Proteins: A Key Element of a Balanced Diet

Did you know that your muscles, energy, and even your immune system depend on proteins among others? Essential for many bodily functions, proteins play a key role. In fact, 97% of the population meets their daily protein needs, but the real challenge is properly distributing them throughout the day and to vary the sources.

Role of proteins in a healthy diet

Proteins are made up of chains of 20 amino acids, 9 of which are considered "essential" since the human body cannot produce them. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain them through diet.

Proteins play a key role in several functions of our body: they promote satiety after meals, support the immune system, help to maintain good energy levels, regulate hormonal balance, and help preserve muscle mass, among other benefits.

Protein quality

Proteins are found in two main forms:

Animal proteins: These come from sources such as meat, fish, seafood, dairy products, and eggs.
Plant-based proteins: These come from sources such as legumes, seeds, nuts, soy-based products, and grains.

Below, you will find tables showing some examples of foods and their protein content per serving.

Protéines animales

Food	Protein per Serving (g)
Beef (75g)	23
Chicken (75g)	20
Pork (75g)	20
Fish (75g)	17
Eggs (2)	12
Milk 2% (1T)	9
Cheddar cheese (50g)	12
Cottage cheese (1/2 cup)	15
Yogurt (3/4 cup)	8
Greek yogurt (3/4 cup)	14

Protéines végétales

Food	Protein per Serving (g)
Tempeh (85g)	16
Tofu (85g)	12
Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) (1/4 cup dry)	9
Seitan (85g)	17
Edamame (1 cup)	18
Lentils (1 cup)	18
Red beans (1 cup)	15
Chickpeas (1 cup)	15
Black beans (1 cup)	15
Hemp seeds (3 tbsp)	10
Sunflower seeds (1/4 cup)	8
Almonds (1/4 cup)	8
Pistachios (1/4 cup)	7
Wheat germ (1 cup cooked)	20
Spelt (1 cup cooked)	11
Oats (1 cup cooked)	10
Quinoa (1 cup cooked)	8

Incorporating plant-based protein sources into your diet can be a smart strategy if you wish to:

Reduce your meat consumption
Explore more affordable alternatives
Diversify your meals

Depending on the type, plant-based proteins can also be excellent sources of fiber. For example, nuts and legumes are rich in fiber while providing a good amount of protein.

Generally low in saturated fats and high in fiber, plant-based proteins offer numerous cardiovascular health benefits, including helping to reduce blood cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and to promote satiety for healthy weight management, among other positive effects.

Did you know? Plant-based protein sources don't contain all the essential amino acids, which may lead to the impression that they need to be combined at every meal to form "complete" proteins. However, this is not necessary! As long as you vary your protein sources throughout the day, your body will obtain all the amino acids it needs.

Protein needs by population

It’s often said that protein intake needs to be increased. While it's important to include protein in every meal, it's not necessary to consider it as the macronutrient that must be prioritized above all others.

In general, a healthy adult needs around 1.2g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. This need may increase to 1.6g/kg/day in certain cases, such as when aiming for muscle gain or weight loss. Contrary to popular belief, vegetarians do not have higher protein needs than omnivores.

Note: For individuals with obesity, it is recommended to use adjusted weight when calculating protein needs to avoid overestimating the required amount.

How to ensure you’re getting enough protein throughout the day?

It’s strategic to include protein in every meal, as well as in snacks. Breakfast, for example, is often low in protein and high in carbohydrates. Adding a source of protein to this meal can be a good idea.

In general, it’s better to prioritize food sources of protein over supplements (like protein powders) because whole foods offer a unique synergy. Additionally, choosing protein-rich foods helps promote better satiety and provides other nutritional benefits, such as legumes, which are rich in both protein and fiber!

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