Hit Your Protein Number
There's a lot of talk these days about the importance of protein in our diet and getting the enough of it into our bodies on a daily basis. But whatever your protein number is, reaching it every day may seem quite daunting.
So, here are a bunch of high-protein food options for you to choose from. Also, don't worry all you vegetarians—there are plenty of good non-meat choices. Even Vegans will find some great options here.
Salmon
Along with some good Omega-3 fatty acids, salmon provides 39g of protein per 178g filet.
Tuna
One 107g can of this delicious chicken of the sea comes with a little more than 20g of protein. But what about the chicken of the land?
Greek Yogurt
You will see some variances depending on the brand, but in general about 1 cup of greek yogurt gets you up around 15-20g of protein.
Chicken Breast
Less fatty than its dark-meat counterpart, a 100g skinless chicken breast has 22.5 grams of protein.
Beef
You want to be careful about eating too much saturated fat, so consume your beef in moderation and if you can stick to leaner beef that's better for your overall health as well.
As for the protein, a 3-ounce serving gets you about 21 grams.
Milk
For those without an intolerance to lactose, milk provides a nice protein hit with 8 grams of protein per cup.
Lima Beans
Avoiding animals and animal products altogether? Well, that doesn't mean you have to avoid protein. Lima Beans for example will fill your body with almost 12g of protein per cup.
Oats
Remember that instant oatmeal can come with stuff you don't want like extra sugar and such. However, on their own, a cup of oats gives you a solid 10.7g of protein.
Spirulina
Often found in powdered form and a good option to up your smoothie game, spirulina has over 64g of protein per cup. Although, a cup is a whole lot of the stuff, with a regular serving being more in the 1-2 tablespoon range.
Hemp Seeds
Why not add some hemp seeds to your morning smoothie also? Just three tablespoons adds almost 10g of protein to your concoction.
Guava
You might not think of fruits as being high in protein, but Guava is one that actually provides a decent hit of the stuff. About 4g per cup.
Lentils
Cook up a cup of lentils and you're cooking up just under 18g of protein.
Pork
The "other white meat" comes with a solid 19g of protein per 4-ounce serving.
Spelt
Try using spelt flour instead of regular flour in your next recipe and enjoy 14.5g of protein per 100g.
Turkey
One thing to be thankful for next thanksgiving is the 25.6g of protein for every 4 ounces of turkey you scarf down.
Cottage Cheese
Not everyone loves the texture, but you gotta love the 12.5g of protein per 4 ounces of cottage cheese.
Eggs
Eggs aren't just for breakfast anymore. But whenever you eat them you're getting about 6g of protein per large egg.
Pumpkin Seeds
Turns out jack-o-lanterns provide both scares and protein. A cup of those pumpkin seeds bring 13.7g of protein along with them.
Tempeh
One of the best vegan options out there, 100g of tempeh provides a whopping 20.3g of protein.