National Geographic
Protein is a really important component of a proper diet. You might be familiar with the role it plays in helping you build muscle and feeling full after a meal—but that’s not all it can do.
“Protein plays a crucial role to our physiology,” says Jessica Corwin, lead registered dietician at Corewell Health, a hospital group in Michigan. Protein-rich foods provide amino acids that the body uses to build and repair tissues, power the immune system, and even help regulate hormones.
The recommended daily allowance is based on your body weight: About 0.36 grams for every pound that you weigh. That’s about 54 grams of protein a day for a 150-pound person.
(How much protein do you really need?)
But it’s not always easy to get enough protein—especially if you’re trying to follow a plant-based diet. Different people also need different amounts of protein depending on their gender, health status, activity level, and age.
So what are the best sources of protein? Here’s what the experts say.
What foods are high in protein?
Lean, unprocessed meat is an obvious source of healthy protein for many people.
“The highest quality proteins are ones that are complete,” says Sharon Collison, instructor of clinical nutrition at the University of Delaware. This means that they have all the nine “essential” amino acids that you need to get from food.
John Hopkins Medicine says that most meats—beef, poultry, pork, and fish—all average about seven grams of protein per ounce. (A typical portion of meat should weigh in at three or four ounces, about the size of a stack of cards.) Other forms of seafood, such as crabmeat, shrimp and lobster, are right behind at six grams per ounce.
(How to pick the most dolphin-safe tuna.)
But the health benefits of these forms of protein can vary — “lean meats” like poultry and pork provide more nutrients like iron and zinc, while fish provides more heart-friendly omega 3 fatty acids.
And don’t forget about eggs. They too are “a complete protein source,” says Harvard Health Publishing. They come in at six grams of protein per ounce.
What are the best plant-based sources of protein?
But getting the right kind of protein can be a challenge in a plant-based diet. Although plant proteins do contain all nine essential amino acids, some experts say that they are not always present in adequate amounts in a standard serving size.
“You really have to make an effort if you’re a vegetarian or vegan, to choose foods and portions to meet those protein goals,” Collison says.
A salad won’t necessarily do the trick unless you eat a lot: A cup of leafy greens has just two grams of protein per cup, according to the Johns Hopkins ratings. Quinoa rates higher, at seven grams for a third of a cup.
(You may be overlooking this nutritional powerhouse. You shouldn’t.)
But lentils and beans are packed with it.
Lentils come in with a whopping eight ounces of protein per half-cup, according to Johns Hopkins. Nuts and sunflower seeds range closer to five grams per ounce. Lentils and beans—lima, kidney, black and cannellini—are packed with protein energy, coming in between seven and nine grams per half cup.
“Beans are an amazing powerhouse,” says Hope Barkoukis, chair of the Department of Nutrition at Case Western Reserve University.
Why variety is best when it comes to protein
So should you be pounding eggs or protein shakes to get your fill of protein? Not so fast.
Despite the proliferation of protein supplements on the market, experts say they might not be necessary if you’re eating a well-rounded diet: “Protein is in every food group except fruit,” says Natalie Webb, a nutritionist who has worked with NBA players on their diet regimens.
Whole foods are generally healthier than a packaged product you can buy off the shelf, even if you’re looking to increase your protein intake. “If you’re taking it just as a supplement—just protein, or just amino acids—you’re only going to get that nutrient,” Webb says.
But nutrients “work together as a team.” Nutritionists say that if you get plenty of protein but skimp on other sources of nutrition, your body will simply burn the protein instead of putting it to work doing all those other useful things. This is why it’s important to get protein as part of a broader mix.
Barkoukis agrees. “Variety is the best,” she says.
