Quick Answer
The amount of protein considered a standard serving size can vary based on the source. Generally, a serving of protein is about 3-4 ounces or the size of a deck of cards. This equals around 25-30 grams of protein. When looking at measuring protein in cups, here are some common serving sizes:
- 2⁄3 cup cooked beans, lentils, or tofu
- 1⁄2 cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
- 1⁄3 cup nuts or seeds
- 1⁄4 cup shredded cheese
- 1 egg
So a standard protein serving is often close to a half cup for denser proteins like beans or cheese. Lean meats and poultry are often 3-4 ounces, which is slightly less than a half cup when chopped or shredded. Adjust portion sizes based on your protein needs and dietary preferences.
What is Considered a Serving of Protein?
When it comes to measuring protein, the standard serving size is often listed as 3-4 ounces. This equals around 25-30 grams of protein or about the size of a deck of cards.1
However, sources differ slightly on what is considered a typical protein serving:
- The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 5-6 1⁄2 ounce equivalents of protein daily. A serving equals 1 ounce of meat, poultry, or fish, 1⁄4 cup cooked beans, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon nut butter, or 1⁄2 ounce of nuts or seeds.2
- MyPlate guidelines state the protein food group includes meat, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, processed soy products, nuts, and seeds. A standard serving is 3 ounces of lean meat, poultry or fish, 1 cup of yogurt, 1 1⁄2 ounces of cheese, or 1⁄2 cup cooked beans or tofu.3
- Nutrition experts generally recommend 0.5-0.75 grams of protein per pound of body weight daily. For a 150 pound person, that equals around 68-102 grams or 2-3 servings.4
So in general, a typical serving ranges from 3-6 ounces or 25-30 grams of protein. The exact amount you need varies based on your weight, activity level, goals, and overall calorie needs.
Measuring Protein in Cups
While protein is often listed in ounces or grams, measuring in household cups can also be useful. Here are some common serving sizes for high protein foods using standard US cup measurements:
Beans, Lentils & Tofu
- 2⁄3 cup cooked beans or lentils (garbanzo, pinto, kidney, black, etc)
- 2⁄3 cup firm tofu
- 1⁄2 cup silken tofu or tempeh
Beans provide around 15 grams protein per 2⁄3 cup serving. Tofu contains about 10 grams per 2⁄3 cup serving.
Dairy Foods
- 1⁄2 cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
- 1⁄3 cup shredded cheddar, Swiss, or mozzarella
- 1⁄4 cup feta or parmesan (measured crumbled)
- 1⁄2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup milk (contains 8g protein)
Cheeses provide 6-8 grams protein per ounce. A 1⁄2 cup of cottage or ricotta cheese provides 14-15 grams protein.
Nuts & Seeds
- 1⁄4 cup almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds
- 1⁄4 cup peanut or other nut butter
- 1⁄4 cup hummus
Nuts and seeds contain 4-8 grams protein per 1 ounce serving. Nut butters provide 8-10 grams per 2 tablespoon serving.
Meat, Poultry & Fish
- 1⁄4 cup chopped chicken or turkey
- 1 egg
- 1⁄4 cup tuna or salmon
- 1⁄4 cup ground beef or pork
Meats provide about 7 grams protein per ounce. A deck of cards sized serving of 3 ounces of meat or poultry will equal around 1⁄4 cup when chopped.
Vegetarian Protein Sources
For vegetarians and vegans, good sources of protein include:
- 1 cup cooked quinoa or amaranth (9g protein)
- 1 cup edamame beans (17g protein)
- 1 cup cooked soybeans (29g protein)
- 1 cup portobello mushrooms (3g protein)
- 1 cup spinach or kale (5g protein)
- 1 cup broccoli or brussels sprouts (5g protein)
Aim for a mix of beans, nuts, seeds, tofu, tempeh, whole grains, and vegetables to meet your daily protein needs on a plant-based diet.
Protein Serving Sizes for Weight Loss or Gain
If your goal is weight loss, here are some serving sizes to aim for:
- 1⁄4 cup nuts instead of 1⁄2 cup
- 3 ounces lean meat, poultry or fish instead of 4-6 ounces
- 1⁄2 cup Greek yogurt instead of 1 cup
- 1 egg instead of 2-3 eggs
For weight gain or building muscle mass, increase protein serving sizes to:
- 6-8 ounces meat or poultry
- 2 cups milk or Greek yogurt
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup nuts and seeds
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup beans/lentils
Also focus on calorie-dense proteins like red meats, cheese, whole milk dairy, nut butters and nuts. Supplement with protein shakes made with milk, yogurt, nut butters or protein powders as needed.
Daily Protein Requirements
The amount of protein you need daily depends on factors like:
- Weight
- Activity level
- Muscle mass
- Overall health
- Age
- Gender
General daily protein recommendations include:5,6,7
Group | Daily Recommendation |
Children ages 1-3 | 13 grams |
Children ages 4-8 | 19 grams |
Children ages 9-13 | 34 grams |
Girls ages 14-18 | 46 grams |
Boys ages 14-18 | 52 grams |
Women ages 19-70+ | 46 grams |
Men ages 19-70+ | 56 grams |
Pregnant women | 71 grams |
Breastfeeding women | 71 grams |
Athletes, bodybuilders, and highly active individuals may need up to 1 gram protein per pound body weight.
