Z. Johnson
Let’s talk about protein. It’s one of the most important macronutrients our body needs. And I mean, it’s THE nutrient. I’m sure you already know about this. However, we often under-eat protein foods because of many reasons. You may be thinking about taking more time to meal prep those chicken breasts, turkey or fish fillets. Plus, you usually think about eating these types of foods during lunch or dinner. But, the truth is, adding more protein to your diet is not complicated at all!! I’ll teach you some easy ways to increase protein intake that will change your life for the better.
Boosting protein intake: Why do we need more?
Protein is essential to keep good health overall. Added to that, if you are on a fitness journey or looking to lose weight, protein will help boost your metabolism. Getting enough protein should be a priority in your diet. The daily average recommendation of protein is about 50g. To be more precise, you need to eat 0.8g- 1g for each kg of weight. For instance, if you are weighing 65 kg, then you should be eating about 65g of protein. If you are active and on a fitness journey to build lean mass, then you should increase a bit more, depending on your body’s needs. For a more specific requirement, check with your nutritionist.
Protein is responsible for building your muscles but also repairing them after your workout. Besides that, protein plays an important role in your metabolism and your body’s ability to burn fat. Therefore, if your goal is to lose weight or get leaner, you must have good protein intake. Also, eating enough protein will ensure your sugar cravings are in check, your blood sugar will be stable and you’ll be likely to store less fat. Protein takes longer to digest, so your metabolism increases by using more energy and helping you feel full. This is the main reason why people who increase their protein intake are able to control their hunger better.
Getting in that protein
How do you increase protein intake? Well, by making some easy food swaps. It’s important that you bear in mind some of the best protein sources, so you can add them to your meals. If you’ve been struggling to lose weight, maybe you should start by adding more protein to your meals, instead of focusing on which foods to eliminate. It is more realistic, your body needs it (backed by science), and of course it’s more sustainable than anything else. I always teach my clients some simple tricks to keep protein in their minds, even if they are not trying to build muscle, you know, as in body building. Having more protein in your meals increases your body’s ability to produce more energy, even when you are at rest. Yes! Read that again!
So, to the point, here are my favorite easy ways to increase protein intake in your diet:
1. Start swapping that regular yogurt for greek yogurt
There’s nothing wrong with the regular yogurt, folks. But greek yogurt, is by far one of the best dairy protein sources. Each serving adds 15g to up to 20g. Think about it, that’s double the portion a serving of regular yogurt has! It’s very easy to add greek yogurt to your diet. You can have it as a snack, add it as an ingredient to your favorite shakes, to your breakfasts or desserts.
2. Eat more hard boiled eggs
You’ve probably heard that eggs are one of the most important sources of protein. One hard boiled egg gives you about 7g of protein. Depending on how you eat, you can have up to 2 eggs in one sitting! And this is not only during breakfast, you can also snack on eggs, even before you workout. You can also include eggs in your salads or pancake recipes. Check out some protein recipes here.
3. Increase protein intake by adding more nuts into your life!
Nuts are also important sources of plant based protein. Some great examples are almonds, peanuts, pecan nuts, etc. Top of your favorite yogurt with these nuts, add them to your desserts, your smoothie bowls, other recipes or simply as snacks.
4. Seeds! More seeds in my food please!
Seeds, like chia and flax seeds, are also great sources of plant based protein. Get at least a tablespoon of these seeds included in your meals. I love adding chia seeds to my smoothies. You can include them in your green smoothie recipes, as drinks, part of other dishes, and recipes.
5. Whole grains also have some protein!
Other good sources of plant based protein are grains like oats, and quinoa. Oats provide about 10.7g protein per cup. Quinoa is also a good source of protein that gives about 8.14g per cup of serving (cooked). If you have access to quinoa, you can swap one cup for white rice, for example.
You can also take advantage of superblends or superfood smoothies. These foods are packed with so much nutrition value and benefits, that you won’t want to miss including these in your healthy eating regimen. I tried Splendid Spoon superblends, and I love that they have superfoods, are fully plant-based and help boost your metabolism. You can easily have them for a quick meal replacement, post-workout smoothie, or simply as a complete snack. These smoothies are perfect for busy people, who are always on-the-go. Splendid spoon offers many flavors and bundles, plus deliver right to your door. Get 15% off here.
6. Healthy fats? Increase protein intake with nut butters!
Yes, nut butters can also add a little extra protein to your foods. I love using peanut or almond butter as a snack with apple slices. Also, you can go old school and top it to some carrots or celery sticks. Even as a spread in a sandwich, they always turn out to make meals tastier!
7. Include large lean protein sources to all your meals
Some of my favorite lean sources of protein are: poultry, call it chicken or turkey. I prefer lean cuts like chicken breasts and thighs. In the case of turkey, you can find some good cuts even for ham. Don’t forget the fish and seafood! You can’t go wrong with canned tuna or some fish fillets. These are some great protein foods you need to include daily. If you go for red meat, choose leaner cuts, those that have 2% or less fat.
8. Add that scoop of protein to your foods!
There are many brands of protein powders to include in your meals. If you are feeling for a good protein shake, whey protein has at least 20g of protein per scoop. You can make that great breakfast shake or pre workout snack with a scoop of protein. There are also available some protein coffees. Yes! Coffee with added protein. Check out more at your local store.
9. Eat more beans and try snacking on that hummus dip
Beans are by far one of the main sources of plant based protein. Even though they are not as digestible as animal protein, you can still take advantage of good quality and increase protein intake. Red beans, black beans, lentils, chickpeas are some of the best foods. Why not snack on hummus from time to time? Or, you can as well add it to any sandwich, instead of regular mayo.
10. More legumes! Include those chickpeas, green peas and edamame
The bottom line with plant based protein sources is, eat more legumes! Sometimes we underestimate foods like green peas and chickpeas, but they also contain a significant amount of protein. Edamame is becoming more and more popular. This asian origin legume can help you increase protein intake in ways you never knew. Now, you can find them as side dishes in restaurants, entrees or snacks. One half cup of edamame contains 9g of protein.
11. Go for low-fat dairy products
Low-fat dairy foods like white cheese, feta cheese, or even cottage cheese, are better sources of protein than other types. If you are a milk lover, like me, go for at least a 2% partially skimmed or fully skimmed milk. I usually have these foods in the morning for breakfast, or even as snacks. Add that slice of cheese to your favorite sandwich.
12. Increase protein intake with protein bars?
Protein snack bars are also a good option to include more protein in your life, as long as they are really sources of protein. What I mean by this is that you need to read labels at all times. Sometimes you’ll find protein bar brands that are loaded with carbs and sugar, more than anything else. I will show you some hacks on how to identify this later on. But, in the meantime, snacking on some good quality bars can help to increase that protein intake and boost your metabolism.
In short…
Increasing your protein intake is easier than you thought. There are so many rich foods you can choose from. The thing here is to get creative and add them to your meals regularly. You’ll notice a difference on your energy levels, you’ll start dropping those extra pounds of fat and even have better control of your fullness, with less sugar cravings. Adding more protein to your meals couldn’t be better! Let me know some of your favorite protein foods in the comment section below. Sharing is caring as well!
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