Protein-Rich Foods That You Should Incorporate in Your Diet
By Nmami Agarwal 10-Dec 2021 Reading Time: 4 Mins
In our body, proteins make up the basic framework and functional apparatus of our organs, hormones, and the rest of the cell matter. Proteins are needed for the growth, maintenance, and repair of our body’s tissues. Adding protein to your diet also helps in weight control, increasing muscle mass and strength, lowering blood pressure, resistance to infections, and improving the body’s overall appearance. The protein needs for growing children and pregnant women are high. However, even for regular adults, the protein requirement is at least sixty grams a day. Protein-rich foods that we should incorporate in our diet are –
1- Nuts – Almonds, cashews, and pistachios are popular protein sources for people who refrain from eating animal products. Nuts are rich in essential nutrients, fiber, vitamin E, and metal minerals. On average, the protein quantity is one-fifth of the total weight in nuts. It is also necessary to consume it in fewer quantities as the calorie and fat amount in nuts is high.
2- Milk – All-inclusive superfood with every nutrient that is required for the body. It has many essential proteins, it is high in calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin B2, which play a role in protein synthesis in our body. One cup of milk contains nearly eight grams of protein and roughly one-fifty calories. It can be substituted with soy milk, which contains six grams of protein and one hundred calories in a cup.
3-Fishes – Popular fishes like tuna, salmon, and indigenous varieties of carp and mackerel are rich in proteins necessary for our body. They are also low in fat as compared to meat and contain healthy fats consisting of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. One fifty grams of these fish contain on average twenty-eight grams of protein with nearly one thirty calories.
4-Lentils – Varieties like green moong, chickpea, urad, toor, and horse gram are all inexpensive sources of plant protein. They also have complexes of vitamins, folates, zinc, and plant acids. By weight, they consist of roughly one-fourth of protein.
5- Poultry and meat – The lean meat and poultry parts are richest in protein and have fewer calories. Lighter meat has more proteins whereas, darker meat has more minerals and saturated fats. It also helps to eat without skin as calories are reduced. Chicken breast roughly contains fifty grams of proteins for a serving of one sixty grams with two hundred and sixty calories. Lamb, pork, and beef also are good sources of high protein but also come with higher calories and fats.
6-Eggs – Like milk, it also is an all-inclusive superfood with almost all essential nutrients. Egg whites are the protein-rich part with negligible calories as the fats and calories are concentrated in the yolk. Eggs paired with milk is the simplest diet fix for protein deficiency.
Footnote-
It is important to know that protein loses its qualities at overcooking or very high temperatures. Hence it is recommended to follow the cooking guidelines for the correct temperature.