Protein MyPlate

Before you eat, think about what and how much food goes on your plate or in your cup or bowl. 

Over the day, include a variety of foods from all 5 food groups using MyPlate as your guide to make sure you get the nutrients you need.

The protein group includes seafood, beef, pork, chicken, turkey, eggs, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, soy products (like tofu). Try to eat a variety of these foods daily and aim to get seafood on your plate at least twice a week. Choosing leaner meats (at least 90% lean) or trimming or draining fat from the meat can help keep the amount of fat you eat in a day at a good level.

If you are a vegetarian or vegan, the advice to eat meat, poultry, and seafood does not apply to you. Protein options for you would include beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, and soy products.

How Much Do I Need?

The amount of protein you should eat in a day will depend on your age and gender. Check out the chart below from MyPlate:

But what is an ounce?

A quick reference to know what an ounce of meat looks like, is about the size of an adult thumb. See the chart below for examples of 1 ounce equivalents:

Health Benefits of the Protein Food Group

Protein foods have many benefits! Check out these important nutrients they provide and why these nutrients are good for your body:

• Proteins function as building blocks for bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. They are also building blocks for enzymes, hormones, and vitamins. Proteins are one of three nutrients that provide calories (the others are fat and carbohydrates).
• B vitamins found in this food group serve a variety of functions in the body. They help the body release energy, play a vital role in the function of the nervous system, aid in the formation of red blood cells, and help build tissues.
• Iron is used to carry oxygen in the blood. Many teenage girls and women in their child-bearing years have iron-deficiency anemia. They should eat foods high in heme-iron (meats) or eat other non-heme iron containing foods along with a food rich in vitamin C, which can improve absorption of non-heme iron. See the Key Nutrient: Iron for more details. 
• Magnesium is used in building bones and in releasing energy from muscles.
• Zinc is necessary for biochemical reactions and helps the immune system function properly.
• EPA and DHA are omega-3 fatty acids found in varying amounts in seafood. Eating 8 ounces per week of seafood may help reduce the risk for heart disease.

Different protein foods provide different nutrients, so be sure to mix it up each day!

10 Tips to Vary Your Protein Routine

1. Try non-meat proteins: Experiment with main dishes made with beans or peas, nuts, tofu, and seafood.
2. Choose seafood twice a week: Eat seafood in place of meat or poultry twice a week. Select a variety of seafood — include some that are higher in oils and low in mercury, such as salmon, trout, and herring.
3. Make meat and poultry lean or low fat: Choose lean or low-fat cuts of meat like round or sirloin and ground beef that is at least 90% lean. Trim or drain fat from meat and remove poultry skin.
4. Have an egg: One large egg is equal to one ounce of meat.
5. Nuts and seeds: Choose unsalted nuts or seeds as a snack, on salads, or in main dishes to replace meat or poultry. Nuts and seeds are a concentrated source of calories, so eat small portions to keep calories in check.
6. Keep it tasty and healthy: Try grilling, broiling, roasting, or baking — they don’t add extra fat. Some lean meats need slow, moist cooking to be tender — try a slow cooker for them. Avoid adding breading to meat or poultry, which adds unnecessary calories.
7. Make a healthy sandwich: Choose turkey, roast beef, canned tuna or salmon, or peanut butter for sandwiches. Many deli meats, such as regular bologna or salami, are high in fat and sodium—make them occasional treats.
8. Check the sodium: Check the Nutrition Facts label to limit sodium. Salt is added to many canned foods — including soups, vegetables, beans, and meats. Many processed meats — such as ham, sausage, and hot dogs—are high in sodium. Some fresh chicken, turkey, and pork are brined in a salt solution for flavor and tenderness.

Why should meat and poultry be lean or low-fat?

Saturated fats

• Diets that are high in saturated fats raise “bad” cholesterol levels in the blood. The “bad” cholesterol is called LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. High LDL cholesterol, in turn, increases the risk for coronary heart disease. 
• Some food choices in the protein food group are high in saturated fat. These include fatty cuts of beef, pork, and lamb; regular (75% to 85% lean) ground beef; regular sausages, hot dogs, and bacon; some luncheon meats such as regular bologna and salami; and some poultry, such as duck. To help keep blood cholesterol levels healthy, limit the amount of these foods you eat.

Cholesterol

• Diets that are high in cholesterol can raise LDL cholesterol levels in the blood.
• Cholesterol is only found in foods from animal sources. Some foods from this group are high in cholesterol. These include egg yolks (egg whites are cholesterol-free) and organ meats such as liver and giblets. To help keep blood cholesterol levels healthy, limit the amount of these foods you eat.

Calories

• A high intake of fats makes it difficult to avoid consuming more calories than are needed which can cause excessive weight gain.

Why is it important to eat seafood two times per week?

