Avocados contain moderate amounts of protein. They contain about 2.2 g of protein per 100g, while a whole avocado contains up to 6.8 g of protein! Avocado has the highest protein content than common fruits.
How much protein do we need in a day?
The recommended daily intake of protein for most people is only 0.8 g per kg (2.2 lbs) of body weight.
Only active people who work out regularly require more protein. In fact, people with minimal, moderate, and intense physical activity should get at least 1.0 g, 1.3 g, and 1.6 g of protein per kg (2.2 lbs) of body weight, respectively.[1,2]
For instance, an 80 kg (177 lbs) person with moderate physical activity should get approximately 100 g of protein a day. On the other hand, a 59 kg (130 lbs) person who follows a sedentary life requires only 59 g of protein.
Protein deficiency is rather unlikely, though. People who consume adequate amounts of calories and follow a well-balanced diet, probably consume more protein than they need.
What’s the protein content of avocado?
Avocado contains moderate amounts of protein. California-type varieties contain about 2 g of protein per 100g. A whole avocado (136 g) contains about 2.7 g of protein.[3]
Florida-type varieties contain slightly more protein. They contain 2.2 g of protein per 100g. This is a 10% increase in protein content.
A whole Florida-type avocado (300 g) contains approximately 6.8 g of protein.
California-type avocados, like Hass variety, are small avocados with black skin. Florida-type varieties are larger fruits with green, smoother skin.
Are other avocado-based foods high in protein?
Guacamole, which a popular dip made of avocado, has a medium protein content. It has 1.95 g of protein per 100g. A tbsp of guacamole provides only 0.3 g of protein, whereas a typical serving provides 1.4 g of protein.
Avocado toast has decent amounts of protein as well. It has approximately 5.3 g of protein per 100g. A typical avocado toast has 4 grams of protein!
On the contrary, avocado oil has no protein. It’s almost 100% fat.
Avocado has more protein than other common fruits
Actually, avocado is the richest common fruit in protein. It has more protein than bananas, apricots, kiwis, berries, oranges, peaches, cherries, cantaloupes, and many more. Only dried fruits have more protein per 100g.
Moreover, avocados have less sugar and carbs than most common fruits.
Should I eat avocados regularly?
Certainly, avocados can help us meet our daily recommended needs.
In addition, although avocados are high in fats and calories, they could help us lose weight and build a lean body. They’re supper filling, mainly due to their high fiber content.
They’re the ultimate post-workout food. It’s packed with compounds that promote muscle growth and recovery.
Moreover, avocados are excellent dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids and potassium!
Last, but not least, avocados are great ingredients for keto smoothies.
Common foods high in protein
First, meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheese, yogurt, and eggs are excellent dietary sources of high-quality, complete protein.
People who follow a plant-based diet could also get more than enough protein. Beans, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, whole-grains, and vegetables are excellent dietary sources of protein as well.
But, people who follow a plant-based diet should consume a wide variety of foods. Most plants aren’t a complete protein. They lack one or more essential amino acids. Therefore, we should combine them. For instance, you could eat beans with rice or other whole-grains to have a meal with complete protein.
If you follow a plant-based diet, and want to significantly increase your protein intake, you could consume a high-quality plant-based protein powder. You’ll find a wide variety of plant-based protein powders on Amazon.
