I just want to start off by saying…
Almonds, peanut butter, cheese, and quinoa are great foods but not protein sources. We are looking at food where the main nutrient is protein!
Let’s take a look at each:
Per 100 Grams:
- Almonds
- Protein: 21
- Fat: 49
- Carbs: 21
- Peanut Butter
- Protein: 25
- Fat: 50
- Carbs: 19
- Cheddar Cheese
- Protein: 23
- Fat: 33
- Carbs: 3
- Quinoa
- Protein: 5
- Fat: 3
- Carbs: 26
All these foods have a different nutrient as their main contributor, not protein. That doesn’t mean they are bad foods or bad for you, just not necessarily the best protein source.
Protein is a key component if you are looking to get stronger, lose weight, or improve your body composition (muscle:fat). For really any goal in fitness, protein is your friend. It’s going to not only give you the nutrients your body needs but also allow you to gain/maintain as much muscle as possible along the way. Most of the people I am working with on nutrition are looking to lose weight, primarily from fat. In this case, the amount of protein is EVEN MORE important.
With the less amount of overall food and nutrients going into your body, we want to make sure protein levels stay up at a high enough level.
So what are good sources of protein?
#1: Red Meat
- Ground Beef (per 100 grams)
- Calories 180 – Protein 25g – Fat 8g
We recently have heard a good amount about how unhealthy red meat is because of saturated fat and cholesterol. Saturated fat fulfills many bodily requirements and if you are in a calorie deficit, dietary cholesterol is not a major concern to negatively affect your blood cholesterol.
I did these numbers off ground beef that is cooked and drained of fat. You can buy leaner ground beef like 93/7 and 96/4, or you could buy whatever is on sale and take the fat out yourself. By taking that fat content out you are lowering the overall calories significantly without impacting the protein levels.
- Steak (per 100 grams)
- Calories and protein will vary greatly depending on what cut you get.
- Calories 200-300 – Protein 23-30g – Fat 10-20g
Steak is delightful. It’s tender, tasty, and just fills a void in life. It can become a little costly when you are buying it consistently but I am not your financial advisor. Yes It will have higher fat content than other things but can be worth It!
- Pork (per 100 grams)
- Calories 297 – Protein 25g – Fat 20g
Pork is definitely a fattier type of meat which does enhance flavor but not entirely at the expense of limiting calories. Even with some extra flavor from the fat, in my eyes, pork is not as delicious as a nice steak. (Also not necessarily “red meat” but we don’t need to harp on that!).
#2: Poultry
- Chicken Breast (per 100 grams)
- Calories 165 – Protein 31g – Fat 3g
This is one of those foods that’s hard to pass up when you are looking for a great protein source. It is definitely a lower calorie option with a high amount of protein.
With chicken being one of the most popular types of protein, there are millions of recipes out there to switch up how you prepare your meals.
Chicken thighs can be another great protein source as long as you are willing to handle a little more fat and calories compared to the breast.
- Ground Turkey (per 100 grams)
- Calories 180 – Protein 27g – Fat 3-6g
Although a slightly higher calorie option compared to chicken, ground turkey can be a great addition of variety to your protein list. Yet again, these numbers are from draining meat after cooking to expel the excess fat.
#3: Fatty Fish
- Salmon (per 100 grams)
- Calories 146 – Protein 21g – Fat 6g
- Tuna (per 100 grams)
- Calories 144 – Protein 23g – Fat 5g
- Mackerel (per 100 grams)
- Calories 167 – Protein 19g – Fat 9g
All these fish are technically “fatty fish”. They are fatty in the sense that they carry a hefty serving of omega 3 fatty acids which are VERY good for us. Although they may carry a slightly higher calorie marker because of it, this is not a reason to skip out on them!
#4: Lean Fish
- Cod (per 100 grams)
- Calories 82 – Protein 18g – Fat 1g
- Haddock (per 100 grams)
- Calories 87 – Protein 19g – Fat 1g
- Tilapia (per 100 grams)
- Calories 96 – Protein 20g – Fat 1g
There is a significant drop in calories and fat in these types of fish compared to the fatty fish but that does not make one “ healthier” than the other. Just one contains more calories from fat, especially omega 3 fatty acids, than the other.
Now, how you prepare these types of fish matter significantly. You might have a less fatty piece of fish but if you prepare it in buckets of oil and butter, that dietary fat is coming right back (and then some).
