Protein is an essential nutrient found throughout our bodies, from muscle tissues to hair, skin, and bones. It is responsible for the vital growth and repairing of our body tissues, and has an essential role in producing enzymes and hormones throughout the body. That’s why we need to get enough protein regularly; the daily value or DV for protein is 50 grams per day.
So if there is a fool-proof way through which you will not lose your appetite and still have a likely chance at losing weight, it is by increasing the protein intake in your daily diet. As protein keeps you full and functioning for longer, there is a high chance you would eat less, speed up your metabolism, and build muscle efficacy while working steadily towards losing weight.
Here are seven ways to increase your daily protein intake and smoothly incorporate this nutrient to aid your weight loss journey.
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Table of Contents
Meat
There is no denying the fact that for every type of meat, whether you are an avid red meat-lover or a seafood fanatic, you are bound to find these meats enriched with protein. Therefore, incorporating meat into your daily diet will automatically increase your protein intake. You can introduce sausages, bologna, and pastrami to your breakfast, take shredded chicken for lunch, and roast beef meatloaf for dinner.
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Eggs
Eggs are unanimously acclaimed as the best protein food ever. The versatile ingredient can make up for appetizer, breakfast, and lunch or main dinner course without being underwhelming as a dish. Rest assured, eggs can make up for all the carbs that you’re likely going to be giving up. Also, whether you take chicken eggs or are adventurous enough to try other options like quail eggs, they all contain a high amount of protein to fulfill your daily requirement.
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Legumes
From peas and beans to lentils and pulses, legumes are enriched with protein and make up some amazing dishes from various cuisines. You can have a choice of different legumes and pick your favorite one each day to create a new lunch or dinner recipe and have a great high-protein meal incorporated into your routine. There isn’t even a necessity for choosing legumes for protein intake, as to whether you pick red beans, yellow pulses, or green peas; all have immense amounts of protein and other nutrients to help your weight loss journey and keep you fit.
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Nuts and Nut Butters
Nuts are essentially rich in protein and other essential nutrients like Omega-3 and 6, EFAs, magnesium, and Vitamin E. All of these makeup for a complete, highly nutritious, and fulfilling helping of protein that you can get right before starting your day by just adding nuts or nut products like nut butter into your breakfast bowls and smoothies. You can choose your favorite kind of nuts, from pistachios to walnuts, hazelnuts, pecan, and cashews, depending on which one suits your flavor profile and compliments your recipe the best.
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Oats
Oats have recently found their well-deserved hype after many fitness motivators like celebrities and influencers have shown their likeness for them. They contain the most amount of protein found in grains, with just a cup of oats providing 10.7 grams of protein. Therefore, having a fulfilling bowl of oatmeal in the morning can keep you filled and active throughout the day while complimenting weight loss.
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Yogurt
Out of the many dairy products, yogurt has made it on our list of high-protein food items. Apart from being an excellent source of protein, it contains iron, calcium, vitamin D and is loaded with natural probiotics to help with digestion. Moreover, complimenting yogurt with any meal helps prevent overeating by producing the hormones like peptide-1 and YY, which send the signal to the brain that the stomach is full.
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Protein Supplements
Lastly, our list might have been missing a vital source of protein if we hadn’t mentioned protein supplements. They are great for weight loss as well as supplement the regular food you eat. They fill in the gap of dietary intake if you miss out on your daily intake of protein and help you gain muscle instead of fat. However, it is important to choose a protein supplement powder after considering its biological value (or BV), which indicates how effectively the body would make use of the available protein.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have read through our top picks for food items high in protein, hopefully, you’ll find it easier to incorporate protein into your daily diet. Still unsure about how to start your weight loss journey? Are you seeking expert advice? UnCraveRx is just a call away! Our weight loss program and professional guidance will help you support your weight loss goals and find the right track to keep on with your weight loss journey.
So, what are you waiting for? Schedule a consultation to get started!