Protein is vital for nutrition. Not only does it play a vital role in building and maintaining the tissues and muscles in your body, but it also helps regulate how your body processes food and helps ensure that you’re feeling full. Healthline suggests that if you’re an adult consuming 2,000 calories a day, you should be eating about 5.5 ounces of protein.
Sushi
If you’re like me and you like sushi, you’ll be happy to know that you can get some lean protein this way. Many supermarkets now have chefs on site so that you can have fresh fish and rice. Sushi (for the most part) is low in calories but offers some good fiber and protein. However, you need to stay away from the soy sauce. If you can’t live without it, try the low-sodium option.
Ground Sirloin
Ground sirloin is one of the leanest meats. A 3-ounce serving has 10 grams of fat. If you go for a ground mix, it goes up to 13 grams. Ground beef usually has about 15 grams, so you should opt for 90% lean. Pork loin is another good option, as you can get it for about 4.5 ounces of saturated fat or less. Not to mention that it has 21 grams of protein in less than five ounces.
Low-Fat Cottage Cheese
One cup of low-fat cottage cheese has fewer calories (under 200) and can contain around 28 grams of protein. By eating low-fat cottage cheese, you’ll get some calcium while you’re getting your protein. It also offers other nutrients that you need, including phosphorus. If you feel like it needs a little bit of flavor, you can add things like pineapple or fruit.
Skinless White Poultry
A serving of cooked turkey breast or chicken can offer about 30 grams of protein. You should skip the thighs, drumsticks, and dark meats so you can get to the lean parts. The leanest parts are the breasts, wings, and breast tenderloins. If you want to take it a step further and lower the fat, don’t eat the skin. It may taste good, but it adds calories and almost 10 grams of fat. Skinless offers about 3.5 grams of fat for comparison.
Eggs
The debate about eggs is strong (too much cholesterol or fat), but the truth is that for the most part they’ve been a great and previously inexpensive way to get some protein. A hard-boiled egg has about 7 grams of protein. If you add veggies, you can get in some calcium, fiber, and vitamins. Not to mention, people who have eggs for breakfast tend to feel full longer.
White Fish
Typically, white-fleshed fish are lean and great for the protein you need. For instance, very lean options include bass, cod, grouper, haddock, tilapia, and halibut. One thing to note, however, is that they only offer about a quarter of the omega-3 acids as the higher-fat fish, so it’s a good idea to try to eat both.
Frozen Shrimp
Frozen shrimp tends to have fewer calories than unbreaded options and is a low-fat food that offers good protein. However, be aware that shrimp can have a lot of sodium due to the processing. So be careful. Three ounces will get you 22 grams of protein, so if you can get it with minimal sodium, you’ll be doing well.
Edamame
While this is an acquired taste for some, it’s a good source of protein and it’s great to add to soups, salads, and can be a great snack. By volume, it has more protein than beef options but almost none of the saturated fat. Be careful adding salt to it, however, because you don’t want your sodium levels to rise.
Tofu
If you’re averse to animal products and you want to avoid meat, tofu is one way to get your protein. It’s low in calories and fat, and it offers about 9 grams of protein for you. One thing to keep in mind is that tofu is made with soybeans and almost 85% of the soybeans that the U.S. uses are genetically modified, according to Healthline.
Lentils
Lentils are wonderful for protein, giving you around 25 grams per half a cup (it will depend on the type). Another plus? They can reduce inflammation and protect your blood vessels, and it’s been suggested that they can help with glucose management. There will be fewer essential amino acids, though, so you should fill the gap with other grains.
A Variety
Because protein is so important to our diet, you’ll need to make sure you’re getting it in. With a variety of foods, you’ll find it easier than you might think. Just be careful about your choices to make sure that you’re providing your body the best options for what it needs.
