High protein food options

Posted on December 26th, 2007 by Kori Ellis
Posted in Diet

If you’re on a high protein diet, it can sometimes be difficult to find a variety of foods that are high in protein. It’s easy to tire of a high protein diet if you only limit yourself to a few select options of meat. Fortunately, many other foods that you wouldn’t think of right away are also high in protein.

The best and most obvious source for high protein foods is meat. While virtually any type of meat contains protein, for a quick meal, you can find some fat-free meat products at your local grocery store such as fat-free hot dogs and fat-free ham. These options are convenient for days when you do not have time to prepare a meal.

Perhaps the best type of meat for you is turkey, which is virtually all protein. Look for low-fat cuts of turkey, such as breasts, as opposed to the legs. The same holds true for chicken – as chicken breasts are a source of high protein and very little fat.

SalmonFish and shrimp are two other great sources of protein. Almost all types of fish is low in fat and high in protein. Consider fish that is high in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as mackerel, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon. Shrimp, depending on how it’s prepared, is almost always fat-free. Avoid breaded fish and shrimp and do not deep fry it. Instead broil, grill or bake your seafood.

Other sources of protein that might surprise you are milk, cheese, beans and nuts. Fat-free milk and cheese is a great source of healthy protein. Fat-free refried beans are popular and taste almost exactly like regular refried beans. Nuts are also a terrific source of protein, as well as nut based products such as peanut butter. However most nuts are also high in fat, so watch your portion sizes.

There are also a number of foods specially designed for those people on a high protein diet. At your local grocery store, look for protein shakes, protein bars and even products such as protein fortified breads and protein fortified water.

A high protein diet is a good way to gain muscle while losing weight. If you are doing a weight training program, you’ll need to consume more protein than the average person. However, you should also consider the fat content of food because many foods that are high in protein are also high in fat.

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