How Much Protein Is Necessary?
For the average adult, the recommended intake of protein per day is .85 g/kg bodyweight. This means that for a 160lb human, roughly 60 grams of protein is necessary to maintain our body. However, this number assumes a sedentary lifestyle, which not everybody leads. A better way to measure recommended intake is as percentage of calories consumed, as this will account for differences in activity level.
Most adults should consume 12-15% of their daily calories in the form of protein. If you are an athlete, you will naturally consume more total grams of protein as your daily calorie intake increases. It is not challenging to meet this requirement, even on a vegetarian diet, as most vegetables are considerably higher than 15% protein. Here is a list of various vegetables, grains, and legumes for reference:
Red Bell Pepper: 15%
Brown Rice: 9%
Tomato: 20%
White Potato: 11%
Cauliflower: 32%
Quinoa: 15%
Broccoli: 33%
Oats: 16%
Lettuce: 42%
Chickpeas: 22%
Spinach: 50%
Black Beans: 23%
White Mushrooms: 56%
Pinto Beans: 25%
By comparison, here are some animal products:
Whole Cow’s Milk: 21% Grain-Fed Beef Ribeye: 35%
2% Cow’s Milk: 26%
Grain-Fed Beef Sirloin: 55%
Chicken Egg: 35%
Chicken Breast, w/ Skin: 61%
Skim Cow’s Milk: 39%
Lean Pork Chop: 65%
