News & tips on health, fitness and nutrition

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Protein against muscle loss

One of your best defenses against age-related muscle loss is to eat enough protein, which contains amino acids that help build muscle. 

In fact, two studies of midlife dieters found that women who ate more protein lost less muscle than dieters who didn't pay attention to protein intake.

Overall, try to get at least 30% of your calories from lean protein sources, such as egg whites, chicken, and fish.


Here’s how much protein you can get from other sources compared to meat:

  • 3 ounces of meat (about the size of a regular deck of cards): approximately 21 to 26 grams protein
  • 1 egg: 6 to 7 grams protein
  • 1 cup milk: 7 to 8 grams
  • 1 cup soy milk: 7 grams
  • 1 cup firm tofu: 20 grams
  • 1 cup brown rice: 4.5 grams
  • 1 cup quinoa: 8 grams
  • 1 cup kidney beans: 15 grams
  • 1 ounce roasted almonds: 6 grams
  • Most vegetables and whole grains contain at least 1 gram of protein per serving.

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