OK, so I'm sure by now, we all know how much protein we need each day. Most women over the age of 19 need 40-60 grams depending on their weight and activity level (check this protein post to find out how much protein you should be getting).
So, how do we get the protein we need? Here's a list of some foods and how much protein is in each. Add up the amount of protein you eat in a day to figure out if you're getting enough, or if you need to add more.
| Food | Protein in Grams |
|---|---|
| 1 cup oatmeal | 6 |
| 1 cup cereal (corn flakes) | 2 |
| 1 cup cereal (Cheerios) | 3 |
| 1 cup cereal (Kashi Go Lean) | 14 |
| 1 bagel | 9 |
| 2 slices whole wheat bread | 5 |
| 1 cup milk | 8 |
| 1 cup soy milk | 6-10 |
| 6 oz yogurt | 7 |
| 6 oz soy yogurt | 6 |
| 1 cup lowfat cottage cheese | 28 |
| 1 oz soft cheese (mozzarella, brie, camembert) | 6 per oz |
| 1 oz medium cheese (cheddar, swiss) | 7-8 per oz |
| 1 oz hard cheese (parmesan) | 10 per oz |
Want to see the rest? Then read more.
| Food | Protein in Grams |
|---|---|
| fish | 7 per oz |
| chicken | 7 per oz |
| beef | 7 per oz |
| 1 egg | 7 |
| 1/4 cup peanuts | 9 | 2 tbsp peanut butter | 8 |
| 1/4 cup almonds | 8 |
| 1/4 cup walnuts | 7.5 |
| 1/4 cup cashews | 5 |
| 1/4 cup sunflower seeds | 6 |
| 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds | 19 |
| 1/4 flax seeds | 8 |
| 1/2 cup brown rice | 2.5 |
| 1/2 cup quinoa | 10 |
| 1/2 cup couscous | 6 |
| 1 cup cooked whole wheat pasta | 7 |
| baked potato | 4 |
| baked sweet potato | 2-4 |
| 1 cup cooked squash (butternut) | 2 |
| 1 cup steamed broccoli | 4.65 |
| 1 cup asparagus | 5.31 |
| 1 cup brussel sprouts | 5.64 |
| 1 cup steamed spinach | 6 |
| 1 cup green peas | 8.24 |
| 1 cup mixed vegetables | 5 |
| 1/2 cup lentils | 9 |
| 1/2 cup beans (kidney, black, pinto, adzuki) | 7-10 |
| 1/2 cup split peas | 8 |
| 1/2 cup tofu | 20 |
Sooooo...does protein really speed up your metabolism? I remember doing a diet and it was heavy protein/low carb. I have no desire to EVER do that diet again....but I was just wondering about all the protein.
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