The CalorieKing Protein Guide

Or perhaps you should ask, what isn’t protein? Remove the water from your body, and protein accounts for around 75 percent of what’s left. Your hair, skin, muscle, bone and almost every other body part or tissue is made up of protein; you are protein!

But what does this have to do with protein in your diet? Dietary protein is often described in terms of amino acids, which are the building blocks your body uses to make the proteins that keep you alive. Your body needs 22 different amino acids (called essential amino acids) in order to make all the necessary proteins. Thirteen of these amino acids are made by the body itself, but nine of them must come from food, which is why you need protein in your diet.

The foods we eat for protein can be described in two ways:

Complete protein – These are foods which contain all nine amino acids that you need in your diet. All meat and other animal products are sources of complete proteins. These include meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, and milk products.

Incomplete protein – These are foods that are low in protein or contain only some of the nine amino acids you need in your diet. Vegetable protein is usually considered incomplete because it is missing one or more essential amino acids. However, as long as you eat a variety of foods throughout the day, it’s easy to still get all nine amino acids without eating animal products.

Protein is body food. It is used to build new tissue, which is why there is an increased need for protein during periods of growth such as in infancy, childhood, adolescence and pregnancy. Here are some of the things protein does: 

• Provides the structure for muscles, hair and blood
• Repairs worn-out body tissue proteins resulting from general “wear and tear” to the body
• Supplies emergency energy when there is not enough carbohydrate or fat in your diet
• Helps transport important nutrients such as iron and cholesterol throughout your body
• Enhances your immune system
• Builds cardiac (heart) muscle
• Contributes to numerous essential body secretions such as hormones and enzymes. The only protein-free body fluids are urine and bile.

Protein and muscle. Excess protein won't help to build bigger muscles. Any extra protein you get is simply converted to, and stored as, fat. Carbohydrates are actually the best form of “fuel” for muscles exercised for long periods. In fact, a diet high in protein and fat, but low in carbohydrates, can impair athletic performance. 

On average, Americans eat far too much protein. The current recommendation is that proteins make up around 15-20 percent of your total calories for the day. Protein has four calories per gram, so for a 2000 calorie-a-day diet you could eat 75-100 grams of protein. However, most of us consume more than that. Eating too much protein is damaging to your body.

A more accurate way of calculating protein needs is to allow 0.36g of protein per pound of body weight, or 0.36g per pound. For example, 135 lb person would need 48g of protein per day. Growing children need about one gram of protein for every two pounds of body weight. For example, a 56 lb child needs about 28 grams of protein a day to sustain her growth.

The general premise of high-protein/low-carb diets is that by cutting carbs and increasing protein, you can lose weight faster.

Weight loss in the first few days and weeks of a high-protein diet is sometimes faster than with a calorie-controlled diet, but the extra weight loss is primarily due to increased water loss. Studies have shown that after a year, weight loss results are approximately the same on a low-carb diet as they are on a calorie-controlled or low-fat diet.

More importantly, high-protein, low-carb diets usually mean you eat a lot more fat – often more than the recommended daily intake, and often more saturated fat than is healthy. This can increase your risk for heart disease and other health problems.

It's actually difficult to become protein-deficient unless you quit eating all together!

As long as you eat enough calories to meet your daily energy needs, have a moderate amount of dietary fat, include vitamin B-12 and iron food sources, and have a reasonably varied diet, getting enough essential protein, even without meat, is generally not a problem.

Almost all unrefined foods contain some protein, and often quite a lot. Potatoes are 11% protein, oranges 8%, beans 26%, and tofu 34%.

Vegetarian foods highest in overall protein content include:

• legumes or pulses (dried beans and peas)
• soy products of various kinds (tofu, tempeh, meatless "meats")
• eggs and dairy products for those who consume them
• some nuts

It was once believed that vegetarians had to carefully combine plant protein sources in each meal in order to obtain all nine essential amino acids. However, the human body can store essential amino acids during the day and combine them as necessary, so in most cases it’s not necessary to do this consciously. If you have concerns about this, seek advice from a medical professional.

A recent study suggested that eating too much protein from red meat and dairy products increases the risk of dying from coronary heart disease. Participants in the study who ate the highest amount of vegetable protein sources such as beans, nuts, tofu, and peanut butter were found to be 30 percent less likely to die from heart disease. Fish and chicken were not linked to heart risks in the study.

Even if animal protein and vegetable protein have the same effects on your health, it’s probably what comes with the protein that makes it a more, or less, healthy choice.

Use the following table to help you make wise protein choices:

Examples of Common Foods Containing Protein	Protein (g)	Calories	Fat (g)	Carbs (g)
Animal protein foods:
Steak, Outside Skirt, lean, broiled, 3 oz	20g	217	15g	0
Chicken, leg, skinless, roasted, 3 oz	23g	162	7g	0
Milk, whole, 1 cup	8g	146	8g	11g
Milk, fat-free, skim, 1 cup	9g	91	1g	12g
Yogurt, regular, 6 oz	6g	104	6g	8g
Yogurt, low fat, 6 oz	9g	107	3g	12g
Cheddar cheese, 4 oz	28g	457	38g	2g
Cottage cheese, 4 oz	12g	96	4g	3g
Egg, hard-boiled, 1 large	6g	78	5g	1g
Ice cream, regular, 1/2 cup	4g	201	11g	24g
McDonald's Big Mac	25g	540	29g	45g
McDonald's Cheeseburger	15g	300	12g	33g
Burger King Whopper	28g	670	39g	51g
Pizza Hut, pan pizza, 12", pepperoni, two slices	24g	560	28g	54g
Plant protein foods:
Soy beans, cooked, ½ cup, 3 oz	14g	149	8g	9g
Lentils, cooked, ½ cup, 3½ oz	9g	115	0.4g	20g
Peanuts, dry roasted, 30 nuts, 1 oz	7g	166	14g	6g
Soy milk, average, 1 cup	11g	127	5g	12g
Tofu, raw, firm, ½ cup	20g	183	11g	5g
Tempeh, cooked, 3.5 oz	18g	196	11g	9g
Oatmeal, regular, cooked, 1 cup	6g	147	2g	25g
Cheerios, regular, 1 cup, 1 oz	3g	100	2g	20g
Bread, mixed grain, 2 slices	5g	131	2g	24g
Potato, russet, baked, 1 medium, with skin, 6.1 oz	4g	168	0	24g
Rice, white, 1 cup, cooked, 5.6 oz	4g	205	0	44g
Rice, brown, 1 cup, cooked, 6.9 oz	5g	216	2g	45g
Pasta, spaghetti, cooked, 1 cup, 5oz	8g	224	1g	44g
Vegetables, frozen, mixed, 2/3  cup	2g	50	0g	11g
Fruit, frozen, mixed, sweetened, 1 cup	4g	245	1g	61g
Beer, regular, 5%, can	2g	153	0	13g

Refer to the CalorieKing.com food database or The Calorie King Calorie, Fat and Carbohydrate Counter for more extensive listings.