Is 50 grams of protein per day enough?
50g is a rough estimate of the amount of protein adults should eat daily. For a relatively active adult to meet their recommended daily protein intake, at least 10% of their daily calories should come from protein. This means that someone eating a diet of 2,000 calories per day should eat at least 50 grams of protein. It’s important to note, however, that individual protein needs vary based on age, sex, activity level, and whether or not you’re pregnant, so 50 grams of protein may be too much or too little depending on your circumstances. In general, it’s recommended that you eat between .8 g and 1 g of protein per each kilogram of your body weight on a daily basis. For example, if you weigh 170 pounds (77 kg), you should eat between 61.6 g and 77 g of protein each day. If you’re not sure what your weight is in kilograms, you can also multiply your weight in pounds by .36 to determine your daily protein intake, or you can use this helpful online protein calculator.
What does 50 grams of protein look like?
50 grams of protein looks different for different foods. Meat and animal products are very good sources of protein, so it takes a bit less of them to reach 50 grams of protein. For vegetarian foods like tofu, beans, or peanut butter, several servings are required to hit the 50 gram mark. Here are some examples of what approximately 50 grams of protein looks like for various foods: 7 ounces of beef, chicken, turkey, pork or fish = 49 grams of protein 9 eggs = 54 grams of protein 17 ounces of tofu = 51 grams of protein 48 ounces (6 cups) of skim or 1% milk = 48 grams of protein 20 oz of Greek yogurt = 48 grams of protein 3 cups of kidney, navy, cannellini, or black beans = 48 grams 2 cups of cottage cheese = 56 grams of protein 14 tbsp of peanut butter = 49 grams of protein
A Full Day of Eating with At Least 50 Grams of Protein
Sample Day of Eating (with Meat) A daily protein goal of 50 grams is actually pretty easy to meet, especially if you eat meat and fish. Here’s an example of a full day of meals adding up to about 50 grams of protein: Breakfast: 2 eggs, 1 slice of toast, and half an avocado (16.5 grams of protein) Lunch: Salad or sandwich of your choice with 3 ounces of grilled chicken (19 grams of protein) Dinner: 3 ounces of salmon with sides of your choice (21 grams of protein) Total: about 56.5 grams of protein
Sample Day of Eating (Vegetarian) There are a lot of great protein sources out there for vegetarians, but you may have to make more of an effort to get enough in your diet. Here’s an example of what a day of eating can look like for a vegetarian trying to eat 50 grams of protein. Breakfast: I cup rolled oatmeal topped with 2 tbsp of peanut butter and berries (13 grams of protein) Lunch: Egg salad sandwich on whole wheat bread (13.94 grams of protein) Dinner: Stir fry with 1 cup of brown rice, 3 ounces of tofu, and 1 cup of broccoli (17 grams of protein) Snack: Veggies with ⅓ cup of hummus (7 grams of protein) Total: about 50 grams of protein
Meals with 50 Grams of Protein
Getting 50 grams of protein per meal is a bit harder to do. However, if you have a pretty high daily protein goal based on factors like your weight or activity level, it may make sense for you to try to get this much protein in one meal. Here are some example meals that contain about 50 g of protein each: Breakfast: 3 egg omelet with ½ cup of cheese, half an avocado, 2 slices of turkey bacon, and 1 slice of whole wheat toast (49.5 grams of protein) 1 container of Greek yogurt with 2 tbsp of peanut butter, a handful of berries, a hard boiled egg, 1 slice of whole wheat toast, and 1 ounce of almonds (44 grams of protein) Lunch: Salad of your choice topped with 3 ounces of grilled chicken breast and ½ cup of cheese, and veggies with ⅓ cup of hummus on the side (50.5 grams of protein) Turkey sandwich with 4 slices of turkey deli meat, 1 slice of cheese, and 2 slices of whole wheat bread, with a container of Greek yogurt on the side (50.3 grams of protein) Dinner: 6 ounces of salmon, 1 cup of quinoa, 1 cup of broccoli (54 grams of protein) Stir fry with 4 ounces of chicken, veggies of your choice, and 1.5 cup of brown rice (49 grams of protein)
High Protein Foods
Certain foods contain more protein than others. Here’s a list of some foods that are considered good sources of protein, including how much protein they each contain per serving: Meat (3 ounce servings) Beef: 26.2 grams of protein Chicken: 29.5 grams of protein Ground Turkey: 23.3 grams of protein Seafood (3 ounce servings): Salmon: 21.6 grams of protein Crabmeat, shrimp, or lobster: 18 grams of protein Vegetarian Meat Substitutes: 3.5 ounces of tofu: 8 grams of protein 3 ounces of tempeh: 15-16 grams of protein Eggs and Dairy: 1 egg: 6 grams of protein 8 ounces of skim or 1% milk: 8 grams of protein ½ cup of cottage cheese: 14 grams of protein 5 ounces of Greek yogurt: 12-18 grams of protein Grains: 1 cup of quinoa: 8.14 grams of protein 1 cup of brown rice: 5.54 grams of protein 1 slice of whole wheat bread: 3.97 grams of protein Nuts, Seeds, and Legumes: ½ cup of kidney, black, navy, or cannellini beans: 8g of protein ⅓ cup of hummus: 7 grams of protein ¼ cup of nuts: 4-6 grams of protein 2 tbsp of peanut butter: 7 grams of protein 1 ounce of sunflower seeds: 5 grams of protein
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