FAQ: How much protein?

It’s doubtful but possible that your teenager might not be getting “enough” protein to pack on pounds of muscle.

Rule of thumb: Try to get 1-1.5 grams of protein for every pound of body weight every day.

That is usually not a problem except for a vegan diet, but vegans can get plenty of protein from dairy and beans. The BEST sources of protein are “natural” foods rich in protein (i.e. meat, beans, dairy) or amino acids (the building blocks for proteins) that are found in many plants.

Chances are if you cut back on sugar and processed food, and make healthy whole foods available, your voracious teen will eat all the vitamins, nutrients, and amino acids needed to grow stronger.