Increasing Your Protein Intake: 7 Top Tips
If you want to maintain a healthy diet, meeting your protein requirements is essential. Protein is vital for all of us, particularly those who train, as it helps our body build and repair muscles. Protein is also an important energy source. So, if you are struggling to up your protein intake, this guide is here to offer a helping hand. Below – are seven tips that will help your body get the protein it needs and deserves; we discuss topics such as pea protein vs whey and much more. Let’s get started.
Choose The Right Snacks
When you are training, whether that be for an upcoming sports event or to stay fit in general, you will find that your body needs a lot more food than usual. When training, food is not the enemy, and it gives you the energy you need to get up and go each day. However, when you snack throughout the day, you should be reaching for foods that are low in protein. The solution? Reach for a high-protein snack like cheese. You can buy cheese sticks from your local supermarket or pair your favorite cheese with a rice cake or whole grain crackers.
Switch Up Your Breakfast
Often, we can struggle to think of alternative breakfast ideas. You may find that you usually reach for toast or cereal. However, this will not get your daily protein intake off to the right start. Sure, you can still enjoy a slice of toast, but try adding eggs to it. Eggs are a high-quality protein and surprisingly help you feel fuller throughout the day. Eggs are a hearty breakfast, and you will find that you are less likely to reach for snacks throughout the day. This is particularly useful if you have a busy lifestyle – or are trying to get fit and eat fewer calories. Another excellent quality of eggs is they are versatile, so there are plenty of different breakfasts you can make with them, so you don’t get bored.
Invest In A Protein Powder
You may already be familiar with protein powder – a popular nutritional supplement taken by many people who train. Protein powder can be used in cooking and to create drinks such as shakes. It is a fast and easy way to up your protein intake. When it comes to protein powder, many people believe that whey protein is the best type. However, plant-based pea protein is aiming to take its place. So, which one is better in the pea protein vs whey debate? Take a look at this guide from Ingredient Optimized, which discusses pea protein vs whey in its entirety, exploring the benefits that each one offers. Luckily, protein powder is easy to get hold of, and you can find it in your local health food store or online.
Add Whole Grains To Your Diet
Ideally, if you plan to up your protein intake, you will need to cook with more protein-rich foods. Adding whole grains to your diet is an easy way to do this. Ingredients like quinoa, couscous and buckwheat are ideal and contain more protein than standard white rice. Take a look at the list of whole grains online to seek inspiration. Making small changes to your meals, like swapping out white rice for quinoa, will make a significant difference to your protein intake, and it will also help keep mealtimes exciting as you learn how to switch up your dishes. Whole grains are an excellent source of protein, but they are also a vital nutrient that aids our digestion as they include a lot of fiber.
Choose Leaner Cuts Of Meat
When we think about upping our protein intake, we instantly start to add more meat to our diet. However, although meat is an excellent source of protein, certain cuts will be higher in protein than others. So, if you want to get the most out of the meat you buy, opt for leaner cuts and increase your portion size. Surprisingly even though you are eating more meat, your meal will likely contain fewer calories as you have chosen a leaner cut. This is highly beneficial for those who are training as the meal will fill you up, and it will prevent you from eating additional calories throughout the day. It is helpful if you buy your meat fresh from a butcher as you can ask them for this specific cut of meat.
Use Greek Yoghurt In Your Dishes
Greek yoghurt is not only a food that is high in protein, but it is also very versatile. So, if you do not think that you like Greek yoghurt, there are plenty of ways that you can incorporate it into a dish to disguise its taste. Take a look at some Greek yoghurt dishes online to understand just how versatile it is. When Greek yoghurt is produced, whey and other liquids are removed. This gives the yoghurt a rich and creamy texture. You will find that it contains twice the amount of protein compared to traditional yoghurt. You can use it on fruit, in curry sauces, shakes, and much more. If you are looking for an easy way to up your protein intake, Greek yoghurt is the ingredient for you.
Eat High-Protein Nuts
Although cheese is a great snack for upping your protein intake, it is not for everyone. Therefore, another great alternative is nuts. There are plenty of high-protein nuts that you can try, like brazil nuts and almonds, and the best part is they are highly versatile. You can snack on nuts, but you can also use them in cooking. For example, if you are having a bowl of porridge, you can crush some almonds on top. For lunch, you may decide to have a salad. If that is the case, you can add some high-protein nuts to them to increase your intake. The great thing about nuts is there are so many that you can try. So, there is bound to be one type of high-protein nut that you like.
