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Dietary Protein for All Ages

infant_protein

Protein requirements vary Moneygram money transfer with age and activity level, as well as during pregnancy and lactation.

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein, a baseline amount that does not factor in overall health or activity level can be a good place to start in determining your protein needs – and assessing whether or not you are reaching your daily protein target.

Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for Protein

Infants and children have high daily protein requirements
Age Amount (grams)
Infants 0-6 months

9

7-12 months

11

Children 1-3 years

13

4-8 years

19

Males 9-13 years

34

14-18 years

52

19+ years

56

Females 9-13 years

34

14-18 years

46

19+ years

46

Pregnancy and lactation All ages

71

A simple way to determine your daily protein needs is to multiply your weight in kilograms by 0.8 – the resulting number will tell you how many grams of protein to consume in a day.  Multiply your child’s body weight by 0.95 to determine their daily protein needs.

Food Sources of Protein

Protein supplements have become more and more popular in the past decade, despite the fact that food sources of protein are abundant.  Even vegetarians and vegans are able to easily consume an adequate amount of protein in their diet once they know which foods are the best sources.

Below are listed over 40 sources of vegetarian protein, and a list of non-vegetarian proteins is included as well.

For best absorption of protein consume some at every meal.  This will also help to stabilize blood sugar and promote sustained energy throughout the day.

Vegetarian Sources of Protein

Food Serving Size Protein (grams per serving)
Tempeh 1 cup

31

Seitan 4 oz.

15-31

Soybeans, cooked 1 cup

29

Veggie dog 1 link

8-26

Veggie burger 1 patty

5-24

Lentils, cooked 1 cup

18

Tofu, firm 4 oz.

8-15

Kidney beans, cooked 1 cup

15

Lima beans, cooked 1 cup

15

Black beans, cooked 1 cup

15

Chickpeas, cooked 1 cup

15

Pinto beans, cooked 1 cup

14

Black-eyed peas, cooked 1 cup

13

Vegetarian baked beans 1 cup

12

Quinoa, cooked 1 cup

11

Soymilk, plain 1 cup

3-10

Tofu, regular 4 oz.

2-10

Bagel 1 medium (3oz.)

9

Peas, cooked 1 cup

9

Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), cooked ½ cup

8

Peanut butter 2 Tbsp.

8

Spaghetti, cooked 1 cup

7

Spinach, cooked 1 cup

6

Soy yoghurt, plain 6 oz.

6

Bulgur, cooked 1 cup

6

Sunflower seeds ¼ cup

6

Almonds ¼ cup

6

Broccoli, cooked 1 cup

5

Whole wheat bread 2 slices

5

Cashews ¼ cup

5

Almond butter 2 Tbsp

5

Brown rice, cooked 1 cup

5

Potato 1 medium (6oz.)

4

Pumpkin seeds 3 oz. (100g)

24.5

Pistachio nuts, raw 3 oz. (100g)

20.4

Flax seeds 3 oz. (100g)

19.5

Sesame seeds 3 oz. (100g)

17.7

Hazelnuts 3 oz. (100g)

14.9

Brazil nuts 3 oz. (100g)

14.3

Sun-dried tomatoes 3 oz. (100g)

14.1

Pecans 3 oz. (100g)

9.1

Macadamia nuts 3 oz. (100g)

7.9

Non-Vegetarian Sources of Protein

Food Serving size Protein (grams per serving)
Hamburger, extra lean 6 ounces

48.6

Chicken, roasted 6 ounces

42.5

Fish 6 ounces

41.2

Tuna, water packed 6 ounces

40.1

Beefsteak, broiled 6 ounces

38.6

Cottage cheese 1 cup

28.1

Cheese pizza 2 slices

15.4

Yogurt, low fat 8 ounces

11.9

Skim milk 1 cup

8.4

Split peas, cooked 1/2 cup

8.1

Whole milk 1 cup

8

Cheddar cheese 1 ounce

7.1

Macaroni, cooked 1 cup

6.8

Egg 1 large

6.3

Turkey 3 oz.

28.7

Lamb 3 oz.

28.3

Salmon 3 oz.

25.7

References

Health Canada.  Dietary Reference Intake Tables.  Available online at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/alt_formats/hpfb-dgpsa/pdf/nutrition/dri_tables-eng.pdf

Disclaimer

The advice provided in this article is for informational purposes only.  It is meant to augment and not replace consultation with a licensed health care provider.  Consultation with a Naturopathic Doctor or other primary care provider is recommended for anyone suffering from a health problem.

Comments (1)

I’m nearly idtneical to you. I’m 15, 5’4 , and 140.Honestly going vegetarian doesn’t guarantee weight-loss unless you really pay attention to your calorie and nutrient intake. Vegetarians tend to actually GAIN weight when they first start out because they resort to eating processed foods and carbs. Potato chips, mashed potatoes, white bread, cookies, soda, and most candies are all vegetarian.When I went vegetarian I gained about 10 pounds, then after I started paying attention to the foods I ate I lost about 15. In order to lose weight as a vegetarian, you have to replace your meats properly. When I went vegetarian at first I just eliminated my meats. When my mom made steak, mashed potatoes and corn for dinner, I just ate potatoes and corn.Morning Star and Boca products are good for starters. They are basically fake meat, made from vegetables and soy products. But I wouldn’t eat these excessively, since they are loaded with processed ingredients. You really, really have to make sure you’re eating a variety of vegetables and fruits. Before it wasn’t AS important since you obtain many nutrients from meat. But now you MUST make sure you aim for at least 6-8 fruits/vegetables a day.As long as you’re conscious about what you’re eating and don’t resort to cupcakes and potato chips, you definitely could lose weight on a healthy vegetarian diet.

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