Cottage Cheese
This nutritious supply of protein, with practically 12 grams in a half-cup, performs properly with others. That is as a result of it would not have a powerful taste by itself. Make a wholesome snack by pairing cottage cheese with most any sort of fruit. Or use it as a protein-boosting secret ingredient in pancakes. Go together with low-fat cottage cheese to maintain it wholesome.
Almond Butter
This creamy unfold is not as well-known as its peanutty cousin. However with 7 grams of protein in 2 tablespoons, it must be. With loads of heart-healthy fat, it is an important method to gasoline up earlier than a exercise. You may even make it at residence — all you want is almonds and a blender. Spice it up with cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, or curry powder if that is the way you roll.
Cheddar Cheese
This zingy cheese is loaded with protein — about 7 grams per ounce — in addition to different vitamins like calcium, zinc, phosphorus, and nutritional vitamins A and B12. However maintain your parts small or select a lower-fat model. The fat present in dairy meals aren’t the heart-healthy kind. Cheese might be excessive in salt, too.
Lentils
A half-cup of those legumes offers you 8 grams of protein, about as a lot as you’d get from 1 ounce of lean steak. They arrive in plenty of colours — brown, inexperienced, black, yellow, pink, and orange. They cook dinner up sooner than beans. And you do not even have to soak them first. Attempt the brown ones in veggie burgers, the inexperienced ones in salads, and the pink ones in a spicy curry.
Pumpkin Seeds
Do not toss these after you carve the jack-o’-lantern. (A neater route is to purchase the already roasted kind on the retailer.) An oz of shelled ones has 8 1/2 grams of protein. They’re additionally a superb supply of zinc, iron, copper, magnesium, potassium, and selenium. Eat a handful with an apple for a filling snack. Or stir them into oatmeal, granola, or selfmade bread dough.
Shrimp
You solely want about 4 ounces of those shellfish to get greater than 17 grams of protein. They’re additionally low in energy and fats and have little mercury. Shrimp cook dinner rapidly, too. However step away from the breaded, deep-fried selection. As an alternative, toss grilled shrimp into pasta with marinara sauce for a quick, protein-rich meal.
Quinoa
This complete grain (really an edible seed) packs about 7 1/2 grams of protein per cup. It is a good supply of fiber, too. Naturally gluten-free, quinoa is as straightforward to arrange as rice. As a result of it tastes fairly bland by itself, add it to salads or grain bowls. It’s also possible to eat it as a sizzling cereal, and even pop it like popcorn.
Jerky
Lengthy often known as a backpacking standby, jerky is dried, lean meat. One ounce can have as much as 15 grams of protein. Many manufacturers are excessive in salt, sugar, and components like nitrate. However some new merchandise are altering jerky’s status as junk meals. You will discover jerky constituted of turkey, salmon, and even elk and ostrich. Examine the label for sodium, sugar, and chemical substances. You can also make your personal as properly.
Hemp Seeds
They will not get you excessive — they’re from a unique kind of hashish plant than marijuana. However these nutty-tasting seeds (generally referred to as hemp hearts) do pack a strong jolt of protein. Three tablespoons offer you 9 1/2 grams, together with plenty of heart-healthy fat. They’re tasty blended into smoothies. Attempt some hemp milk in your morning cereal.
