- Nuts and seeds
- Dairy products – especially Greek Yogurt
- Eggs
- Seafood and fish – especially Salmon
- Poultry – especially Chicken breasts
- Lean meats
- Beans and legumes – including Quinoa
- Lentil pasta
When you have to make choices related to the health of your body and mind, you will have to be careful about both the quality as well as the quantity of the food you are eating. It goes without saying that protein is one of the primary factors that you have to ensure while following a diet.
Counting the macronutrients such as carbs, fat, and most importantly, protein may not be mainstream today, but people are now starting to treat it more importantly. Although a few diets demand limited fat or carbs content, almost every diet encourages high-protein foods.
The reason is the realization that the organic molecules and amino acids, which make up protein, are the building structures of life.
So, how can you get protein from your diet? What should you include in your diet as great sources of protein? And what are examples of protein foods?
This post will answer all of these questions and more.
When you have to make choices related to the health of your body and mind, you will have to be careful about both the quality as well as the quantity of the food you are eating. It goes without saying that protein is one of the primary factors that you have to ensure while following a diet.
Counting the macronutrients such as carbs, fat, and most importantly, protein may not be mainstream today, but people are now starting to treat it more importantly. Although a few diets demand limited fat or carbs content, almost every diet encourages high-protein foods.
The reason is the realization that the organic molecules and amino acids, which make up protein, are the building structures of life.
So, how can you get protein from your diet? What should you include in your diet as great sources of protein? And what are examples of protein foods?
This post will answer all of these questions and more.
When you have to make choices related to the health of your body and mind, you will have to be careful about both the quality as well as the quantity of the food you are eating. It goes without saying that protein is one of the primary factors that you have to ensure while following a diet.
Counting the macronutrients such as carbs, fat, and most importantly, protein may not be mainstream today, but people are now starting to treat it more importantly. Although a few diets demand limited fat or carbs content, almost every diet encourages high-protein foods.
The reason is the realization that the organic molecules and amino acids, which make up protein, are the building structures of life.
So, how can you get protein from your diet? What should you include in your diet as great sources of protein? And what are examples of protein foods? This post will answer all of these questions and more. Let us begin.
Why do you need protein?
In simple terms, you need protein in your body to make enzymes, blood, hair, and so much more! You need protein for bigger as well as smaller body functions. It provides energy and even supports your cognitive function and mood.
Protein is undoubtedly one of the vital nutrients that you need to build, maintain, and repair organs, cells, and tissues throughout your body. While it is in many regular foods that people eat daily, it is often an underrated or misunderstood item of a diet.
So, now the question comes – how exactly do you understand what protein is? Read on.
Protein
As soon as you consume protein, it breaks down into twenty amino acids, which are the basic building blocks of the human body that is crucial for energy and growth. The “amino acid tryptophan” influences the mood by producing serotonin. The serotonin is capable of reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression and improves the overall cognitive function in a human body
The majority of the non-vegetarian and non-vegan source of protein like dairy, eggs, fish, poultry, and meat, deliver every amino acid that a human body requires. On the other hand, protein sources that are vegetarian like nuts, vegetables, beans, and grains lack one or few essential amino acids.
But, you should not assume that you would only have to consume animal products for the right amino acids for your body. If you eat a variety or a wide range of plant-based protein foods, you can make sure that you get every essential amino acid for your body. Let us understand the health benefits that come with protein.
The health benefits
With protein, you get the energy for your daily activities. Therefore, it is what makes you get up, go, and keep going. Consuming just the right amount of protein can offer many benefits, such as:
- With adequate protein intake, you will be having a fully functional and healthy immune system, maintains the health of your respiratory system, and heart. In addition to that, it can also speed up the recovery process after your workout sessions.
- Proper protein intake can also reduce the risk of diabetes significantly as well as the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
- Consuming the right amount of protein is important for development as well as growth in children. Further, protein can also help you live a healthy life in your old age.
- Since protein is proven to work on human cognitive functions, it can help in improving your ability to recall and help in thinking clearly as well.
- With proper protein intake, your body will be capable of resisting depression, anxiety, and stress. In addition to that, it can also keep you in good moods!
- So now you know that protein helps in keeping you energetic and healthy. Further, it can also make you look good! Do you want to know how? As mentioned earlier, protein plays a vital role in maintaining healthy hair, nails, and skin as well as build muscles, which will make you good and attractive.
The protein foods
So far, we have covered the meaning and significance of protein intake, and it’s time to go into the primary topic, which is about the best protein sources.
Nuts
Let us start with the easiest source of high-protein – nuts. You can consume nuts in so many ways that you do not have to worry about somehow fitting them in any meal. Whether you like almond butter, plain pecans or just whole nuts that you can eat while working or travelling, you can score a considerable amount of protein!
Nuts are considered as a good trifecta of a healthy eating habit. It offers a perfect blend of the three macronutrients, namely fat, fibre, and protein and these three micronutrients help in balancing the blood sugar. The best part is that nuts are a vegan source of protein, which makes it perfect for everybody!
Greek Yogurt
Another simple source of high protein is Greek Yogurt. However, be warned that Greek Yogurt is a full-fat source of protein. It means that if you are looking for a fat-free source of protein, then you may want to stay away from the Greek Yogurt.
