Protein remains buzzy, with self-optimization gurus and bona fide nutrition experts alike sharing the best sources of it, and tips to ramp up intake. Why the hoopla? Because it wears several hats when it comes to how our bodies run and look. Your muscles are built of the stuff. And getting enough protein is important for making meals more filling, which is vital for putting the brakes on overeating and unhealthy snacking.
So, yes, protein is super important. But before you start dumping protein powder into everything, you should know there are other ways you can go bigger on this macro throughout the day that are way easier than you think. It’s all about adding some high-protein items to the foods that you already eat. Meal and snack upgrades that will also help you net a greater diversity of other essential nutrients. Besides, protein is best consumed on a regular basis throughout the day, as well as soon after exercise.
Ready to pump up the protein to stay buff? Here are the protein hacks you need in your life.
Salads: Add Roasted Chickpeas
Crispy chickpeas are an easy way to add crunchy texture to a bowl of greens along with a hit of dietary fiber and plant-based protein. An ounce serving of roasted chickpeas contains about 6 grams of fiber and protein. That will make your salad even more of a nutritional powerhouse and more capable of supporting gut health and muscular repair and growth if you’ve been training hard.
Roasted chickpeas also contain a range of other important nutrients including iron, folate, and magnesium. You can try making a batch of your own roasted chickpeas in the oven, which is a bit of a pain, or press the easy button and turn to a store-bought option such as Biena, which has a range of tasty flavors.
Pro tip: These crispy legumes are also a great addition to trail mix.
Rice: Add Edamame
Edamame is the term for steamed soybeans in their unripened form with a fresh, slightly nutty flavor. A half-cup serving of these verdant legumes provides an impressive 8 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber, plus plenty of folate, vitamin K, and magnesium. That makes them a nutritious, muscle-friendly addition to any cooked grains including rice and quinoa.
The preponderance of evidence suggests that adding soy protein to your diet can aid in building lean mass. They are also a smart addition to salads and soups. Or Google “edamame hummus” and get blending. You can find bags of shelled frozen edamame in most grocery stores. To prepare edamame, simply add the frozen beans to a pot of boiling water and cook for just a couple of minutes.
Pancakes: Add Peanut Butter Powder
Consider this nutty powder a low-calorie solution to infusing your weekend pancakes with a welcomed peanut butter flavor. Powdered peanut butter is made from whole roasted peanuts that have been pressed to remove most of the oil and then the remaining nut particles are ground into a fine powder. What you’re left with is a more protein-dense product with significantly fewer calories than the creamy spread.
Each 2 tablespoon serving of PB powder will boost your morning flapjacks with 7 grams of protein. You can substitute up to 1/3 of the regular flour in your standard pancake or waffle recipe with peanut butter powder for a stack that packs in more protein. It can also be stirred into oatmeal and blended into protein shakes. This is stuff you want in your pantry. There are several options for peanut butter powder with Naked being one of the best.
Oatmeal: Add Boxed Egg Whites
Most of the flavor in eggs comes from the yolks, so adding just the liquid whites won’t result in eggy-flavored oatmeal but will certainly bolster protein numbers. Those ultra-convenient boxed egg whites deliver at least 5 grams of protein in a 3 tablespoon serving. (They’re treated with mild heat to eliminate pathogens). Pure egg whites are widely considered to be one of the most bioavailable and digestible sources of protein. That means your muscles love them. And because boxed egg whites are pasteurized, you can also safely add them to things like smoothies and salad dressing increase the protein content. You can find boxes of pure egg whites in the dairy section of most grocers.
To make protein oats, place 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of sea salt in a pot. Add 3/4 cup water or milk and stir to combine. Simmer over medium-high heat for 6 to 7 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Pour in ¼ cup additional milk or water and 1/4 cup liquid egg whites into the oats and stir consistently for about 2 minutes. Stirring will keep the egg whites from scrambling and turn into a thick, fluffy consistency instead. Add any desired toppings.
