8 Ways to Increase your Protein

Protein is an important macronutrient. It is involved in the repair and generation of every tissue and organ in the body. It helps to build muscle mass which is crucial to improve our strength and to protect our joints and bones. It is a satiating nutrient that helps us to feel fuller for longer by stimulating the production of satiety hormones that signal the brain that you are full. Protein is slow to digest which helps to prevent snacking and is very thermogenic, meaning of the 3 main macronutrients it requires the most energy for your body to process. So as you build muscle you will also raise your resting metabolic rate, so you will burn more calories even while being inactive.

There are many ways to increase your protein intake. Some of these ways are:

1. Add cottage cheese to eggs for breakfast. Cottage cheese is very high protein food. Adding 1/4 cup of cottage cheese to 3 eggs before scrambling will give a breakfast with 32 g of protein.
2. Adding protein powder to Greek yogurt. Having a Greek yogurt bowl with fruit and a drizzle of natural peanut butter is a wonderful high protein breakfast or snack. One serving of protein powder mixed in 3/4 cup of full fat Greek yogurt with mixed berries and 1 Tbsp of natural peanut butter yields around 36 g of protein.
3. Weigh your animal proteins. It is difficult to “eyeball” the amount of meat that you should eat to get the proper amount of protein. Four ounces of boneless, skinless chicken breast has roughly 34 g of protein. While it takes 1 cup of ground beef to yield around 32 g of protein. The best way to know how much meat that you need and how much protein it is would be to use a tracking app. There are many that could be used. It is best to look for one that suits your needs and goals.
4. Adding seeds such as chia, flax or hemp. These seeds are protein packed and can also had omega-3 fatty acids to help with heart health. Chia can be added to a smoothie or made into a chia pudding. Hemp and flax seeds can be added to smoothies or made into crackers.
5. Beans. Beans are a good plant source of protein that can be added to a dish or meal. They can be added to a chili or soup.
6. Cheese. String cheese as a snack can help to add more protein. Adding feta cheese or shredded cheddar to scrambled eggs is a great way to increase protein at breakfast.
7. Adding a can of tuna to a large salad. Having a large salad with a variety of vegetables can help your fiber intake and adding a can of tuna can increase the protein.
8. Adding nuts and nut butters to your snacks. Nuts are a great source of fats and protein to have for a snack. Nut butters can be a great addition to apples having a great source of fats and fiber.

There are many ways to boost the amount of protein that you eat in a day through snacks and meals. Protein is so important for health and strength. Focusing on increasing the amount that you eat every day can help improve your muscle mass, strength, and bone health helping us as we age.