Healthy Ways to Incorporate More Protein into Your Diet

Like many vitamins and minerals that are vital to the human body, protein is often misunderstood. Some individuals may not realize that they are not getting enough protein in the foods they eat, while others may be seeking the wrong sources of protein.

Protein is a macronutrient, meaning that human bodies require large amounts of it on a daily basis. However, this does not mean that you should be eating a twelve ounce sirloin steak with every meal. Nutritionists suggest that many Americans need to seek better and healthier sources of protein and stray away from so-called miracle protein supplements and fatty meats.

Several healthy, affordable, and tasty sources of protein exist that do not include highly fatty meats and remain friendly to most diets.

Peanut Butter
The trick to incorporating peanut butter into your diet as a protein source is to avoid overeating it. While peanut butter contains very high protein levels, it is also very high in fat and calories. Rather than attempting to eat peanut butter alone, work it into your established eating habits. If you generally eat a bagel or toast in the morning, top it with a tablespoon of your favorite peanut butter. For an afternoon or evening snack, eat a small amount of peanut butter on celery sticks or whole wheat crackers.

Morningstar Farms Veggie Crumblers
Any time you find yourself shopping for ground beef, consider purchasing Morningstar Farms' Veggie Crumblers instead. This meatless alternative is high in protein while remaining very low in fat and calories. The Veggie Crumblers can be used in any recipe in which ground beef or turkey is generally used, such as tacos, chili, lasagna, and even meat loaf.

Eggs
Incorporating more eggs into your diet can seem somewhat difficult, as many individuals simply do not enjoy classic egg recipes. Rather than attempting to force yourself to eat something that you do not like, experiment with eggs until you discover your favorite recipe. Perhaps you enjoy deviled eggs? Prepare a batch twice per week and attempt to eat three to four egg sections throughout your day. The next time you find yourself craving a grilled cheese sandwich, fry and egg to your liking and place it onto the sandwich.

Beans
Not only are all legumes very high in protein, but they also contain many other necessary vitamins, minerals, and nutrients such as fiber and amino acids. If you have a favorite bean, search for various recipes that include it as a main ingredient. If you are in the mood for Mexican food, forget the meat and use refried beans as a substitute. Black beans can be used to replace many ingredients in low fat and high protein diets.

Fish
Whether you love cod, salmon, or tuna, begin incorporating these foods into more of your meals each week. Should you find yourself on the go during the busy work week, prepare tuna salad or salmon patties than can quickly be eaten on a sandwich. While attempting to eat more fish, it is wise to avoid adding unnecessary fat and calories in the preparation process, such as large amounts of butter or fatty marinates.

When incorporating more protein into your diet, it is important to consider the source - if it is extremely high in fat and calories, it is not the best choice as a protein source.

Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/benefits-protein
http://www.myfit.ca/foods_highest_protein.asp