How Much Protein Is Required To Control Blood Pressure?

Adults require from 45 to 65 grams of protein depending on their size and the quality of the protein. Actually, most Americans usually get up to 100 or even 125 grams of protein daily because they eat so much meat. Due to the excess result from our abundance of protein-rich foods in our society, we seldom find people who do not get sufficient protein of good quality.

Since there are 28 grams to an ounce, 65 grams of protein comes to just over 2 ounces of pure protein. And, since protein-rich foods such as meats and fish are about 18% protein by weight that comes to less than 13 ounces of these protein-rich foods daily required getting enough protein for good health. Since Americans get protein of such excellent quality, 13 ounces is more than enough for most people.

The Caloric Cost of Protein

• Every food provides calories. All food, including protein-rich foods, provides 4 calories from each gram of protein, 4 from each gram of carbohydrate, and 9 calories from each gram of fat. Therefore, the lower the fat content, the lower the number of calories that must be consumed to obtain protein from animal sources. This applies when comparing fish or fowl to beef, and more appropriately, processed meat as compared to fresh meat.
• Most vegetable sources of protein, such as beans, mushrooms, peas, and grains, contain very little fat but are rich in carbohydrates and dietary fiber. Since carbohydrate-rich foods are bulky from the digestible carbohydrate and the no digestible fiber, you need to eat more food to obtain sufficient protein from vegetable sources. But due to the lower caloric cost of carbohydrate, eating more doesn’t increase your caloric intake.
• By comparing protein sources with respect to sodium content, salt content, and the K Factor: The K Factor of meat, including fish and fowl, is usually greater than 3; more likely 5 or 6. So these foods are good source.
• Processed meat of any type, sausage, cold cuts, etc., includes an incredible excess of sodium and the K Factor is unacceptable. So these foods are out.