16 Delicious High Protein Foods
In This Article
16 Delicious High Protein Foods
Dr. Ananya Ghosh
Updated on June 19, 2024
Medically verified by Dr. Arya
Fact checked by Sreemoyee
Wellness
10 min read
You must be anxious about which food helps you get the right amount of protein in your diet.
Think no more. Karepedia is here to guide you regarding the 16 most protein rich foods that not only build your muscle mass but are a treat to your taste buds.
In this blog, we’ll discuss the basics of food science along with the problems you may face due to overconsumption of protein and how to deal
Basics of Food Science
Our body needs nutrition to grow and survive. We get nutrition from the foods we take in our diet. For a healthy body one needs a balanced diet containing carbohydrates, proteins and a bit of fat along with minerals and other micronutrients.
As per Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) our body requires at least 0.8 gram of protein per kilogram of your body weight or 0.36 grams per pound of body weight. This is the minimum amount of protein that you must consume for a healthy body.
Protein has a very important role to play in our body to keep us fit and healthy.
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Muscle development: Protein intake builds up your muscle in the right places that you desire. After a weight loss journey of limiting your carbohydrate and fat intake, protein is the main source of nutrition.
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Bone strength: Protein is essential for improving the strength of bones along with consumption of vitamin D and calcium. This must be included in the diet of elderly people to prevent fractures due to fragile bones.
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Repair of cells in the body: Protein is also very much essential to repair the cells and tissues in your body. The cellular contents function properly in the healing process of any damaged part.
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Improves metabolism: Protein helps in improving the metabolism of the body. The body spends more energy in digesting the protein rich foods as compared to fats and carbohydrates. This leads to better metabolism and improved calorie burning.
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Stabilises Blood glucose level: Protein has a function of slowing down the glucose absorption in the body. This leads to controlled blood sugar and reducing sugar spikes. One of the essential foods in diabetic patients or those at the borderline of it.
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Weight loss: One of the most famous foods for losing the extra layer of fat from your body. Proteins help you in not losing the lean mass of the body and confirming that the weight you lose is from the fatty layer of your body. By this way, your calorie – deficit diet will prevent you from wasting your valuable muscles of the body.
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Satiety food: Protein makes you feel full and reduces the urge to eat more. Being a rich source of nutrients to our body, protein also prevents over- eating and helps with weight loss.
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Boosts immunity: Proteins help you in fighting infections by increasing the immunity of the body. This prevents you from falling sick more often.
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Balanced hormones: Protein helps in regulating the hormone level in our body. This in turn boosts the mood, energy level and reproductive health of the overall body.
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Stronger hair and beautiful skin: Keratin in hair and collagen in skin is the protein responsible for making you beautiful with shiny stronger hair and glass skin. Include protein in your diet to keep your hair and skin healthy.
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Sustained release of energy: Protein ensures that there is a uniform energy associated with you all day long. Sugary or carbohydrate rich foods have a spike and fall in their energy releasing levels.
Foods With High Protein
| Foods | Protein Content |
|---|---|
| Eggs | One large egg (approx. 50 g) provides 6.3 g of protein |
| Milk | One cup (approx. 246 mL) of dairy milk provides 8.32 g of protein |
| Cottage cheese | One cup (approx. 226 g) of cottage cheese provides 28 g of protein |
| Greek Yoghourt | One 7-ounce (approx. 200-g) container provides 19.9 g of protein |
| Chicken breast | Half of a chicken breast (approx. 86 g) provides 26.7 g of protein |
| Almonds | 28.35 g (1 ounce) of almonds provides 6 g of protein |
| Lentils | 100 g (about 1/2 cup) of cooked lentils provides 9.02 g of protein |
| Beef | A 3-ounce (approx. 85-g) serving of lean beef provides 24.6 g of protein |
| Fish | All types of fish are high in protein. , Half a salmon fillet (124 g) provides 30.5 g of protein., A cod fillet (180 g) provides 41 g of protein. |
| Shellfish | A 3-ounce (about 85-g) serving of cooked shrimp provides 20.4 g of protein |
| Quinoa | One cup (about 185 g) of cooked quinoa provides 8 g of protein |
| Pumpkin seeds | A 1/4 cup (about 29.5 g) of pumpkin seeds provides 8.8 g of protein |
| Ezekiel bread | One slice (approx. 50 g) provides 6 g of protein |
| Turkey breast | A 3-ounce (approx. 85-g) serving of turkey provides 25.6 g of protein |
| Peanuts | A 1-ounce (about 28.35-g) serving of peanuts provides 7.31 g of protein., A 2-tablespoon (about 32-g) serving of smooth peanut butter provides 7.2 g of protein |
| Oatmeal | 1 cup of dry oats contains 10 g of protein. When combined with milk, protein content increases manifold. |
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Things To Keep In Mind For Consuming High Protein Foods
Before shifting your diet to only protein rich foods, you must be aware of the side effects it may cause. Proteins are definitely good for your body but in exact amounts, above which it becomes poison.
Let’s see the difficulties it can lead to due to over- consumption of proteins:
| Organs targeted | Reason |
|---|---|
| Kidney problem | As the kidneys need to filter out the waste products from the body and we know protein takes longer time to digest. This puts extra pressure on the kidneys, especially on those that already have pre-existing problems. |
| Digestion | Overconsumption of protein causes imbalance in the good bacteria present in the gut. This leads to stomach pain, bloating and even constipation due to inadequate fibre content in the body. |
| Weight gain | Yes, excessive protein intake leads to weight gain as protein rich foods often have some fatty substance in it. Over-consumption may lead to unexpected increase in overall body weight. |
| Deficiency of micronutrients | Entirely focussing on protein rich foods leads to deficiency of other essential nutrients from the body like minerals, vitamins and essential fatty acids. |
| Cardiovascular trouble | Animal sources of protein like meat have a considerable amount of saturated fatty acids due to the way it is prepared. Such foods in excess amounts may lead to cardiovascular diseases in the long run. |
| Dehydration | High protein foods require enough water to get metabolised. If the person distorts the balance between protein intake and water consumption, they may suffer from dehydration. |
| Bone health | High amount of protein intake causes calcium depletion from the body in the form of urine. This weakens the bone and makes you prone to fracture. |
| Ketosis | When there is a lack of carbs in your body, proteins become a source of energy which puts pressure on other organs of the body, especially kidneys. |
| Allergies | Dairy sources of protein may impose allergies and intolerance tendencies in individuals in excess amounts. |
| Mental issues | Carbohydrates produce serotonin, a mood elevating hormone. This is suppressed due to over consumption of protein and underconsumption of carbs. |
Protein is essential for our body to flourish and thrive for better health and wellbeing. Proper nutrition is the best way to keep your body in shape. Karepedia is here to provide you with the right advice from the top professionals in nutrition that is beneficial for your wellbeing. Hope this blog is useful.
Protein is one of the main nutrients of food that gives energy for day long work.
0.8 gm of protein per kilogram of body weight is the minimum requirement of protein in an adult’s diet.
Protein helps in muscle development, bone and tissue repair, balanced hormones and sustained release of energy.
Foods with high protein content are: eggs, milk, fish, shellfish, chicken, beef, Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, oats, quinoa, almonds, lentils, pumpkin seeds, Ezekiel bread and peanuts.
Kidney problem, digestion issues, Weight gain, Deficiency of micronutrients, Cardiovascular trouble, Dehydration, Bone health problems, Ketosis, Allergies and sensitivities and Mental issues may be the side effects of excessive protein intake.
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