Powered by protein: Easy ways to fuel your day

Protein plays an important role within the body. It helps muscle rebuild and repair after a workout and helps muscle thrive during your day-to-day activity. Not only is it beneficial to your physical activity, but protein also helps build the red blood cells that carry oxygen to your muscles, and infection-fighting white blood cells. Protein is also used to make hormones and enzymes within your body.

Getting enough protein can:

• Lower your blood pressure and lower your risk of developing diabetes.
• Help you to feel full and build muscle, which can lower your risk of injury.
• Supply oxygen and nutrients to your body.
• Regulate your hormones.

Luckily, there are plenty of ways to get your fill of healthy protein sources whether you’re vegetarian, pescatarian, vegan, flexitarian or an omnivore. Depending on your eating choices, the best way to get protein is through a mix of whole foods including beans, lentils, tofu, fish, eggs, yogurt, nuts, seeds and lean cuts of meat.

What is the healthiest way to get protein?

The healthiest way to get protein varies between lifestyles and food choices. A vegetarian can get healthy protein just as easily as someone who eats lean meat. It’s important to tailor your intake of protein-rich food to your lifestyle and make sure you’re getting enough protein, no matter how you choose to get it.

Make sure to include some sort of protein at every meal. Eating protein at breakfast is especially important because it can help decrease hunger and cravings later in the day. In general, it’s recommended to eat 15-30 grams of protein at each meal.

Protein is digested slower than other foods, so it helps keep you full and satisfied. Because of this, it’s beneficial to spread your protein intake throughout the day.

What makes one protein source healthier than another?

The quality of protein sources can vary because of what else is included in the food. Protein sources contain different levels of nutrients, fat, fiber and vitamins along with protein.

Some foods are very high in protein but also high in saturated fat, like high-fat red meat. Eating too much of these types of protein can cause other health issues.

Skinless chicken or fish can be good sources of lean protein for those that eat meat. Beans, lentils, legumes and tofu can help those who eat plant-based diets hit their protein goals.

Good sources of high-protein foods include:

• Plant-based protein sources like tofu, edamame, lentils, beans, chickpeas, nuts and seeds.
• Fish and other seafood.
• White-meat, skinless chicken and turkey.
• Dairy products like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and skim milk.
• Eggs.

Less healthy sources of protein include:

• Processed meat like bacon, pepperoni, sausage, hot dogs and deli meats.
• High-fat cuts of red meat like ribeye or hamburgers.
• Processed protein foods high in sugar or salt like protein bars, some yogurts and “faux” meat.
• Full-fat dairy products like cheese, cream and milk.

Good sources of protein should be consumed considerably more often than the less healthy options shown above. Not sure if one source of protein is better than another? You can usually consider a protein source “good” if it is a whole food, meaning it is unprocessed.

What are the best foods to get more protein?

The healthiest protein options are plant sources, such as soy, nuts, seeds, beans and lentils, and lean meats, such as skinless, white-meat chicken or turkey, fish, omega-3-rich salmon or seafood, eggs and low-fat dairy.

What high-protein foods are easiest to keep on hand?

• low-fat cheeses, cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
• greek yogurt
• refrigerated tofu
• nuts and seeds
• canned low-sodium lentils, chickpeas, pinto beans or black beans
• bagged, dried beans, peas and lentils
• canned low-sodium fish including herring, sardines, tuna and salmon

How much protein do you need each day?

Everyone needs protein. A person’s protein needs vary based on activity level, age and body composition. Recently, the federal government updated dietary guidelines to include a higher daily intake of protein ranging from 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. For those with a BMI over 30, research suggests using an adjusted body weight rather than an actual body weight. Having extra body weight doesn’t always mean we have extra lean body mass that needs extra protein.

National Public Radio does the math for us, with the following instructions:

• Take your weight in pounds and divide by 2.2 to get it in kilograms.
• Then multiply your weight in kilograms by 1.2 or 1.6.
• That gives you the range of your daily recommended protein in grams.

Does age or activity level change your needs?

Depending on your lifestyle, age or activity level, you may need to adjust your protein intake. Because protein helps build muscle, individuals who exercise or lift weights often, or live high-activity lifestyles should aim for the higher end of the recommended daily value of protein.

For those actively trying to lose weight, and/or taking weight loss medications that reduce appetite, protein needs should be at the higher end of the recommended daily value of protein.

As you age you begin to naturally lose muscle. Though this is due to many variables, it’s important to mix activities like weight-bearing exercise with eating higher levels of protein to slow down muscle loss, before it becomes too late to rebuild.

Growing children and pregnant or lactating women require more protein because their bodies are building more muscle.

Can you eat too much protein?

A very high-protein diet can end up being dangerous. Some fad diets encourage more than five times the amount of recommended daily protein. Too much extra protein can strain the kidneys and liver. It can also prompt excessive loss of calcium, which can increase your risk of bone loss, or osteoporosis.

