Proteins

Proteins are complex structures of amino acids. Proteins provide 4 calories for each gram of weight. Adequate intake of protein is essential to our health as they are used for the following body functions:

  • Growth and development in child
  • Cell maintenance and repair
  • Fighting infections
  • Various tasks that fat and carbohydrates can not do

Foods that are high in proteins:

Food / 100g Amount (g)
Animal Proteins
Chicken, meat only, cooked 33
Stewed chicken, meat only 30
Roasted turkey, all classes, meat only 29
Halibut, Atlantic and Pacific, cooked, dry heat 27
Salmon, sockeye, cooked, dry heat 27
Tuna, light, canned in water, drained solids 26
Roasted chicken thigh, meat only 26
Swordfish, cooked, dry heat 25
Roasted veal rib 24
Tuna, white, canned in water, drained solids 24
Roasted duck meat 23
Cod, Pacific, cooked, dry heat 23
Roasted ham 22
Lobster, cooked, moist heat 21
Blue crab, cooked, moist heat 20
Lowfat cottage cheese, 1% milkfat 12
Ricotta cheese, part skim milk 11
Ricotta cheese, whole milk 11
Scrambled egg 11
Condensed milk 8
Plain yogurt, skim milk 6
Whole milk, 3.25% milkfat 3
Plant Proteins
Almonds 21
Soybeans, boiled, without salt 17
Oat bran, raw 17
Bread crumbs 14
Wheat flour, whole-grain 14
Couscous, dry 13
Barley, pearled, raw 10
Lentils, boiled, without salt 9
Pinto beans, boiled, without salt 9
Kidney beans, boiled, without salt 9
Black beans, boiled, without salt 9
Chickpeas, boiled, without salt 9
Peas, boiled, without salt 8
Rice, raw 7
Tofu, soft 7
Spaghetti, cooked, without added salt 6
Spaghetti, whole-wheat, cooked 5
Tomato paste, canned 4

Ideal Amounts of Protein in the Diet

Nutrients Children, 1-3 year old Children, 4-18 year old Adults
Fat 30-40% of the total energy intake 25-35% of the total energy intake 25-35% of the total energy intake
Carbohydrates 45-65% 45-65% 45-65%
Protein 5-20% 10-30% 10-35%

How Much Protein Should You Eat?

Dietary reference intake (DRIs): recommended intakes for infants, children, pregnant women and breastfeeding moms.

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)

Dietary Reference Intake (DRIs):

Recoommended intakes for individual: Macronutrients.

Life Stage Group Total Water
(L/day)
Total Carbohydrates

(g/day)

Total Fiber
(g/day)
Fat

(g/day)

Protein

(g/day)

Infants

0-6 mo

7-12 mo

0.7*
0.8*
60*

95*

ND

ND

31*

30*

9.1*

11*

Children

1-3 y

4-8 y

1.3*

1.7*

130

130

19*

25*

ND

ND

13

19

Males

9-13 y

14-18 y

19-30 y

31-50 y

51-70 y

>70 y

2.4*

3.3*

3.7*

3.7*

3.7*

3.7*

130

130

130

130

130

130

31*

38*

38*

38*

30*

30*

ND

ND

ND

ND

ND

ND

34

52

56

56

56

56

Females

9-13 y

14-18 y

19-30 y

31-50 y

51-70 y

>70 y

2.1*

2.3*

2.7*

2.7*

2.7*

2.7*

130

130

130

130

130

130

26*

26*

25*

25*

21*

21*

ND

ND

ND

ND

ND

ND

34

46

46

46

46

46

Pregnancy

<19 y

19 – >50 y

3.0*

3.0*

175

175

28*

28*

ND

ND

71

71

Lactation

<19 y

19 – >50 y

3.8*

3.8*

210

210

29*

29*

ND

ND

71

71

AI* = Adequate Intakes

ND = None determinable

Dietary Reference Intake (DRIs):

Recoommended intakes for individual: Vitamins

Life Stage Group Vit A

µg / day

Vit C

µg / day

Vit D

µg / day

Vit E

mg / day

Vit K

µg / day

Infants

0-6 months

7-12 months

400*

500*

40*

50*

4*

5*

4*

5*

2.0*

2.5*

Children

1-3 years

4-8 years

300

400

15

25

5*

5*

6

7

30*

55*

Males

9-13 y

14-18 y

19-30 y

31-50 y

51-70 y

>70 y

600

900

900

900

900

900

45

75

90

90

90

90

5*

5*

5*

5*

10*

15*

11

15

15

15

15

15

60*

75*

120*

120*

120*

120*

Females

9-13 y

14-18 y

19-30 y

31-50 y

51-70 y

>70 y

600

700

700

700

700

700

45

65

75

75

75

75

5*

5*

5*

5*

10*

15*

11

15

15

15

15

15

60*

75*

90*

90*

90*

90*

Pregnancy

<19 years

19 – >50 years

750

770

80

85

5*

5*

15

15

75*

90*

Lactation

<19 years

19 – >50 years

1200

1300

115

120

5*

5*

19

19

75*

90*

Life Stage Group Vit B1

mg / day

Vit B2

mg / day

Vit B3

mg / day

Vit B6

mg / day

Folate

µg / day

Vit B12

µg / day

Infants

0-6 months

7-12 months

0.2*

0.3*

0.3*

0.4*

2*

4*

0.1*

0.3*

65*

80*

0.4*

0.5*

Children

1-3 years

4-8 years

0.5

0.6

0.5

0.6

6

8

0.5

0.6

150

20

0.9

1.2

Males

9-13 y

14-18 y

19-30 y

31-50 y

51-70 y

>70 y

0.9

1.2

1.2

1.2

1.2

1.2

0.9

1.3

1.3

1.3

1.3

1.3

12

16

16

16

16

16

1.0

1.3

1.3

1.3

1.7

1.7

300

400

400

400

400

400

1.8

2.4

2.4

2.4

2.4

2.4

Females

9-13 y

14-18 y

19-30 y

31-50 y

51-70 y

>70 y

0.9

1.0

1.1

1.1

1.1

1.1

0.9

1.0

1.1

1.1

1.1

1.1

12

14

14

14

14

14

1.0

1.2

1.3

1.3

1.5

1.5

300

400

400

400

400

400

1.8

2.4

2.4

2.4

2.4

2.4

Pregnancy

<19 years

19 – >50 years

1.4

1.4

1.4

1.4

18

18

1.9

1.9

600

600

2.6

2.6

Lactation

<19 years

19 – >50 years

1.4

1.4

1.6

1.6

17

17

2.0

2.0

500

500

2.8

2.8