Is an avocado a good source of protein?
This question is about Nutrition
Elle Penner, MPH, RD
While avocados contain more protein than most other fruits, an avocado is not considered a good source of protein.
According to the Food and Drug Association (FDA), a typical serving of a food must provide between 10-19% of the daily recommended intake to be considered a “good” source of protein.
The recommended daily amount (RDA) for protein is between 54-72 g/day. Since a 200 g avocado only contains 4 g of protein, it’s well below the 10% threshold and therefore would not be considered a “good” source of protein [1, 2].
If you are looking for good sources of plant-based protein, a 100 g serving of quinoa, tofu, lentils or soybeans are good options; these provide between 8-16 g of protein, which is much higher than avocados.
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References:
- Panel on Macronutrients; Panel on the Definition of Dietary Fiber; Subcommittee on Upper Reference Levels of Nutrients; Subcommittee on Interpretation and Uses of Dietary Reference Intakes; Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes; Food and Nutrition Board; Institute of Medicine. (2005). Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. National Academies. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/10490/chapter/12
- CFR - Code of Federal Regulations Title 21. (2022, January 6). US Food & Drug Administration. Retrieved April 19, 2022, from https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?fr=101.54