Protein is essential to the functioning of our bodies. It helps regulate hormones and transport molecules, but also acts as an enzyme for chemical reactions and more. For the average person, the general goal is to consume about 100 grams of protein daily.
However, the amount of protein you should consume each day depends on your activity level, among other things. To help you meet your daily needs, this visual guide shows you what 100 grams of protein looks like, whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or omnivorous.
The gram amounts were calculated by taking information from the nutrition labels of packaged products and weighing them when necessary. The gram amounts listed in these instructions are specific to the products used for this experiment, so your numbers may vary if you use a different brand for the following products.
This is what 100 grams of protein looks like for omnivores
If you have no dietary restrictions, it should be fairly easy to get 100 grams of protein a day. Here’s how to do it:
- Two eggs (12 grams)
- Snack cheese (5 grams)
- Greek yogurt (15 grams)
- Beef sausage (14 grams)
- One can of tuna (27 grams)
- ½ cup oatmeal (5 grams)
- 2 ounces deli ham (10 grams)
- 1 ounce mixed nuts (5 grams)
- Two slices of rye bread (10 grams)
All in all, the weight shown above is 103 grams, which just exceeds the target of 100 grams.
This is what 100 grams of animal protein looks like
As you can see, it doesn’t take much to get 100 grams of protein from animal products:
- Four eggs (24 grams)
- One can of tuna (27 grams)
- Three beef balls (15 grams)
- 2 ounces turkey bacon (10 grams)
- 3 ounces turkey breast (24 grams)
That’s exactly 100 grams of protein. If you ate all that in one day, plus bread and other non-animal products, you would easily get over 100 grams of protein per day.
This is what 100 grams of protein looks like for vegetarians
For vegetarians, 100 grams of protein could look like this:
- Four eggs (24 grams)
- ½ cup oatmeal (5 grams)
- Two snack cheeses (10 grams)
- ¼ cup protein cereal (10 grams)
- One serving of Greek yogurt (15 grams)
- One tablespoon of hemp seeds (4 grams)
- Two tablespoons peanut butter (7 grams)
- One scoop of plant-based protein powder (20 grams)
This actually equates to 99 grams of protein, which is pretty close to the amount but still a great number for a day.
This is what 100 grams of protein looks like for vegans
What you see doesn’t quite match the amount of protein you get here:
- 1 ounce nuts (5 grams)
- ½ cup oatmeal (5 grams)
- One protein granola bar (8 grams)
- Two slices of rye bread (10 grams)
- ¼ cup protein cereal (10 grams)
- One tablespoon of hemp seeds (4 grams)
- Two tablespoons of chia seeds (10 grams)
- Two tablespoons peanut butter (7 grams)
- One scoop of plant-based protein powder (20 grams)
That’s 79 grams of protein. If we double the mixed nuts, chia seeds, and hemp seeds, we get 93 grams of protein. You could add an extra tablespoon of peanut butter or eat a whole cup of oatmeal instead of half a cup to get closer to 100 grams.
This plate also includes protein-rich vegan meat substitutes such as tofu, tempeh or plant-based meats such as Impossible Burger. These food sources can make it easier to get 100 grams of protein for someone who eats vegan diet.