High Protein Foods
To meet your daily protein requirements through your diet, focus on eating a variety of lean protein foods:
- Meats: Chicken, turkey, lean beef, pork
- Fish: Salmon, tuna, tilapia, cod, sardines
- Eggs and Dairy: Eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, milk
- Plant-Based: Tofu, tempeh, edamame, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds
Some top high protein foods include:8
- Chicken breast (26g protein per 3 ounces)
- Canned tuna (22g per 3 ounces)
- Lean beef and pork (22g per 3 ounces)
- Tofu (10g per 1⁄2 cup)
- Lentils (9g per 1⁄2 cup)
- Black beans (15g per 1 cup)
- Greek yogurt (11g per 1⁄2 cup)
- Cottage cheese (15g per 1⁄2 cup)
- Eggs (6g per egg)
- Edamame (8g per 1⁄2 cup)
- Milk (8g per 1 cup)
- Almonds (6g per 1 ounce)
Focus on getting a variety of both plant and animal proteins to meet your daily needs.
How to Add More Protein to Your Diet
If you are having trouble consuming enough protein rich foods, here are some tips:
- Start your day by including protein in breakfast – eat eggs, Greek yogurt, nut butter on toast, or high protein cereals.
- Snack on nuts, seeds, cheese sticks, or roasted chickpeas.
- Have a protein shake or smoothie made with protein powder, milk, yogurt or nut butter.
- Include lean protein in every meal – aim for 3-6 ounces with lunch and dinner.
- Cook quinoa, buckwheat, or amaranth instead of rice or pasta.
- Swap beans, lentils or tofu for some of the meat in chili, tacos, pasta sauce and soups.
- Enjoy edamame beans as an appetizer or snack.
- Add seeds like chia, hemp and flaxseeds to cereals, yogurt and salads.
Planning meals and snacks around protein rich foods can help increase your daily intake.
High Protein Diets
Some popular diets like the high protein ketogenic diet and Atkins diet emphasize very high protein intakes. Typical recommendations on these diets include:9,10
- 20-30% of calories from protein
- Up to 1.5-2 grams protein per kilogram body weight
- Limiting carbohydrate intake to 20-50 grams daily
This equals about:
- 90-120 grams protein for a 150 lb person
- 100-150 grams for a 200 lb person
People following these diets may need up to double a normal protein intake. Very high protein and low carbohydrate intake can potentially lead to side effects like headache, constipation and bad breath so it’s important to stay hydrated and eat plenty of non-starchy vegetables as well.
Protein Intake for Athletes
Athletes and people who engage in intensive training require higher protein intakes to repair, build and maintain muscle mass.
General protein recommendations for athletes include:11
- Strength training athletes – 0.5-0.8 grams protein per pound body weight
- Endurance athletes – 0.5-0.65 grams per pound
- Intermittent sports like soccer – 0.6-0.7 grams per pound
So a 200 pound bodybuilder would need 100-160 grams protein daily. Marathon runners and triathletes would need around 100-130 grams per day.
Timing is also important – consuming 20-40 grams protein every 3-4 hours can maximize muscle protein synthesis after exercise. Good pre and post workout proteins include whey, eggs, fish and poultry.12
Protein and Weight Loss
Higher protein diets are commonly recommended for weight loss since protein increases feelings of fullness and reduces appetite. Potential benefits include:13,14
- Preserving metabolically active lean muscle mass when dieting.
- Increasing thermogenesis and energy expenditure.
- Providing greater satiety from meals.
- Reducing late night cravings and overeating.
To maximize weight loss, aim for 25-35% of total calories from protein. This equals about:
- 150 pound person – 110-150g protein daily
- 200 pound person – 140-190g protein daily
Spread this over 3-4 meals with snacks to control hunger and appetite.
Too Much Protein?
Can you eat too much protein? Concerns over very high protein diets include:
- Kidney strain – healthy kidneys can easily process higher intakes but those with kidney disease may need to limit protein.
- Dehydration – increased fluid needs with excess protein.
- Constipation – due to low fiber from minimal carbs.
- Bad breath and ammonia odor – caused by overproduction of nitrogen during protein metabolism.
Current research shows that protein intakes up to 2- 2.5 grams per kilogram bodyweight appear relatively safe. But there are still uncertainties about potential long term effects of consistently very high intakes above 25-35% total calories.15
Unless you are an athlete or bodybuilder, a diet with 20-25% calories from protein is likely sufficient and safe for most healthy adults.
Protein Deficiency
Getting too little protein is also a concern, especially for certain groups including:16
- Growing children
- Pregnant women
- Elderly
- Vegans and vegetarians
- Athletes
Signs and symptoms of protein deficiency may include:17
- Muscle loss and weakness
- Fluid accumulation and swelling
- Fatigue and low energy
- Skin, hair, and nail problems
- Delayed growth and development in children
- Poor wound healing
- Depression and mood issues
- Greater infection risk
Those experiencing any signs of protein inadequacy should increase intake and consult a doctor if symptoms persist. Older adults trying to prevent loss of muscle mass may especially benefit from higher protein intake, like 1-1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight daily.18
Conclusion
In summary, the standard protein serving size is around 3-4 ounces or 25-30 grams. This equals:
- 1⁄2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1⁄2 cup cottage cheese
- 1⁄3 cup nuts or seeds
- 1⁄4 cup shredded cheese
- 1 egg
- 2⁄3 cup beans or tofu
Adjust portion sizes based on your weight, activity level, gender, age and health status. Focus on getting a mix of lean proteins from both plants and animal sources. Too little protein can impact health and performance while too much may also pose risks.