However, you want to skip the ”zero-fat” part then you can snack on the Greek Yogurt, which is made with whole milk and contains about four per cent fat and provides around twenty grams of protein. The biggest benefit of Greek Yogurts as compared to the regular yoghurts is that it can stabilize the levels of blood sugar.
Beans
Beans are the best option for anyone who wants to get the right protein amount daily without having to eat meat! You can stock your pantry up with cannellini beans, lentils, black-eyed peas, and garbanzo beans to include in your salads and stir into the soups.
One serving or a cup of beans offer about 15 grams of healthy plant-based protein approx along with zinc, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, folate, iron, vitamin B, and fibre. In addition to all these, you do not have to worry about carbs because most of the carbohydrates that you will get with the beans are associated with high fibre count and are a great alternative option for meatless protein.
Eggs
It’s time that we talk about high protein sources with low carb, and the best source is eggs! It’sIt’s a quick-cooking and remarkably versatile option that offers six grams of protein with less than one gram of carbs!
Eggs are so versatile that it can go with your breakfast, lunch, and even dinner. You can have them anyway you want – crack them or boil them, mix them with spices, put them in a curry or with beans or sometimes just with slices of bread. Further, you do not have to worry about cholesterol.
In one review done by the prestigious “British Medical Journal,” there is no link between the consumption of egg and risk of strokes or any cholesterol-related heart issues.
Salmon
Although almost every animal protein is rich in protein and low in carbs, salmons offer something extra, and that is salmons are the strong omega-3 source. A three-ounce fillet can add to your everyday Rx up to 17 grams of protein!
Mix your diet with some lean proteins with options which offers high-fat content like fish to compensate for the nutritional requirements like zinc, vitamin B, and iron.
However, you should understand that salmons that are wild-caught are different than the farm-raised ones. The wild-caught salmons are the best options when it comes to a great source of protein as compared to the farm-raised ones.
Lentil pasta
Filling up a diet with high-protein items does not mean that you cannot have a bowl of pasta! Let us understand that protein sources are not just limited to meat, eggs, and popular plant-based items. You can take a break from the regular and popular protein sources and try something uncommon, like a hot and tasty bowl of pasta while making sure that your diet has a protein-rich item.
A two-ounce serving of the pulse-based noodles provides an impressive ratio of protein to carbs: 14 grams and 35 grams, respectively. Additionally, a bowl of lentil pasta can also offer more fibre than other flour-based noodles.
Chicken breasts
For a bodybuilder, grilled chicken is still one of the go-to high-protein and low-fat options. A serving of 3.5 ounces of the skinless and boneless chicken breast offers less than four grams of fat and at the same time, offers an impressive 31 grams of protein!
Further, a serving of 3.5 ounces comprises of just 165 calories, which makes it one of the best sources that are high in protein but low in fat. You can stick to backing, roasting or grilling instead of deep-frying or pan-frying to make sure that you don’t raise the fat content.
There are other meat-based options as well, such as a sliced breast of a deli turkey that can offer six grams of protein for every one ounce and the lean sirloin beef that can provide 34 grams of protein for a serving of four-ounce.
Quinoa
Quinoa is an impressive and renowned protein-rich food, and the reason behind its popularity is the fact that it is low in fat and gluten-free. If you are looking for a good vegetarian source of protein, then Quinoa is one of the best options. In every one cooked cup, you would get a protein content of up to eight grams, and that makes it an ideal side dish.
Apart from Quinoa, if you want other high-protein foods that are plant-based, then you can consider firm tofu that offers 20 grams of protein for a half cup of serving, edamame that offers 11 grams of protein in every serving of half cup, and the creamy peanut butter that offer 8 grams of protein in just two teaspoons.
These are the best protein foods that can make sure that you get an adequate amount of protein. Therefore, you can include them in your diet and rest assured that your body is getting the right amount of protein.
To make it easier for you, we have made a summarized list of dietary protein inspired by the above-mentioned food items. Take a look:
- Nuts and seeds
- Dairy products
- Eggs
- Seafood and fish
- Poultry
- Lean meats
- Beans and legumes
There are some cereal-based and grain products that are also good sources of protein. However, they do not offer high protein content as compared to the meat or the meat-alternative options.
Easy and extra protein diet
If you are looking for more ways to eat more protein, here are a few suggestions:
- Peanut butter sandwich: Use natural peanut butter without any filler, sugar or salt.
- Ricotta cheese or low-fat cottage cheese: They are rich in protein that you can mix with a pasta dish, mashed potato or scrambled eggs. Or you can just spread them on your morning toast!
- Seeds and nuts: You can include seeds and nuts as toppings or mix them with vegetables or salads.
- Beans: Include beans in pasta sauces, casseroles or soups.
- Greek Yoghurt: Mix this protein-rich food in your morning cereal or have them as dessert after a meal with some fresh-cut fruits.
- Hummus: You can have a plate of fresh vegetables with hummus as your evening snack. You can even spread hummus on a sandwich for some extra protein dose during lunchtimes.
Protein Takeway:
What are examples of protein foods
Now that you have finished reading this post, you have the answer to the main question – What are examples of protein food? You can have these natural protein-rich foods with your daily meals. You know that inadequate protein intake can lead to a number of serious medical and health issues, and therefore, it is important that you know what protein you are eating and how much you are eating. In this post, we studied various protein sources and chose the best options for you! All the best for your good health!
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