Wait… That’s Not 100g Protein?

Clinical Reflection from this week.

I often ask clients to increase their protein. And over the past week, I heard similar feedback from two different people. They thought they were already hitting their protein target because they were eating a serving of chicken.

Which makes sense since foods such as chicken, beef, fish, eggs, and yogurt are all considered “protein”.

But here’s the nuance. If you eat 100 grams of boneless skinless chicken breast (about 3.5 ounces), it’s easy to assume you’re getting close to 100 grams of protein. But actually… 100 grams of cooked chicken breast usually contains about 30–35 grams of protein.

Wait. What?!

It’s chicken.

It’s lean, so minimal fat.

No carbs.

No fiber.

So what’s the other 65–70 grams?

A little is fat.

A tiny amount is vitamins and minerals.

But most of it?

WATER.

This is reason why protein goals can get confusing.

So if you are aiming for 100 grams of protein per day, one chicken breast or one serving of meat is a great start, but it may not getting you as close as you thought.

Hopefully that clicks for you and it will make meal planning even easier.

And… side note. Our body tissues are similar since we are also made up of 60-70% water. So also stay well hydrated!