Protein is more important for your body than you think. It not only prevents malnutrition but also ensures we have enough strength as we get older. Increasing your protein intake can be challenging because it involves reforming your eating habits.
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1. Eat Balanced Meals With Protein Included
Find a way to incorporate at least protein-rich food into every meal. Whether you are a meat eater or vegan, many protein sources suit multiple diet types.
Pork, turkey, chicken, and beef are some meat-based proteins. Seafood high in omega-3s such as tuna, shrimp, and salmon also helps you to intake enough protein. Chicken marsala, turkey burgers, tacos, and pulled pork are all awesome dishes to up your protein.
Vegan dieters can enjoy beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, soy milk, edamame, nuts, peas, and seeds to enhance their protein intake. Tofu burgers, vegetable salad, and trail mix are all awesome vegan protein-rich meals and snacks.
Some dairy products are high in protein and can be incorporated into various dishes. Having fruit like strawberries or pineapple with cottage cheese would make a great after-lunch snack. Greek yogurt usually has double the protein in contrast to regular yogurt. Mix granola and frozen fruit into Greek yogurt to prepare as a side for lunch the next day.
2. Choose Healthy Snacks
It’s tempting to reach for cookies or chips as a tasty snack in between meals throughout the day. However, snacks are the best time to intake more protein. Besides consuming nuts and seeds high in protein like pumpkin seeds, cashews, and sunflower seeds, there are other protein-rich snacking options.
Protein bars have just the right sweet taste without going overboard. Some bars contain about 20 to 30 grams of protein per serving. These snacks are higher in protein and have fewer carbs and fats in them than other snacks.
Egg-based dishes like hard-boiled eggs, deviled eggs, and mini quiches are great protein-rich snacks. One egg in a dish is about 6 to 7 grams of protein each. Hence, eating two hard-boiled eggs with lunch can help you intake 12 to 14 grams of protein alone.
3. Try Protein-Enriched Foods
Certain foods like oatmeal, pasta, and bread have protein-enriched options. These foods don’t have high protein on their own, but opting for brands that add more protein into them can be beneficial.
4. Buy Protein Powder, Ready-Made Shakes, Or Do Homemade
Try different protein shakes that come in powder form or are ready-made. For example, Ensure ready-made protein shakes contain 16 g of the nutrient per bottle.
Protein powder is usually cheaper by unit price since it uses fewer ingredients than ready-make shakes. If you are on a budget, opt for protein powder. If you want convenience, the ready-made shakes are your best option.
You can also consume homemade protein shakes to customize flavors. Find your favorite protein powder and mix it with other high-protein foods like peanut butter, other kinds of nut butter, and Greek yogurt. Popular flavors include peanut butter chocolate and peanut butter banana chocolate.
5. Find A Way To Incorporate More Protein-Rich Ingredients In Meals
Eggs, beans, and nut butter are the quintessential protein-rich ingredients that can be incorporated into many meals. Beans can be incorporated into a Tex-Mex salad or a three-bean soup for a protein punch. Nut butter goes great in shakes or on top of morning toast with a side of fruit. Hard-boiled eggs go great in salads and breakfast omelets can kickstart your protein intake in the morning.
During the holidays, with so many food options at family meals, it’s best to incorporate protein-rich foods into the menu. Thanksgiving dinner can get a protein boost by offering baked beans. A delicious beef Wellington or upscale seafood platter can take Christmas dinner over the top.
