How much protein should I eat at a meal? I am a non meat eater. I do eat egg whites, cheese and some seafood. No salmon or steak-like fish. What do you suggest?
Dr. Gourmet Says...
The USDA recommended daily allowance (RDA) for protein is set a little higher than what we might need. This is done to allow for a wide variety of needs.
The average need for protein is 0.6 grams per kilogram. This is based on your ideal body weight. The USDA RDA is 0.8 grams per kilogram, however, to allow for an adequate supply. So and adult male weighing 70 kilos (155 lbs.) would need around 56 grams of protein per day and a 50 kilogram (110 lbs.) woman about 40 grams each day.
There's some exceptions to this, including pregnancy (add 30 grams per day) and breast feeding (an extra 20 grams a day). Kids also need more and this table will help you sort that out:
| Age | Protein RDA (grams per kilo of body weight) |
| 0-6 months | 2.2 |
| 6-12 months | 2.0 |
| 1-3 years | 1.8 |
| 4-6 years | 1.5 |
| 7-10 years | 1.2 |
| 11-14 years | 1.0 |
| 15-18 years | 0.9 |
| 19 + years | 0.8 |
So what does that break down to in practical terms? 4 ounces of skinless chicken breast contains about 25 grams of protein. You can find out the protein content of any ingredient by logging into the Quality Calorie Diet Software and clicking the Recipe Box tab.
Timothy S. Harlan, M.D.
Dr. Gourmet
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