Science

Pump Up the Protein

Eggs, lentils, tofu, yogurt. Time for a protein roll call!

A song. A few new discoveries.

Learn how protein supplies amino acids that the body uses to build and maintain tissues, then compare familiar animal and plant foods.

Protein amounts are approximate and depend on portion size, preparation and product. The song uses example servings, not equal weights. Daily figures are general reference values, not a personal meal plan.

Made for curious kids around ages 6–12 and the grown-ups watching with them. Music and animation created with AI tools under Mike Sego’s direction. YouTube’s video description includes the release notes and credits.

Read the sing-along lyrics

Smarty Party! Okay, everybody, warm it up! Five, six, seven... eight grams? That's a cup of milk! Quick, somebody bring me a can of tuna! Every bite of protein, what's inside? Amino acids, lined up side by side! Your body snaps the chain apart, Then builds brand-new you, part by part! Muscles for jumping, hair that grows, Nails on your fingers and nails on your toes! Skin that heals when you scrape your knee— Protein's the body's repair crew, see! Pump up the protein! How many grams? Kick it and stretch it and clap your hands! Building blocks from your head to your toes— Pump up the protein! Here we go! Chicken breast, four ounces: thirty-five! A can of tuna: nearly thirty—high five! A burger patty: twenty-nine! Eight big shrimp: twenty-seven in a line! A salmon fillet: twenty-five, Swimmin' upstream and feelin' alive! Pump up the protein! How many grams? Kick it and stretch it and clap your hands! Building blocks from your head to your toes— Pump up the protein! Here we go! Count it up! Grams! Grams! Grams! Count it up! Grams! Grams! Grams! A cup of Greek yogurt: about twenty! Half a block of tofu: twenty—plenty! Edamame, one cup: eighteen, Lentils, a cooked cup: eighteen, too! A cup of black beans: fifteen— Beans and lentils, lookin' out for you! So how much do you need in a day? Four to eight years old? About nineteen, they say. Nine to thirteen? Thirty-four, And grown-ups need a little more. Two eggs and a cup of milk—twenty-one! Mix and match it, and the counting's fun! Two big eggs? Thirteen! A slice of pizza? 'Bout twelve, I mean! Four soup dumplings? About ten! A cup of milk? It's eight again! Cheddar, one ounce? Seven! Peanut butter, two spoons? Seven! Pump up the protein! How many grams? Kick it and stretch it and clap your hands! Building blocks from your head to your toes— Pump up the protein! Here we go! Count it up! Grams! Grams! Grams! Pump up the protein! Here we go! Great workout, everybody. And thank you for the tuna... Wait. I said a CAN of tuna. Smarty Party Songs! Like, subscribe, PARTY!

Lyrics from the published video’s caption file.