Not eating the right type of protein can also cause health problems. Eating too much protein from the wrong sources can negatively impact your health. For example, if you get all your protein by eating meats that are high in saturated fats, it can lead to high cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease.

Some health conditions require you to eat less protein, like chronic kidney disease. This should be discussed with your doctor and a registered dietitian or clinical nutritionist.

Can you get enough protein from plants?

You can get your recommended daily intake of protein from plant-based foods. There are many options for plant-based protein sources like legumes—which include any type of bean like pinto, kidney, garbanzo, soybeans and black beans— lentils, chickpeas and more.

The great thing about plant-based protein is that plants do not contain saturated fats and are full of other essential nutrients and fiber. Nuts, seeds and soybeans also contain healthy unsaturated fats.

What is a complete protein?

The reason protein is so good for you is because it is made up of amino acids. When digested, these amino acids work to create new cells in your body. Generally, there are about 20 amino acids needed to build new cells in your body. Your body can produce 11 on its own. Nine cannot be made by your body on its own. When a protein source contains all nine of these in adequate amounts, they are called complete proteins.

Most animal products and meat contain enough of all nine amino acids, meaning they’re complete proteins. Some plant-based foods are complete proteins, like soybeans, which contain enough of the nine amino acids.

Some plant-based protein sources are called incomplete proteins. Though this may sound negative, it simply means they contain some, but not all, of the nine amino acids your body can’t make.

To balance incomplete proteins, it’s important to include other sources of complete proteins during your day. However, studies show that your body does the combining for you, so you don’t need to mix complete and incomplete proteins at each meal, according to the American Institute on Cancer Research.

Plant foods that are complete proteins:

• Soy foods, like soybeans, tofu and edamame.
• Chia seeds, buckwheat and quinoa.
• Nutritional yeast.

Plant foods that are incomplete proteins:

• Nuts, nut butters and seeds.
• Legumes and beans.
• Whole grains.

What are easy ways to add protein to meals and snacks?

There are various meals and snacks that will help hit your protein goals throughout the day.

What are simple high-protein snack ideas?

The best protein-packed snack is one that is quick and easy, including:

• Almonds mixed with craisins.
• Cottage cheese with fruit.
• Hummus with vegetables.
• Pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
• Roasted soybeans or chickpeas.
• Whole grain toast with nut butter.
• Whole grain crackers and low-fat cheese.
• Greek yogurt sprinkled with nuts.

What are quick protein swaps for busy days?

Quick ingredient swaps or add-ins can add protein, flavor and more nutrients to your meals just by sneaking it in. You might not even notice a change in flavor.

Protein-packed ingredients or swaps:

• Add cottage cheese or beans to egg dishes like scrambled eggs or omelets.
• Add cottage or ricotta cheese to casseroles, lasagna or mashed potatoes.
• Add cooked lentils, beans, or tofu to pasta or a casserole.
• Use milk instead of water in drinks and in cooking.
• Add chopped hard-boiled eggs, nuts and seeds to salads.
• Add nuts or seeds to hot cereal, casseroles, breads or muffins.
• Sprinkle nuts on cereal, ice cream or yogurt.
• Add ground flax or chia seeds to oatmeal, yogurt or smoothies,
• Add nutritional yeast to things like cheese sauce, salads, roasted vegetables, eggs or even top your popcorn with it to give it a cheesy flavor.

If you want to use animal products for your protein:

• Choose lean or extra-lean ground meat (15% fat or less).
• Opt for ground turkey instead of beef when possible.
• Buy leaner cuts of meat containing the words “round,” “loin,” or “sirloin” on the package.
• Try products like meatless "chicken" nuggets, "beef" crumbles, "burgers", "bacon", "sausage" and "hot dogs,” sparingly. These types of products tend to be processed foods that are often not healthy alternatives.

Do you need protein powder, shakes or bars?

The benefits of protein supplements have been touted for years, but they’re likely not improving your protein intake or overall nutrition efficiently. You can use these products if needed but aim to meet your protein goals with whole foods rather than supplements whenever possible.

When a supplement may be convenient—and when it’s not necessary

Powders and bars can be convenient when you’re on the go. If they appeal to you, eat them in moderation because they’re usually full of sugar. If you get enough protein from your daily diet with varied foods, protein supplements like shakes, powders and bars are unnecessary.

If using a supplement, look for ones with:

• 200 or fewer calories.
• 2 grams or less of saturated fat.
• No trans-fat or partially hydrogenated oils.
• 5 grams of sugar or less.
• Only a few ingredients, especially ingredients you can pronounce.

When should you ask for help with protein needs?

If you're increasing your protein intake substantially, you may want to check in with your health care provider to make sure you're eating an appropriate amount.

If you have health conditions, or concerns about how protein consumption will affect your health, a registered dietitian or clinical nutritionist can help you create a nutritious eating plan that is right for you.