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Strategies for Managing Dietary Protein

Once you work out what your target intake is, familiarize yourself with the protein content of your favourites. If you can't tolerate a lot of meat, try more easily digested protein sources, such as poultry, fish, eggs and tofu or tempeh.

It’s not difficult to get enough protein. Adults require a 0.8 – 1 gram per kilogram of Healthy Body weight.

Once you work out what your target intake is, familiarize yourself with the protein content of your favourites. If you can’t tolerate a lot of meat, try more easily digested protein sources, such as poultry, fish, eggs and tofu or tempeh. Chicken breast is 31% protein by weight; tuna is 30%; eggs are 12% and tofu is 8%.

For example, if you weigh 150 lbs or 68 kilograms, you need about 54 – 68 grams of protein per day, depending on your level of physical activity. If you have a 3 egg omelet for breakfast (18 grams), lentil soup with swiss cheese on soda crackers for lunch (23 grams) and a chicken caesar salad for dinner (29 grams), you will have consumed 70 grams of protein. This total does not include protein from beverages or other foods you would probably consume in a day.

If you need to, you can increase your protein intake by having a protein drink once per day as a snack. You can purchase prepared products (e.g. Glucerna, Boost or Ensure) or make your own using Greek yogurt, milk or soy milk as the protein source.