Protein

I had a friend mention to me that she isn't getting enough protein in her diet, and she wondered what foods were high in protein. Per her request, I am writing a post dedicated to protein. What is protein? Essentially protein is a nutrient needed to perform basic bodily functions.  Our body is partly made up of proteins.  You can read more about protein and its functions here.

How much protein do we need? You can calculate that here.  If you are a 145 pound woman like myself then you would need anywhere from 52-118 grams of protein, depending on how active your lifestyle is.

There are so many sources of protein. In my opinion, when people think protein they generally think meat.  Yes, meat provides a lot of protein.  3 ounces of lean beef has 31 grams of protein. One chicken breast contains 58 grams of protein. Animal protein is good, but you should also get your protein from other sources.

I know this week I am off dairy, but in general dairy is good in moderation. Cheese is a good source of protein. A tablespoon of parmesan cheese has 2 grams of protein.  An ounce of cottage cheese has 5 grams of protein.  A serving of greek yogurt can contain as much as 17 grams of protein.

Fish are full of protein.  A 3oz fillet of tuna, salmon, halibut or snapper has 22 grams of protein. Tilapia has 17 grams of protein.

Eggs are a great source of protein.  1 large egg has 6 grams of protein.  If you want to keep an eye on your cholesterol, you can use just the egg whites and still get 4 grams of protein.

There are also many options for those who do not do dairy or meat. 3 ounces of tofu offer 6 grams of protein. A cup of soymilk has 8 grams of protein.

Beans are a wonderful source of protein and there are a large variety of beans to choose from.  Soy beans (as I like to call Edamame) offer 29 grams of protein per cup. They make a great snack. They are really fun to peel open and pop in your mouth!  The following protein is per cup: kidney beans-17 grams, white beans-17 grams, lima beans-15 grams, fava beans-14 grams, black beans-15 grams, mung beans-14 grams. Beans are your friends! You could make a chili or bean stew and you have a high protein meal.

Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) have 39 grams of protein per cup. Most hummus is made from chickpeas, so a high protein snack could be fresh veggies and hummus. It is also really easy to make. Try this basic hummus recipe from the Barefoot Contessa.

Nuts and seeds also provide protein.  An ounce serving of either almonds, pistachios or sunflower seeds contains 6 grams of protein.  An ounce of peanuts is 7 grams.  2 tablespoons of peanut butter has 8 grams of protein.

You can also use protein powder, but be careful to look at the ingredients and nutrition facts.. Often a ton of sugar is added to protein powder.

A variety of vegetables provide protein, but a small amount. 1 cup of spinach has 1 gram of protein.  1/2 cup of steamed broccoli has 1 gram of protein.

Need some ideas for high protein meals/snacks? I have some for you!

Breakfast
Pumpkin Protein Shake at around 270 calories, this morning shake offers 30 grams of fat
Banana Oatmeal Smoothie 380 calories with 12 grams of protein
Breakfast Cookies and Bars 234 calories and 7.6 grams of protein

Snacks
Nutty Putty
1 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 cup powdered milk

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Roll into about 16 balls with hands.  Can keep in the fridge or freeze. This makes a great snack! Each ball is 170 calories and 10 grams of protein. Be careful with this snack, though.  It can be addictive!

Trail mix--an ounce of mixed nuts is around 5 grams of protein

High-protein Portable Snacks

Larabars are great snacks, made from fruit and nuts. They contain anywhere from 4 to 6 grams of protein. Plus they can curb the sweet tooth.

Like I mentioned earlier, hummus is a good source of protein. A half cup of hummus has around 6 grams of protein.  Here are a few other hummus recipes: Green Monster Hummus, Hummus


Meals
Chili is a great way to get in protein. 1 cup has about 14 grams of protein and is very filling. I found a few different chili recipes: Easy Vegetarian Chili, 6 Delicious Chili Recipes, Turkey Black Bean Chili, Paleo Crock Pot Chili

Taco salad-using black beans and ground turkey. I like to top it with tomatoes, corn, cilantro, salsa, a little bit of cheese, and avocado.

Baked potato bar-- a baked potato has 3.5 grams of protein. Add cheese, greek yogurt, beans, sliced ham and you have around 12 grams of protein right there.

Honey Ginger Grilled Salmon  306 calories per serving and 36.5 grams of protein

Grilled Chili Lime Chicken 239 calories, 25.6 grams of protein

Maple Glazed Salmon 454 calories and 66 grams of protein


That's what I have for now. I hope this helps you out.  I plan on getting another post out soon on good snacks and food to curb cravings and keep you from going off the healthy bandwagon.  Happy eating!

-Kate, your not-too-fit guru