Here’s How To Easily Add More Protein To Your Diet

We’ve taken the time to wade through the misinformation and bring you the definitive guide to pumping up your protein intake. With the help of experts, we’ve narrowed down the best tips for protein consumption and the most pertinent information to help you make the best protein choices for your lifestyle. Emphasis here on “your”. One of the biggest missteps is subscribing to one-size fits all recommendations without taking into account what your specific goals are. All protein isn’t made equal and instead of simply following the most popular practices you should take the time to tailor your protein consumption to you.

To get a rundown of how we should all be approaching protein we spoke to Dr. Sharon Palmer RD, author of “Plant-Powered for Life” and protein advocate. “Try to get a good source of protein at meals, through healthy, lean proteins, my top choices are beans, lentils, tofu, and nuts like pistachios almonds and peanuts.”

But how, exactly do you add more protein to your meal plan?

Eight Ways To Add More Protein

1) Plan Ahead

Most people miss the mark on their protein intake because they fail to prep and end up scavenging for whatever protein-rich foods they can consume last minute. Adequate protein consumption does not require some kind of Beautiful Mind level planning but a little can go a long way. Knowing what kind of protein you’re taking and when you’re taking it leads to consistency that yields better results. “The best benefit is choosing wholesome protein sources—those that are packed with other benefits, such as healthy fats, fiber, and phytochemicals.”

2) Start the Day with Protein

One of the most effective ways of making sure you’re consuming the adequate amount of protein daily is to get off to a good start. Eating protein as your first meal of the day, for instance, can help you feel full while keeping your blood sugar and insulin levels from spiking too much. It also helps to stabilize and anchor your circadian rhythm. “Try to fit in protein sources with your snacks, such as adding a protein powder to your smoothie, munching on a handful of nuts, or spreading nut butter or hummus on some whole grain toast or fruit,” Palmer suggests. Frequent smaller meals each with a satisfactory protein content are a healthier option as opposed to indulging on the bulk of your protein intake in one meal.

RELATED: The Best Protein Powders on the Shelves Right Now

3) Go Greek

Greek yogurt is in the Mount Rushmore of the calorie-to-protein ration foods. Just one cup of Greek yogurt can contain over 20 grams of protein. Greek yogurt is a superfood for protein consumption and can even be used as an alternative to sour cream giving it even more chances to “slip” into your daily diet. Try this Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Greek Yogurt.

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1/4 tsp of hot chili powder
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt
A few leaves of fresh herbs, sage or rosemary
A few toasted pumpkin or squash seeds for garnish
2 tsps extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

For squash:

Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Lightly brush with cooking oil and place on a baking sheet with the cut side down. Bake at 375 F for 45 minutes or until softened.

For soup:

Heat the oil in a medium pan. Sauté the onions for one minute then add the garlic and spices (chili powder, ginger and garlic). Sauté another minute. Blend this onion mixture with two cups of roasted butternut squash, salt and fresh herbs while adding two cups of broth until smooth. Return the mixture back to the pan or pot and bring to a slow boil. Reduce the heat and stir in the yogurt. Simmer on low heat for two minutes. Serve warm with some toasted pumpkin or squash seeds and some more Greek yogurt on top.

4) Bolster Your Salad

While salads are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals to keep us going they are often light on the protein content, at least without a few additions. Try adding nuts, meats such as chicken or turkey breasts, fish (salmon and tuna) or even some cheese can transform a basic salad into a protein-heavy supplement to your daily diet. If you’re looking for a good plant-based option, garbanzo beans (chickpeas) are a great choice that provides 15 grams of protein per cup (165 grams).

5) Look for Alternative Proteins

A full commitment may not be necessary based on your goals and lifestyle but there are certainly unique benefits to sourcing your protein from natural sources. “Eating a more plant-based diet is good for people and the planet. It can reduce your carbon footprint, as well as reduce your risk of chronic diseases. Americans eat three times the global rate of meat, so we can replace some of that meat with healthful plant protein choices,” according to Palmer.

Employing a plant-based diet can inherently drop your protein intake but skipping meat and animal products doesn’t mean that protein must be eliminated from your diet.

Apart from being far better for the planet, plant-based protein as the added benefit of being far less taxing on the body than protein from animals for example. Animal protein may be a “complete protein”, but that just results in more work for your body as it attempts to break down and digest the varying protein strains and amino acids before utilizing what it needs. This forces your body to work far harder than it needs to in order to consume protein.

And even those plant proteins that might be a little low on one amino acid can still contribute healthy protein sources to your day. When you eat a balanced diet, all of those amino acids form a pool in your body to provide everything needed for protein metabolism.

6) Get Cooking

The primary way to get sufficient protein is through high quality, lean meats that come from whole foods. And that means you’ll have to spend some time in the kitchen. But there’s only so many chicken breasts you can eat and although many companies have made efforts to make a great tasting protein powders, variety is still key. Cooking with protein powders, like protein pancakes or cookies is an excellent way to sneak it in. Quest Nutrition is a brand focused on protein powders specifically for cooking and baking so you can eat real food without having to wash it down with a thick protein mix.

RELATED: We Found It. The Best Tasting Proteins 

7) Employ Protein Snacks

Protein shakes are great and will certainly help but an even easier way to punch up your protein intake is to leave some high protein snacks in your desk. Nuts are good start but stock your desk with healthy protein bars. Just beware of sugar-filled bars that end up being more candy bar than protein bar. You can even skip the powdered shakes all together and opt for a ready-to-drink protein shake that requires even less work for you to start building and repairing your muscles. Again, be careful of the amount of sugar in these drinks and also RTD protein drinks with huge amount of protein — some have as many as 50 grams of protein. If you’re already including high quality, protein-rich foods and snacks into your diet, you don’t need to overload in one sitting.

RELATED: 8 Protein Bars That Will Keep You Running All Day

8) Replace Pasta or Rice with Quinoa

“People are confused that you must combine plant proteins to make a complete protein. However, some plant proteins, such as quinoa and soy, are balanced in all the amino acids,” according to Palmer.  Quinoa is considered a complete protein because it contains all the essential amino acids we need. The seed is packed with about 8 grams of protein per cup. Swap quinoa instead of rice or pasta, or, add it to soups, salads, or even muffins and pancakes for extra nutritional value.”

So now that you have a better understanding of how you should be looking to consume your protein it’s time to get into what specifically you should be consuming. Here’s a roundup of our favorite products to fulfill all of your protein needs. From powders to bars and even ready-to-drink protein we’ve narrowed it down to our favorites.

Protein Bars

Sometimes we just need something to hold us over until the next meal that for that reason protein bars are like the espresso shot of protein consumption. Low-carb and sugar protein bars are ideal for maintaining muscle mass in between your workout provided you’re getting the best option for your goals. Here are a few we particularly love:

Clif BUILDERS Bar, Chocolate