Protein guide for patients
Last edited: 15/1/2026
Why protein is important and where to find it
This leaflet has been created to provide information about the importance of eating enough protein and about how to get enough protein from your diet.
Protein plays an important role in your body:
- keeping muscles strong
- repairing wounds and repairing broken bones
- supporting our immune system to fight infections.
A daily intake from meals, snacks and drinks can help keep us in the best health.
Eating too little protein, particularly for long periods of time may lead to muscle weakness, frailty, and slow recovery from illness and injury.
Foods high in protein should be included in meals two to three times daily. If your appetite is poor, eating three smaller meals along with snacks and milky drinks in between may be easier to manage.
Good sources of protein include red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and pulses, dairy foods (for example, milk, cheese, yoghurt), non-dairy alternatives (for example, soya-based dairy, lacto-free), tofu and Quorn.
Tips for increasing protein intake
- Try to have poultry, meat, fish, eggs, beans, pulses or cheese at each meal.
- Try to have a milky pudding such as custard, yoghurt or rice pudding after or between your meals.
- Use fortified milk in drinks and on cereals – to make fortified milk take four tablespoons of milk powder, mix to a paste with a small amount of milk, then whisk into a pint of milk.
- Choose drinks such as milk, hot chocolate or malted drinks made with milk (these all count as fluid but are more nourishing than other fluids such as water, squash and tea).
- Some products such as yoghurts, puddings, milkshakes, bread and cereals have extra protein added into their ingredients – look out for ‘high protein’ on the label.
If you are struggling with your appetite or are worried you aren’t getting enough protein from your food speak to your dietitian who will be able to give you more advice. In some cases, your Dietitian may recommend oral nutritional supplements.
Amount of protein in foods
The following tables show the amount of protein per portion in detail:
| Meat and fish | ||
| Chicken breast | (grilled breast without skin) 100g | 32g |
| Minced beef | 100g | 21g |
| Lamb chop | (1 chop) 70g | 20g |
| Sausage | thick pork (2 sausages) 80g | xxg |
| Bacon (back) | (2 rashers) 50g | 12g |
| 1 tin tuna/sardines in oil/tomato sauce (small can) | 100g drained | 25g |
| Prawns | 100g | 24g |
| Ham (wafer thin) | 2 slices (20g) | 4g |
| Ham (thick) | 1 slice (30g) | 8g |
| Seafood stick/crab stick | 1 stick | 1.5g |
| Egg and dairy food | ||
| 1 egg | 1 large (50g) | 8g |
| Cheddar cheese | 2 slices (40g) | 10g |
| Cheese triangle | 1 triangle (17.5g) | 2.5g |
| Soft cheese | ½ tablespoon (30g) | 2g |
| Greek yoghurt 100g | 10g | 10g |
| Milk (skimmed, semi, full fat cows milk and soya milk) | 1 glass (200ml) | 7g |
| Milky pudding (rice pudding/custard) | 1 pot (120g) | 5g |
| Milk powder (e.g. Marvel, Nestle Nido, supermarket brand, whey protein powder) | 1 heaped tablespoon (13g) | 5g |
| Oat milk | 1 glass (200ml) | 2.5g |
| Milk (cows/soya/lacto free) with milk powder | 1 pint with 4 tablespoons milk powder | 40g |
| Plant-based proteins | ||
| Tofu | 80g | 19g |
| Quorn | 100g | 13g |
| Roasted peanuts | 1 bag (50g) | 13g |
| Baked beans | 1 small can (150g) | 8g |
| Hummus | 2 tablespoon (60g) | 4g |
| Peanut/almond butter | 1 tablespoon (16g) | 4g |
| Chickpeas | 1 tablespoon (40g) | 3g |
| Lentils | 1 tablespoon (40g) | 4g |
| Breakfast cereal (not including milk) | ||
| Bran flakes | 1 small bowl (30g) | 3g |
| Weetabix | 2 biscuits | 4.5g |
| Weetabix (Protein) | 2 biscuits | 8g |
| Granola | 1 small bowl (40g) | 4g |
| Porridge | 1 medium bowl (40g) | 4.5g |
Meal ideas
| 1-2 scrambled egg and 2 rashers bacon | Ham and cheese omelette | Lamb hotpot or beef/chicken casserole | Cheese and crackers |
| 2 kippers with 2 slices bread and butter | Sardines/pilchards/mackerel on toast | Spaghetti bolognaise | Hard boiled or scotch egg |
| 150g Greek or high protein yoghurt with nuts and berries | Sandwiches e.g. salmon and cream cheese, tuna mayonnaise, prawn cocktail, cheese, egg mayonnaise, hummus, chicken/turkey/ham | Chilli con carne (meat or vegetarian) | Hummus and breadsticks |
| Peanut butter/cheese on toast | Lentil/bean soup with extra grated cheese, protein/milk powder | Shepherds/cottage pie | Greek or high protein yoghurt |
| Protein cereal with fortified milk | Baked beans with cheese on toast/jacket potato | Fisherman’s pie | Milky pudding pots e.g. custard, rice pudding |
| Porridge using fortified milk – can add extra nuts/seeds | Avocado with poached eggs on toast | Jacket potato with baked beans and cheese, tuna mayonnaise, chilli | Handful of nuts |
| Ham and cheese omelette | Macaroni cheese | Sausage and mash | Glass of fortified milk or milkshake |
This information should only be followed on the advice of a healthcare professional.
Do you have feedback about our health services?
0800 030 4550
Text 07899 903499
Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4.30pm
kentchft.PALS@nhs.net
www.kentcht.nhs.uk/PALS
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
Trinity House, 110-120 Upper Pemberton
Ashford
Kent
TN25 4AZ
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