How can I easily add more protein into my daily diet?

How many proteins can you think of right now off the top of your head? Have you been recommended by your Personal Trainer or Dietician to up your protein intake? Today I’m going to show you how to add good sources of protein into your diet. I'm certain that some of these ingredients you already have in your cupboards. Choosing them will really help you eat more protein in every meal.

But why do I need protein in my diet anyway? Well protein provides amino acids necessary to repair and build muscle, therefore if you are doing resistance training at the gym, it's an excellent idea to have good quality sources of protein in your diet and this may be easier to achieve than you think, because lots of foods you might have overlooked are high in protein and can be turned into tasty recipes.

“ How do you like your eggs in the morning”

Breakfast  

Eggs are your best friend when it comes to getting a good hearty breakfast that will set you up for the day ahead.  Eggs are so versatile and can be prepared in many different ways, from fried, baked, poached, hard boiled, scrambled or as an omelette.  Pop your eggs on top of some wholemeal toast or add some avocado.  Spice up your omelettes with a chilli kick, mushrooms, or and a little bit of cheese. With one medium egg providing around 6g of protein you’ll never be short of inspiration for a tasty high protein breakfast. 

If you happen to be avoiding eggs due to an allergy or out of choice, an excellent substitute is tofu. Tofu can usually be purchased in various firmnesses and can be used in place of eggs to make an excellent scrambled egg substitute or can even be blended down in a food processor to form a batter which can be used to create a plant based omelette.

Snacking on the go

Snacks

Does your life get so hectic that you are tempted to grab a not so healthy snack? This list will help you next time you are at the Grab and Go counter so that you can make the best protein rich choices on the go. 

1. Hard boiled egg 

2. Prawns 

3. Cheddar stick or Babybell 

4. Carrot sticks with hummus

5. Beef jerky 

6. Edamame beans 

7. Greek Yogurt 

8. Nuts like peanuts, cashews, pistachio  

9. Seeds like hemp, pumpkin, sunflower 

10. Milk drinks 

Protein packed lunch

Lunch 

Keeping lunches high in protein can be a bit more of a challenge, here in the UK eating sandwiches is a very common lunch time staple. Filling them up with good quality protein sources is a must. Start with a base of salad or some grilled vegetables then  

Add: 

1. Lean sandwich meats, such as chicken, turkey and beef 

2. Fish, such as tuna, prawns or smoked salmon 

3. Falafel 

4. Cheese such as halloumi or cheddar

Trying to keep your carbohydrates low during your lunchtime? no problem, adding the above items to a bowl of salad is the way to go, top this delicious salad off with a handful of nuts or seeds for a hit of healthy fats. 

Do you have the opportunity to eat a hot meal for your lunch? There are lots more options available to you that will keep your intake of protein high, soups with beans and lentils, a jacket potato with toppings such as cottage cheese or a beef stir fry with lots of veggies.  If you made yourself a high protein dinner, save the leftovers for lunch, or go a step further and cook a batch of meals that can be kept on hand ready to be re heated for a healthy protein packed lunch.

Good quality protein sources for dinner

Dinner

Let your protein take centre stage when you are cooking your main meals, if you are a meat eater adding some lean meats such as chicken and turkey and red meats to your meals will be the largest source of protein. The next highest protein per gram is fish, adding fish to your meals will also increase your omega-3 which is great for brain health, heart health and have an anti inflammatory effect. 

If you are meat free then look to tempeh a fermented tofu, or setian, made from wheat for your high protein option, add vegetables such as mushrooms, kale and spinach for an extra boost.