These numbers are meant to inform you about what is in the protein you are eating, not to scare you from eating something because it has more calories. If you are tracking your food, you will have an idea what fits into your day and what doesn’t!
#5: Shellfish
- Shrimp (per 100 grams)
- Calories 144 – Protein 20g – Fat 2g
I see shrimp passed up a lot on people’s lists of proteins. With that, it can be a great choice from a calorie perspective AND being very tasty. It is a little on the pricey side but does come in pre-cooked portions, something I find quite convenient during a busy week.
- Lobster (per 100 grams)
- Calories 97 – Protein 20g – Fat 1g
I was reluctant to even put lobster in here because it’s hard for me to not envision a perfectly formulated lobster roll or lobster tail dipped in a cup of butter. But besides those two delicious options, lobster can be a great option!
- Crab (per 100 grams)
- Calories 101 – Protein 20g – Fat 2g
#6: Dairy Products
- Greek Yogurt (per 100 grams)
- Calories 54 – Protein 10 – Fat 0
This might be one of my favorite foods and I have it just about every day. Greek yogurt contains not only a great protein source but also has probiotics to help balance a healthier gut. This might go without saying, but if you are one of those dairy intolerant people, it’s probably a good idea to skip this section, for you and everyone around you.
- Cottage Cheese (per 100 grams)
- Calories 103 – Protein 12g – Fat 5g
#7: Eggs
When it comes to eggs we have two options, whole eggs or egg whites. Some people say egg whites are superior because of how much lower calorie they are in comparison. BUT that doesn’t tell the whole story. We can go through the whole “eggs are good for you” stuff but truly, whole eggs just taste superior. They also will cost a bit less seeing that you are basically throwing half of the egg away if you are separating the yolks from the whites.
What I have done in the past is crack a couple whole eggs and pour some liquid egg whites over top of them to get the best of both worlds. Yes, there will still be some fat because of the 2 yolks but I make sure that factors into my day!
- Whole Eggs (1 large egg)
- Calories 74 – Protein 6.5g – Fat 5g
- Egg whites (per 100 grams)
- Calories 52 – Protein 11g – Fat 0g
#8: Protein Powder
People might consider using protein powders to help pad their numbers for the day. Think about it- they are a very convenient source of protein that tastes relatively good and doesn’t require you to use a fork and knife in the car.
Other people might say that whole foods are better for you and protein powder is the devil. You can be the judge. Find a quality source with limited ingredients, I don’t see many negatives. Personally, I have a protein shake just about every morning when I am running out the door. A good chunk of my clients use them as well to consistently hit their protein numbers.
As long as the source you are using has limited carbs and is somewhere between 110-150 calories for 20-25g protein, you have a winner.
#9: Other Sources
- Deli meats (per 100g)
- Calories 104 – Protein 17g – Fat 1.5g
Yes, carcinogens. People love to talk about the negatives because either themselves or their wife couldn’t have sliced turkey during their pregnancy. Well, I’d venture to say there are plenty more things detrimental to my health than some protein from a few slices of buffalo chicken. This can be a great source as long as you know how much protein you are getting at one sitting.
- Beef jerky (per 2oz)
- Calories 140 – Protein 22g – Fat 0g
Beef jerky has been a game changer for many people. Very convenient and quite tasty as well. The biggest negative I have with beef jerky is the price. You are paying for convenience and that can drive the price up well past $10-12 per pound.
- Protein Bars
Every protein bar differs in calories and protein. There are some with a good ratio of protein to calories while others are bigger than a sit-down dinner when it comes to calories. The better ones will be somewhere around 200 calories for 20g protein. I am not a huge fan of this as a daily protein source. But you can use it as an option when you are in a pickle.
#10: Veganism
If you are vegan and looking to get your protein up to a certain level, it takes a lot of planning. Planning that type of diet needs to be on an individual basis where all nutrient requirements are met.
That is why I am not giving too many vegan options here because I believe that needs a deeper conversation. Now, in the past I have laid out protein targets for people to shoot for. Somewhere between .7 and 1 gram per pound of your GOAL body weight. If you are vegan, those numbers will most likely be a bit lower, so do not work off those recommendations.
If you are a vegan→ sit down→ make a plan→ and get yourself in a place to succeed!
You have your lists of protein sources and some information behind each and every one of them. The information is easy, putting it into practice is where the true tests arise.
If you ever need any help getting your protein numbers up, just shoot me an email –> Jeff@naglefitness.com
We will make sure you are ready to go with your targets!
In good health,
Jeff
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