- Eggs
- Nuts (Tree nuts)
- Chicken (breasts)
- Greek Yogurt
- Milk
- Broccoli
- Beef
- Quinoa
- Lentils
- Pumpkin seeds
- Turkey
- Fish
There are several sources of proteins that you can benefit from. You can choose to maximize animal or plant proteins or even draw from both. However, you need to remember that these sources differ in the number and types of amino acids available. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. There exist twenty-one types, each having its roles and functions in the human body. Some amino acids can be produced by the body, while others cannot.
The eight amino acids that cannot be produced by the body are referred to as essential amino acids since they have to form part of the diet. The remainder is known as non-essential amino acids and doesn’t have to be part of your meal. Therefore, when you choose a source of protein, you need to keep that in mind. Ensure that you settle on something that you can hugely benefit from. It should have all, if not most, essential amino acids that the body cannot produce.
Which is best protein food?
Fortunately, several protein sources fall into the category we have just mentioned above. Let’s take a look at some of these:
- Eggs
It goes without saying that eggs are some of the best sources of proteins. Whole eggs are not only healthy but also highly nutritious. You will enjoy vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, antioxidants, and all the necessary brain nutrients. If you need high protein content, settle for whole eggs, but when it comes to pure protein, egg white is all you need. You will get 33% of calories in a whole egg. One egg has around 5g of protein and 78 calories. Do not take eggs if you have any egg allergy. - Nuts (Tree nuts)
Tree nuts also have high protein content. One of the most common sources is almonds. This food is rich in all the essential nutrients. It has fiber, Vitamin E, Manganese, and magnesium. Isn’t this what you need? However, if you have a nut allergy, you are better off without taking almonds. One ounce of almonds provides 6g of proteins and 164 calories. Other nuts include pistachios, which has 13% of calories and cashew nuts. - Chicken (breasts)
It is common knowledge that chicken breast is one of the best sources of proteins. Heavy lifters are always encouraged to eat as much of this as possible to help them repair the damaged muscles and faster post-workout recovery. A good hack that will help you maximize the protein content is eating it without the skin. Fortunately, chicken breast is easy to cook and won’t take you much time. You can also choose to serve it alongside several dishes for a heavily nutritious meal. If you eat one roasted breast without any skin, you get 53g of proteins and a record of 284 calories. I hope that you now understand why we call it healthy. - Greek Yogurt
This product is popularly known as strained yogurt. It is usually thicker than all the other options. It can be taken alongside other delicious meals thanks to its creamy texture and abundance of nutrients. A 170g container contains 17 grams of protein and a breath-taking 100 calories. However, you have to be extra careful when buying one. Make sure that it does not have added sugar. Most people prefer full-fat yogurt, which is also good for protein content, just that it has several calories. You can also go for regular full-fat yogurt, which has 24% calories and kefir, which contains 40% of calories attributed to proteins. - Milk
Have you ever wondered why babies need only milk to survive the first few months of their lives? Well, milk has almost all the nutrients that your body needs to survive. You will get high-quality proteins, calcium. Phosphorus, riboflavin, and all the other nutrients that you can think of. If you are going slow on fats, ensure that you settle on low or zero fat milk. Also, keep in mind that milk will lead to gastrointestinal symptoms if you have lactose intolerance. This also applies to people with milk allergies. If you are lactose intolerant but would like to drink some milk, a good alternative would be soy milk. A cup of whole milk contains 8g of protein and 149 calories. If you choose soy milk, a cup will give you roughly 6.3g of proteins and 105 calories. Therefore, you are on the safer side, regardless of your decision. - Broccoli
Broccoli is a good protein source for everybody but, more specifically, vegans who do not have tolerance for meat or dairy products. It is a vegetable rich in Vitamin C, K, fiber, and potassium. Needless to say, it is also a super-rich source of proteins. Broccoli is normally one of the foods that people with a higher risk of developing different cancers are advised to eat. It has bioactive nutrients that may help protect against cancer, and unlike most vegetables, broccoli has a higher protein content. A cup of chopped broccoli will give you 3g of proteins and only 31 calories. Isn’t this what is meant by eating healthy. - Beef
Beef is what you get when you slaughter a cow. While most people shy away from beef due to health reasons and lifestyle choices, lean beef can add value to your life. It has a higher protein content and a load of iron, which plays an important role in the body. 53% of calories in lean beef are made up of proteins, and for every 85-gram serving, you will get around 25g proteins, which is pretty high. It also comes with 186 calories, which is pretty manageable. If you are cutting your carbs intake, beef would be a pretty good option. - Quinoa
I am pretty sure that you have heard of quinoa being mentioned several times. Well, this is a rich protein source, especially for vegans. Quinoa is the only cereal with all the essential amino acids that cannot be manufactured by the body. Therefore, it is often referred to as a superfood. When you take Quinoa, you get vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which your body highly needs. This cereal also has several health benefits that you wouldn’t want to miss. In every one cup of cooked quinoa, you will get 8grams of proteins and around 222 calories. Therefore, if you are heavy on plant protein, remember always to eat quinoa. You won’t have to invest in different plant sources for protein complementation to occur. - Lentils
Lentils are legumes. Therefore, you can establish that this plant protein is rich in fiber, magnesium, iron, folate, copper, manganese, and several other nutrients. Out of all the plant-based protein sources, lentils appear at the top of the least worldwide. You can just imagine what you get by eating these regularly. Apart from quinoa, you can also eat lentils if you want a lifestyle change and become a vegan or vegetarian. A cup of boiled lentils will furnish your body with 18g of proteins and 230 calories. You can establish just how good this product is by the figures mentioned. Other high protein legumes that you can choose if you don’t fin lentils palatable are soybeans, kidney beans, and chickpeas. - Pumpkin seeds
Did you know that pumpkin seeds have high protein content? I bet not. Well, pumpkins have edible seeds known as pumpkin seeds. These seeds do contain not only proteins but also a large range of nutrients. You will get iron, magnesium, and zinc, which are all necessary for the proper functioning of your body and cells. 28g serving of pumpkin seeds produces a remarkable eight grams of proteins and 158 calories. I hope that this does not come as a shocker. Other high protein seeds include flax seeds, sunflower seeds, and chia seeds, all with high-calorie levels attributed to proteins. - Turkey
Turkey falls in the same league as chicken. Meat from turkey is normally considered white meat and has a load of nutrients. Like in chicken, one of the best sources of protein in this food source is the breast. Turkey breast consists of protein. It has a relatively low amount of fats and calories. You will also enjoy a delicious taste even you reap from the copious amounts of vitamins and minerals. An 85g serving of turkey breast will furnish you with 26 grams of protein and 125 calories. - Fish
Fish is one of the healthiest foods on earth. In fact, you can eat any type if you want to boost your protein intake. Fish has all the essential nutrients that play major roles in your body functioning. Others, such as Salmon, also have omega-3 fatty acids. If you decide to eat Salmon, you will rep 19g per every 85-gram serving. Keep in mind that the protein calorie content in this fish is 22%. Even after all this, you will only consume 175 calories.
Protein Takeway:
Which is best protein food
There are several sources that you can turn to for your daily dosage of this essential nutrient. However, make sure that it is rich in other nutrients too. Our list can serve as a good starting point.
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