According to international dietary guidelines, 10/15% of the calories we eat in our diet should come from protein. But what exactly does it mean?
How much protein do we need
The protein requirement depends on the body weight. There RDA, or the recommended daily dose for an adult, is considered to be 0,8 grams for every kilo of body weight.
Taking into account some variables, including the digestibility of individual foods and personal needs, which obviously change from person to person, this value may slightly increase. In general, however, if you want to give an example, a woman who weighs 55 kilos should consume a daily amount of protein equal to 44 grams.
They need one higher amount of protein by body weight children who, being in the growth phase, need it to build new tissue, pregnant and breastfeeding women, those who practice sports, people who, following a burn or surgery , they must give their body the possibility to reconstruct the tissues.
Benefits and contraindications of the protein diet
How much protein is in food
To understand how to reach the daily RDA, let's take some practical examples and list a series of foods rich in protein.
Contrary to popular belief, proteins are also present in plant foods. In particular, legumes and many types of dried fruit are very rich in vegetable proteins.
The food considered protein par excellence is theegg, let's see if it's true:
- 1 medium-sized egg contains about 5,5 grams of protein.
And the meat?
- 80 grams of beef contains 10,6 grams of protein;
- 80 grams of roast chicken contains 15,3 grams of protein.
And the fish?
- 80 grams of cooked cod contains 12,9 grams of protein;
- 80 grams of cooked salmon contains 15,5 grams of protein.
And i vegetable? Observe how rich in protein are plant foods. Reading this data you will see that even following a diet completely free of meat, eggs and milk, and therefore avoiding animal fats, it is possible to easily reach the daily RDA with foods rich in non-animal proteins.
- A cup of pinto beans cooked contains 16,5 grams of protein.
- A cup of cannellini beans cooked contains 15,8 grams of protein.
- A cup of cooked chickpeas contains 14,5 grams of protein.
- A cup of cooked lentils contains 17,9 grams of protein.
- A cup of soy in cooked grains contains 28,6 grams of protein.
- A quarter cup of pumpkin seeds contains 8,5 grams of protein.
- A quarter cup of sunflower seeds contains 8,0 grams of protein.
- A quarter cup of peanuts contains 8,2 grams of protein.
- A quarter cup of almonds contains 7,4 grams of protein.
- Half a cup of rice cooked wholemeal contains 4,5 grams of protein, white rice contains about half.
Fruit also contains proteins: 1 banana average contains 1,2 grams of protein, the same amount is contained in a 'orange media.
For greater accuracy, we specify that a cup means a container of 250 ml.
Data taken from Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina, Becoming Vegan, Macro Edizioni, pp. 55-58.
