.