Toast: Add Ricotta Cheese
Peanut butter isn’t the only creamy thing you can spread on your breakfast toast. Not just for lasagna, ricotta cheese also works as a delicious spread for bread and can embrace all sorts of sweet and savory toppings including berries, jams, chopped nuts and even smoked fish. It’s not just your taste buds that will benefit, your muscles will too: ricotta is especially rich in whey protein, widely considered the most effective type of protein at stimulating lean body mass growth. A quarter-cup of part-skim ricotta has roughly 7 grams of top-notch protein. To upgrade your morning toast, spread on peanut or almond butter, followed by ricotta cheese and then your favorite jam or jelly.
Scrambled Eggs: Add Smoked Mussels
Located alongside canned tuna at the supermarket, be sure to pick up a few tins of oft-overlooked smoked mussels to elevate ho-hum scrambled eggs to new heights. These sustainable gifts from the sea provide an extra shot of briny protein, about 15 grams per tin, and are a world class source of vitamin B12, which is vital to proper nerve functioning. So there is indeed a sunny side to adorning your scrambled eggs with a few mussels to show your, well, muscles some love. I also add them to salads for a no-cook protein boost and scatter them over slices of pizza.
Protein Shakes: Add Ultra-Filtered Milk
Think of this as milk on steroids and a stellar base for your post-gym blender drinks. Ultra-filtered milk is made through a process called ultrafiltration, which is a process that separates milk components according to their molecular sizes. This filtration process alters the composition of the milk since the water and lactose are separated from other components of the milk. In the end, the milk ends up being more concentrated in protein while lower in lactose.
A cup of regular 2% milk has 8 grams of protein, whereas the same amount of the ultra-filtered dairy supplies 13 grams. A 60 percent protein spike makes this next-level milk a worthy splurge. It also tends to have more calcium and vitamin D. Fairlife is a reliable brand of ultra-filtered milk to blend into your smoothies or to float your cereal in.
Broccoli: Add Hummus
There is nothing wrong with drizzling olive oil over your cooked veggies like steamed broccoli, but to bring some more protein to the table consider adorning them with a creamy hummus sauce. Made from blended chickpeas, hummus contains about 3 grams of protein in a 2 tablespoon serving. That’s not a huge amount, but every bit counts and it will undeniably make vegetables more desirable to eat, which alone is something to celebrate. To make a veggie topper, whisk together 1/4 cup hummus, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Including items like fresh thyme and smoked paprika makes it even more special.
Yogurt: Add Hemp Seeds
While they may be small, hemp seeds pack a powerful nutrient punch and might be the best thing to sprinkle over yogurt, salads, and oatmeal that you aren’t using. Just 3 tablespoons of hemp seeds (also called “hemp hearts”) deliver an impressive 10 grams of plant-based protein, along with a sizable dose of heart-healthy unsaturated fatty acids. That is more protein than most other seeds and nuts. The protein contained within hemp seeds has been determined to be “complete” since it contains a full arsenal of essential amino acids in useful amounts, a somewhat rarity in the plant kingdom. This makes the healthy seeds useful for helping build-up your physique. Their flavor is reminiscent of a love child of pine nuts and sunflower seeds so, yes, very tasty. Two go-to brands we recommend are Manitoba Harvest and Nutiva.
Chicken: Add Cottage Cheese Sauce
Yes, it’s packed with protein, but often chicken can be as exciting to eat as a bag of sawdust. Not so if you drape it in a good sauce, especially one that makes the meal even more of a protein powerhouse. Cottage cheese is known as being a protein heavyweight, and rightfully so as it supplies at least 12 grams of protein in a 1/2 cup serving. An amount that can be more than Greek yogurt. Other nutritional highlights include phosphorus, selenium, and vitamin B12. And it blends up into a delicious sauce for cooked meats including chicken and salmon.
In a high-speed blender or food processor, combine:
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup jarred roasted red pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp salt
Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy. Smoother your meat in it.