Seafood contains a range of nutrients, especially the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA. Eating about 8 ounces per week of a variety of seafood contributes to the prevention of heart disease. Smaller amounts of seafood are recommended for young children.

Seafood varieties that are commonly consumed in the United States that are higher in EPA and DHA and lower in mercury include:

• Salmon
• Anchovies
• Herring
• Sardines
• Pacific oysters
• Trout
• Atlantic and Pacific mackerel (not king mackerel, which is high in mercury)

Dry Beans & Peas

1. Dry beans and peas (such as kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, lima beans, black-eyed peas, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), split peas and lentils) are unique and can be considered part of the Vegetable AND Protein Food Groups.
2. Dry beans and peas can reduce the cost of a meal. They provide more protein for your money, cost less than meat, and can replace meat in recipes.
3. They are a great source of nutrition, providing:

• • Complex carbohydrates and fiber 
  • Great source of protein
    • A “complete” protein contains certain kinds of amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Dry beans do not contain all of the essential (or necessary) amino acids. Serving beans with grains or small amounts of meat, eggs or cheese makes the bean a “complete” source of protein.
    • About 1 cup cooked beans provides the same amount of protein as two ounces of cooked meat.
  • Good source of thiamine, folate, iron and calcium
    •  See the Key Nutrient: Calcium; Folate; and Iron sections for more information.
    • Iron is vital for pregnant women and children. One cup of beans meets half a woman’s daily iron needs. Half a child’s iron need is met in a one-half cup serving. 
  • No cholesterol and limited fat and salt.

How to cook dry beans (not canned)

Wash and sort: Remove damaged beans and any foreign materials, then rinse beans in cold water.

Soak: For each pound (2 cups) sorted, washed, dry beans, add 10 cups hot water in a pot large enough for beans to expand. Boil 2-3 minutes, cover and soak 4-12 hours. Drain off the soak water and rinse beans.

Quick Soak Method

• Cover beans with water (enough to completely cover beans). 
• Heat to boiling. Let boil two or three minutes. 
• Set aside for at least one hour. The longer the soaking time the better. Longer soaking time allows more sugar to dissolve, making beans easier to digest. 
• Rinse and cook as instructed below.

Stovetop cooking

• Put soaked, drained, and rinsed beans into a 3-4 qt pot with 6 cups hot water, 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, and 2 teaspoons salt. 
• Boil gently until desired tenderness is reached (usually 1 to 2 hours, depending on variety). 
• Cooking time and desired tenderness will depend on what you want to use the beans for. Beans are better firm if they are to be used in a salad. If you want to mash the beans, cook until soft. 
• Taste-test often while cooking.

Microwave cooking

• Put one pound of beans in a 5-quart pan with eight cups of water. 
• Cover and cook at full power for 8-10 minutes or until boiling. 
• Let stand for one hour or longer, drain. 
• To cook the beans, add 6-8 cups fresh hot water. Cover and cook at full power for 8-10 minutes or until boiling. 
• Reduce power by 50% and cook another 15-20 minutes or until beans are tender.

Pressure cooking

• After soaking beans and putting them into the cooker with water and seasonings, adjust the lid and heat to boiling.
•  Let steam escape for one minute. 
• Put on pressure control or indicator, and over low heat, bring pressure up slowly 15 pounds. 
• Start counting cooking time. Most beans require 3-5 minutes of cooking per cup. Navy beans and pinto beans may require up to 10 minutes. Peas, lentils and small lima beans usually are not pressure-cooked. 
• Remove cooker from heat to let pressure drop gradually.

Tips for cooking beans

• 1 lb dry beans = 2 cups dry beans = 5 cups cooked beans
• 1 16oz can (drained) = 1 2/3 cup beans
• Dry beans expand to about 2½ times their original size when soaked.
• To avoid broken or mushy legumes, boil gently and stir very little.
• Lentils and split peas do not need to be soaked.
• At high altitudes beans will take longer to cook.
• Taste test beans often for desired tenderness.
• Foods containing acid such as tomatoes, chili sauce, lemon juice, vinegar or catsup will slow the cooking and softening of beans. Add these items last so they will not prolong cooking time.
• Freezing Beans:  Slightly undercook beans you will freeze. Cool quickly, uncovered, seal and freeze. When thawing, beans will keep their shape better if thawed slowly. Cooked beans will keep from 4 to 6 months in a freezer, one year in a deep freeze (0°C), or up to one week in a refrigerator.
• Flavoring Beans:  Salt may be added at any time during cooking. Add about one teaspoon salt per cup of dry beans if no other salty food is being added. For “savory” beans add one teaspoon oil, two teaspoons onion salt, ¼ teaspoon garlic salt, one tablespoon chicken stock base and ¼ teaspoon white pepper for each pound (2 cups dry) beans.