Lean Protein Foods

In today's fast paced life, we are always running from one place to another, whether it is to the office, to pick up the kids or to the gym. We all lead busy lives and often do not have the time to have a well-balanced meal. So we end up grabbing a takeout meal. You may think that since you are working out, you are burning all the calories and hence have nothing to worry about. But, what about the nutrients your body needs to function properly. Proteins are crucial nutrients. Protein is essential for keeping your immune system strong, protecting it against bacteria, viruses, and other harmful invaders. Along with that protein also helps build muscles and bone. Some people do fear that eating high protein foods will make their muscles bulky or make them gain too much weight. However there are many low calorie, nutritious and lean protein foods that can provide you with the required nutrition and still not add calories.

Not all protein foods are lean and nutritious. There are certain kinds of protein foods that can give any diet just the lean boost it needs. Lean proteins are proteins that contain low amounts of fat, especially saturated fat. People referring to lean proteins are typically referring to animal proteins. Lean proteins are full of nutrients, such as vitamin K, B 12, and iron. Along with the right foods, eating the right amount of protein daily helps you maintain a lean body mass, as you lose weight, which in turn keeps your metabolism up, so you continue to burn fat at a steady rate. The recommended protein intake per day for an average healthy person is between 2 to 2.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day.

List of Lean Protein Food

Eggs: Eggs are low in calories with only five grams of fat. Also they are very healthy and nutritious whether scrambled or made into an omelet. The best source of lean proteins in eggs are egg whites and hard-boiled eggs which can be eaten as a snack. The American Heart Association says normal healthy adults can safely enjoy an egg a day.

Dairy: Dairy is a versatile lean protein available. It includes milk, yogurt, cheese etc. While dairy is an excellent source of protein, make wise choices when choosing dairy because of high fat and calorie content. The leanest choice of dairy should be non-fat or low-fat milk, cheese, and yogurt. Cheeses low in fat are soft; for example, feta, ricotta, mozzarella, and cottage cheese.

Fish: Another great choice for lean proteins foods is fish or seafood. It is not only a good source of protein but overall it is a very nutritious and healthy food. Fish include flounder, sole, scrod, cod, and canned tuna in water. Some other choices include clam, scallop, and shrimp. Foods that contain fish oil regulate the metabolism and hormones.

Chicken Breast: Chicken breast provide about 8 gm protein per oz. When selecting pieces, look for boneless skinless chicken breasts, as the majority of chicken fat is in and around the skin. To further reduce fat content, trim any remaining fat before cooking.

Lean Beef: Lean beef is also a good source of B vitamins and iron. However, since any kind of red meat contains high saturated fat, it is important to know how to pick out the right piece. Look for leaner cuts like top round, top sirloin, and flank steak. A general guideline is to look for a minimum 2 g protein to 1 g fat ratio. For ground beef, buy 90 percent lean or leaner.

Beans: An excellent but rare plant source of proteins are beans. Half a cup of beans contains as much protein as three ounces of broiled steak. Besides containing all the essential amino acids they also are loaded with fiber to keep you full for hours. There are a variety of bean types that provide proteins in large quantities, including navy, pinto, and black beans.

There are a lot of other foods that can provide us with lean protein which include soy, tofu, turkey, almonds, peanuts, cashews, peanut butter etc. Now that you know the foods that contain lean protein it will be easier to include them in your daily diet to make it nutritional and healthy.