Lean Protein Sources for a Healthy Diet

Lean protein is a key part of any healthy diet. Your body needs protein in order to build and maintain muscle, but many protein sources like eggs and cheese are high in fat and cholesterol, which spells trouble for your heart and for your waistline. Luckily, with this guide to the best lean protein sources for a healthy diet, you can get the healthy protein you need without the unhealthy cholesterol and fat that you don't. Read on, and get to know the top lean protein sources.

Beans
The best way to get your daily allotment of lean protein is to eat at least one meal that includes a dish made with beans. Beans are an important part of a healthy diet because they're high protein and high fiber, which is great for your metabolism, and they're very low in fat and cholesterol, which is great for your heart. Plus, beans are inexpensive, so they make it possible to get plenty of lean protein even if you're eating on a tight budget. However, not every way to prepare beans is part of a healthy diet. Healthy ways to prepare beans are light on fats like oil or butter, so skip refried beans, and avoid dressing-drenched three bean salad. Likewise, avoid any bean dish that is high in sugar, so skip the baked beans simmered in a sweet, molasses-based sauce. For a main dish, great ways to get your beans include classic Mexican dishes like chili or enchiladas (light on the cheese), bean soups and stews. For a quick snack, try some hummus or black bean dip. To get an extra splash of lean protein at dinner, throw a handful of chickpeas or kidney beans into your green salad. For variety, try some peas, which contain the same kind of lean protein as beans!

Tofu
This soy-based product may taste melt-in-your-mouth light, but in reality it is heavy on the lean protein, which makes it a great part of a healthy diet. Tofu is a low-fat, low-calorie food that leaves you feeling full and satisfied, and loads your system up with the lean protein you need to stay strong and healthy. For health-conscious preparation, avoid crunchy deep-fried tofu and opt instead for tofu that's been steeped in a low-calorie, low-sodium marinade and then stir-fried with mixed vegetables. Tofu is one of the most versatile lean protein sources, because it takes on the flavor of whatever is around it. Since you can use it in almost any kind of cuisine, it's easy to make tofu part of your healthy diet.

Meats
Meats are a slightly trickier lean protein source than beans or tofu, because many cuts of meat are high-calorie and fatty. However, if you learn to make smart choices, meat can be an excellent source of lean protein, and a great staple of a healthy diet. Round steaks and roasts are good beef cuts for lean protein, and the best pork options are pork loin, tenderloin, and center loin. Poultry is the best lean protein source among meats, but with this condition: always go skinless. Skinless chicken breasts, or turkey cutlets, are excellent sources of lean protein so long as you trim all the visible fat away before cooking, and choose a low-fat cooking method. Smart ways to cook meat include broiling or boiling, grilling, poaching, or roasting. Avoid deep-frying or pan-frying meat, and skip any cooking method that requires breading. Remember that no healthy diet includes a dish drenched in a fat-laden gravy or sauce, so skinless chicken breast swimming in gravy doesn't count as a lean protein!