Health leaders recently introduced\u00a0dietary guidelines<\/a>\u00a0that increased Americans’ daily protein intake.\u00a0RealFood.gov<\/a>, a new federal website that debuted in January, declares\u00a0the country is<\/a>\u00a0“ending the war on protein.”<\/p>\n If you’re confused about these new guidelines, don’t wave the white flag just yet.<\/p>\n We asked dietitians,\u00a0credentialed<\/a>\u00a0health care professionals with nutrition expertise, to help answer some of the biggest questions about protein.<\/p>\n What does protein do?<\/p>\n Dietary protein is a\u00a0macronutrient<\/a>\u00a0made of chains of amino acids, which are the building blocks of every cell. When you eat foods with protein, your digestive system\u00a0breaks that protein<\/a>\u00a0down into amino acids, some of which your body needs and cannot make on its own. Those amino acids create and repair cells that make up tissue such as muscle and bone.<\/p>\n “Protein is like the brick and mortar of your home \u2014 no matter where you go in the house, it’s there,” said Sue-Ellen Anderson-Haynes, a registered dietitian nutritionist and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.<\/p>\n What foods have protein?\u00a0<\/p>\n Meat, beans, nuts, milk and eggs are common sources of protein.<\/p>\n In the U.S., most people get their protein from animal products, Anderson-Haynes said, but whole grains including quinoa and buckwheat and other foods including tofu, lentils and peas are all good sources of plant-based protein.<\/p>\n WATCH: Protein is everywhere amid a new cultural obsession. How much do we really need?<\/a><\/p>\n While vegetables and fruits don’t often contain much protein, some have\u00a0higher quantities<\/a>, including corn, broccoli, asparagus, brussels sprouts and artichokes.<\/p>\n How much protein should you eat?\u00a0<\/p>\n It’s personal, and depends on each person’s body and health factors.<\/p>\n New federal health guidelines<\/a>\u00a0advise eating food with protein at every meal, amounting to 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight each day. That’s\u00a0nearly<\/a>\u00a0double<\/a>\u00a0the daily protein the government previously recommended.<\/p>\n Dietitians, meanwhile, told us they recommend 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight each day. That’s\u00a0about 7 grams<\/a>\u00a0of protein for every 20 pounds of body weight.<\/p>\n Whether that means you need 40 grams of daily protein, 70 grams or another amount, you probably have the same question \u2026<\/p>\n What does that actually look like?<\/p>\n It depends on the food. The Center for Science in the Public Interest broke this question down further,\u00a0giving examples<\/a>\u00a0like:<\/p>\n 3 ounces of chicken breast \u2014 26 grams of protein.
\n3 ounces of tilapia \u2014 22 grams of protein.
\n3 ounces of cooked shrimp \u2014 20 grams of protein.
\n4-ounce Impossible burger patty \u2014 19 grams of protein.
\n3 ounces of firm tofu \u2014 8 grams of protein.
\n1\/2 cup of cooked black beans \u2014 8 grams of protein.
\n1 cup of cooked quinoa \u2014 8 grams of protein.
\nOne large egg \u2014 6 grams of protein.
\n1\/2 cup of cooked green peas \u2014 4 grams of protein.<\/p>\n
![\"U.S.](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/2026-01-08T180612Z_1892678221_RC24XIA533SU_RTRMADP_3_USA-HEALTH-DIET-1024x767.jpg\")
<\/p>\n