Breakfast · about 14 g
One cooked egg (6 g) and 250 ml milk (8 g), with oats and fruit.
02 / PROTEIN FOODS
Know the protein in everyday portions
Protein grams are not the weight of a food. Mix sources through the day and use food labels for your usual products.
A USEFUL REFERENCE
71 g/day is a starting point
The US dietary reference of at least 71 g protein per day during pregnancy is used here for teaching. It is not a personalized target, especially with multiple pregnancy, kidney disease or another clinical diet. One egg offers about 6 g protein, rather than “one egg equals 6 g of food.”
FOOD LIBRARY
Common portions and estimated protein
| Food | Common portion | Protein, approx. | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooked egg | 1 large | 6 g | Cook through |
| Milk | 250 ml | 8 g | Pasteurized |
| Plain yogurt | 200 g | 8 g | Check label |
| Greek yogurt | 170 g | 15 g | Varies by brand |
| Cooked chicken | 90 g | 25 g | Skinless or less oily |
| Cooked lean beef | 90 g | 25 g | Iron and B12 |
| Cooked turkey | 90 g | 25 g | Cook through |
| Cooked low-mercury fish | 100 g | 20 g | Vary species |
| Cooked salmon | 100 g | 22 g | Low-mercury choice |
| Cooked shrimp | 100 g | 24 g | Cook through |
| Firm tofu | 150 g | 15 g | Varies by product |
| Cooked edamame | 150 g | 17 g | Soy protein and fibre |
| Tempeh | 100 g | 19 g | Cook through |
| Cooked lentils | 150 g | 12 g | Fibre and iron |
| Cooked chickpeas | 150 g | 12 g | Fibre |
| Unsweetened soy drink | 250 ml | 7 g | Check protein label |
Values are rounded teaching estimates. Raw versus cooked weights, product formulation and serving size change the result.
A DAY OF PROTEIN
Build it across meals
Lunch · about 25 g
90 g cooked lean beef or chicken, vegetables and a serving of whole grains.
Snack · about 15 g
170 g plain Greek yogurt; check the product label.
Dinner · about 27 g
150 g firm tofu (about 15 g) and 150 g cooked lentils (about 12 g), with vegetables and rice.
Example total: about 81 g from the named protein foods. Grains and vegetables may add a little more. This is a demonstration, not a meal prescription or a demand to reach the same number each day.
HOW TO ADJUST
Make a small change at the meal that needs it
- No protein at breakfast? Add a cooked egg, yogurt or fortified soy drink.
- Little appetite? Split protein across smaller meals and snacks.
- Vegetarian? Combine soy foods, pulses, dairy or eggs as appropriate; review B12, iron, iodine and choline with a dietitian.
- Kidney disease or a clinical protein target? Follow your clinician’s plan instead of this example.
KAZAKHSTAN PANTRY
Protein from foods you know
Cooked lean beef
A palm-sized cooked portion (about 90 g) is roughly 25 g protein. It also contributes iron and vitamin B12.
Egg and dairy
One fully cooked egg is roughly 6 g; 250 ml pasteurized milk roughly 8 g. Check ayran or yogurt labels because protein varies.
Lentils, beans and tofu
A bowl of cooked lentils (about 150 g) gives roughly 12 g. Add them to soup or a vegetable dish; vary sources through the day.
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