Adding Protein to Your Diet - It's Whey Good For You

What do you do to get protein into your diet? There are lots of sources, yet some people don't get enough of it. Maybe they are vegetarians of one sort or another, or perhaps they just are "into" carbs and don't think about the balance needed for nutrition. Here are some choices that add protein. Some are veggie friendly, others are not, but you NEED to have somewhere around 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight on a daily basis. If you are doing resistance training (you are, aren't you?) it should be increased to about 2 grams per kilogram. (Or slightly less than one gram per pound)

So how do you get that? First for the vegetarians out there, Legumes (anything in the bean family) contain protein. I've written a few pieces on the health value of beans; I can't say enough good things about them, and they generally contain 15 grams of protein per cup. Second option is whey protein powder. The levels vary, but generally speaking you get anywhere from 20 to 30 grams of protein per scoop of powder. (The secret to making these shakes taste better is adding fresh fruit.) A third option is soy. I'm not super keen on soy, but it does contain protein.

Now depending what sort of vegetarian you are you can step up to dairy products. My favorite is cottage cheese, which also can be blended with water and fruit to make a shake. I had a comment about consistency on cottage cheese, and I will say just put it into a food processor to smooth it out. Cottage cheese contains around 25 grams of protein per cupful. I often eat cottage cheese mixed with yogurt (which contains both protein and carbs) for a quick meal. Milk, cheese and other dairy all contain protein in various amounts. Read the labels to get the low down.

Finally for the carnivores out there, meat is pure protein. The main issue with meat is getting something that is fairly low-fat. Animal fats are pretty much the worst sort of fats to ingest. We need fats in our diets. (Essential, they are.) Fats should mostly come from fish, olive oils and dairy. My preferred meats are chicken and turkey breasts and tenders, and salmon. I eat red meat occasionally and if I'm going to do that, I prefer filet mignon. (if you're going to go there, go big, I say.) I also eat some ground beef and ground chicken and turkey breast.

The nice thing about chicken tenders and breasts is that you can pre-cook and use them in a variety of ways. They are great chopped as a topping for salads, or mixed in with beans and salsa. The possibilities are pretty much endless.

About this Author

The right food choices will make a huge impact on your quest for better health. I lost over ten pounds in the first 21 days of following the Every Other Day Diet and it was simple and easy, and I didn't give up real cheese steaks, burgers, lasagna or any of my other favorite foods. My Ideal Diet more health and fitness info: All Health Network

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