The 8 best protein food

If you concentrate on feeling satisfied after eating, supporting your muscle growth, helping your body, having strong bones and doing your immuneity, protein must be part of your plate. Sure, carbohydrates and healthy fats are important to support our general health and well -being. But protein plays so many key roles in the human body that the food should have enough priority.

According to 2024 research in published in The American Journal of Clinical NutritionThe dietary protein intake was associated with a reduced rate of muscle loss and the maintenance of the cognitive function, and protein from plant sources was associated with a healthy aging.

In short, it is crucial to support your general health and well -being.

What is protein?

If you have ever done a diet or talked to someone about nutrition, you have certainly heard the word protein. While many people know that protein is important, they may not know what it actually is.

The proteins we eat consist of various amino acids – the building blocks of the protein. These amino acids are what the body uses for different functions, from the formation of certain hormones to the structure of muscles. When the body digest the entire protein that we receive from our lush Hamburger or a hearty lentil soup, the amino acids from which the protein consists is absorbed and used by cells for a variety of functions.

According to the National Institutes of Health, proteins consist of 20 amino acids, and everyone is classified as essential, not important or conditionally classified:

• Non -essential amino acids Are those who can make our body. They do not have to be included in the diet.
• Essential amino acids Are those that our body cannot do. Therefore, they must be preserved via the diet.
• Conditional amino acids are essential in times of illness and stress. So their classification of being essential is conditional.

Regardless of whether you are a meat eater or follow a vegan nutrition plan (or somewhere in between), it is possible to obtain all essential amino acids that the body needs as long as you decide on protein food all day.

What can protein do for you?

When people think of protein, the thoughts of bodybuilders who try to form the perfect muscles can come to mind. But protein is so much more than the BFF of a weightlifter. Protein or rather the amino acids of which protein consists of playing many essential roles in the body, including:

How much protein do you need?

While protein is an important nutrient, this does not mean that you should eat loads and charges of it every day. The amount of protein you need depends on a few factors, including your weight, age, gender and your state of health.

In general, most healthy adults need 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of weight. This corresponds to 55 g a day for a seated man with average weight and 45 g a day for a sitting woman with average weight. You may need to increase your protein consumption if you are extremely physically active, pregnant or breastfeeding when you recover from certain injuries or operations or are older. According to a 2020 Progress in nutrition According to experts, older people need more protein to maintain and make muscles.

Protein can be found in many foods that you are probably already enjoying. While this macronutrient can be found in smaller quantities in foods such as vegetables and rice, there are other foods with a high protein that can nourish your body better if you are included in a healthy diet as a whole.

To narrow down things, there are eight of the best protein -containing foods that you can enjoy.

1. Lean beef

Inclusion of beef into your diet not only provides your body with high -quality protein, but also drives your body with important nutrients such as zinc (which plays a role in immunity) and iron (which gives oxygen through your body). Try for a satisfactory dish that contains beef, a pan steak with mushroom sauce or a cozy slow cooker beef pot.

2. chicken

As a variety of dinner that is in the rotation of many people, chicken grabs a blow in the protein department. A simple chicken with a lemon pepper or a creamy parmesan-garlic-mushroom chicken recipe can be a simple dinner a week that contains this important nutrient in a delicious way.

3. Salmon

Salmon may be known for its healthy fats, which support heart health, but this food also contains a strong part of the protein. The food of fish at least twice a week also increases your weekly protein rotation variety. Salmon recipes such as our honey-Knoblic salmon or a walnut-rosemary crusted salmon are a must.

4. Eggs

Egg food is a convenient way to sneak up in high -quality protein. You can enjoy them that have messed up or hard or take them into recipes such as a 10-minute spinach omelet and egg salad. Take a look at our egg recipes to get more eggs!

5. Peanut butter

Natural peanut butter is the right way for a protein -based protein source that many loved. You can enjoy it in a classic peanut butter -sandwich, use it as an ingredient in an peanut dressing or open some peanut butter balls for a quick nosh on the way. No fan of peanuts or looking for other options? Other nut butters and seeds also provide comparable amounts of protein.

6. Pasta

Pasta is often seen as a carbohydrate source, but a 2 -unzen portion Classic Grieß Pasta offers almost as much protein as a large egg! Use it to make spaghetti with fast meat sauce or to enjoy a bowl of Italian sausage and kale noodles for even more protein per bite. Are you looking for meatless pairings that match your pasta? Our recommendations for plant-based protein tops for pasta will not disappoint.

7. Low -fat cottage cheese

Creamy Cottage cheese is a natural protein source that can easily be included in a balanced diet. And if you use it in recipes such as creamy spinach dip and Florentin lasagna roll-ups, you can keep the protein content high without having to add meat.

8. Linsen

Contact hearty lenses for the ultimate protein on a vegetable basis. They are not only loaded with this key macro, but also packed with antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and minerals. From a cozy vegan lentil soup to a lentil shell with fried eggs and greens, it can be a delicious way to bring protein into your diet.