Despite claims in popular diet books, a surplus of protein in your diet doesn't do you any good. It doesn't make for more muscle. It doesn't make you lose weight. On the other hand, too little protein can leave you easily fatigued. You're slower to recover from colds and infections. Your complexion may dull. Low-protein diets may even lead to increased risk of osteoporosis.
As a rule of thumb, 0.4 grams of protein per pound of body weight is adequate for most active adults. For a 130-pound woman, that's just 52 grams. Athletes or people who have physically demanding jobs may want to increase their protein intake to 0.7 grams per pound of body weight. And it's easy to determine if your protein intake is sufficient. Nutrition labels list proteins per serving in metric standards or grams. All you have to do is add up the numbers as you go along.
A 3-ounce piece of lean chicken, meat or fish provides 15 to 30 grams. An omelet made with five egg whites gives you 40 grams; a glass of milk, 8 to 12 grams. In protein content, meat analogs based on soy compare well, with some "veggie" burgers containing 14 to 18 grams. Many analogs, however, are much lower in protein. A cup of tofu or tempeh counts for about 20 grams of protein. A cup of rice combined with half a cup of beans delivers 8 grams. Of course, these numbers are estimates and may vary significantly.
Want to learn more? Visit the Web site of the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org, or Hawai'i's own vegetarian society at http://vsh.org/.