Before sea moss gel, green powder, and Erewhon-supported smoothies (hi, Hailey and Bella) became the “it” super food, adding enough protein to your diet was the name of the health game. Derived from the Greek word for “head,” which means “first place” or “at the top,” you could call it the OG of the food chain.
Hot topic: Protein is making a comeback and for good reason. Eat the right amount of protein is essential for our muscles and bones to repair and grow. When protein it is eaten, the body breaks it down into amino acids, absorbs it, and uses it to build muscles and organs, produce hormones and antibodies, and as a source of energy. Bottom Line: Protein is important to keep your body in top shape.
So how much protein do you need to eat? Although it depends on factors such as age and job level, which School of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests that the average person should eat 0.35 grams per pound of body weight per day for general health. For example, a person who weighs 165 kilograms should eat an average of 60 protein per day. Use that formula as a starting point, then talk to your doctor or nutritionist to find out how many grams you need based on your needs, goals, activity level and body.
While you might think that sticking to grilled chicken and hard-boiled eggs is the only way to add more protein to your diet, there are tricks to achieving the right macronutrient diet that aren’t. yes. Ahead are six simple tips to help you eat more protein. Spoiler: They cause growth and variety.
1. Food prep protein in every meal
Planning your meals ahead of time ensures that each meal is built around a high quality protein. Eggs or breakfast sausage may be the obvious choice for an early, protein-packed brekkie, but don’t sleep on a high-protein breakfast. burritos, casseroles, pancakes, and overnight oats. When it comes to lunch or dinner, time or make to go-to get proteins like chicken, fish and tofu, and cook them in bulk so you have them ready for dishes, salads, pasta , tacos, wraps, and fries.
If you can’t force yourself to prepare a large portion of protein in advance, make a little more than what you need when making dinner and save it for lunch the next day. For a protein boost, don’t forget to sprinkle any (and every!) food or snack with nutritional yeast (flavor and protein), chia seeds, or nuts like almonds, walnuts , and pine nuts, to boost your protein intake. .
2. Add protein powder to your recipe
From natural collagen to natural whey and a variety of plants (like beans or hemp), you can take your protein powders to give you a morning boost, an afternoon zing, or a post-workout boost. the body. Protein powders are one of the easiest ways to get protein into your diet because you can add them to pretty much anything: smoothies, oatmeal, pancakes, yogurt, and more.
Another easy way to incorporate protein powder without any problems? # Professional, or ICYMI coffee protein. TikTokers and fitness women take their morning cup of joe with protein powder to get a leg up on protein for the day (inside tip: Starbucks fans can join in, too. Cold water binds protein– I’m just telling you). Is matcha more your cup of tea? Mix matcha latte with vanilla protein powder and milk of your choice for an M-up in protein. Just make sure that the protein powder you choose is good quality organic or pure with no added artificial sweeteners.
3. Have protein-rich snacks on hand
Food is there for us when we’re hungry, the munchies hit, or we need to increase our protein intake. You want to get the most bang for your buck, so load up on high-protein foods like smoothies, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, slicked-back turkey and cheese, smoked salmon and avocado toast, applesauce and peanut butter, and roasted edamame (I could go on). Bonus: They’ll also help stabilize your blood sugar levels and prevent that infamous afternoon crash. If you’re always on the go, have healthy snacks ready that you can easily grab. Think: lean beef, clean protein shakes, and nuts or seeds.
4. Add more corn
They say good things come in small packages, and character is no exception. Soybeans, lentils, and white beans are packed with protein, and not only do they provide a good portion of plant-based protein, but they also help. help meet fiber, iron, and vitamin requirements. Other protein-packed beans to add to your diet: split and kidney peas, black beans, kidney beans and pinto beans. Stock your kitchen pantry with these protein shakers for a cheap and easy way to pack a variety of foods and meals. Eat them on their own or make them into a soup, dip (hummus, anyone?), or a bean-based veggie burger, or toss them into an omelet or salad for a healthy protein that will – make you full and satisfied. Another hack? Replace your processed carbohydrates with legume-based options, such as chickpea or lentil pasta.
5. Add protein to baked goods and desserts
You may think of muffins, bread, or cookies as nutritious foods, but these homemade options make the perfect vehicle to add protein to the mix (by the way normal). With the addition of protein powder, greek yogurt, beans, ground flaxseed, or nut or nut butter, you can satisfy your sweet tooth and reach your protein goal at the same time. Take advantage of these things brownies full of chocolate protein and almond dust, blueberry cake donuts which includes almond flour, vanilla protein powder, and Greek yogurt, or red lentil cookies Full of protein from red lentils, peanut butter, oats, and whole wheat flour (don’t knock it till you try it!). And if dessert doesn’t make your cake pop, try these Lemon Coconut Flaxseed Balls, a glass of milkor vegan cookie dough at night you take care of yourself inside (now that’s my kind of multi-tasking).
6. Replace refined grains with whole grains
Food for thought: Whole grains full of essential nutrients, including fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, complex carbohydrates, and you guessed it—protein. When we process grains (turning them into refined carbohydrates like white flour), it strips them of their nutritional value, including removing protein. For example, Whole wheat flour contains more than 28% protein. than refined wheat flour. When buying bread, pasta, or other wheat products, choose whole wheat over whole wheat flour for more benefits, including more protein.
Better yet, opt for whole grains such as quinoa, farro, barley, bulgur, brown rice, or millet. A lot of corn contain about 25% more protein when eaten in their whole form because the protein is processed. Add whole grains to salads, make whole grain side dishes, or whip up pilafs, fries, and bowls.
