Protein does a body GOOD!
Did you know that eating protein-rich foods has numerous health benefits and can help you lose weight (especially that stubborn belly fat!), increase muscle mass and give you strength? Plus, it supports the health of certain organs like your thyroid, so it's very important to get enough protein in your diet! But how much protein? Well the amount of protein that we should eat really depends on what our health goals are. Here is a helpful guideline when trying to figure out how many grams of protein you should consume every day...
If you want general health and longevity, it's recommended that you eat about 50% of your body weight in grams of protein per day (i.e. - if you weigh 160 pounds, you'll want to eat around 80 grams of protein per day in your diet)
If your goal is to burn body fat quickly, it's recommended that you eat approximately 0.7 grams to 0.75 grams of protein a day (i.e. - if you weigh 160 pounds, then multiply that figure by 0.75)
If your goal is to build muscle quickly, you'll want to eat the same amount of protein in grams as your weight (i.e. - if you weigh 160 pounds and want to really bulk up, then you should be trying to eat 160 grams of protein a day)
What foods are good to eat? Here are 20 protein-rich foods:
Eggs - 6g of protein in one large egg
Almonds - 6g of protein per one ounce
Chicken breast - 53g of protein in one roasted chicken breast without skin
Raw Oats - 13g of protein in 1/2 cup
Cottage Cheese - 27g of protein in one cup
Greek Yogurt - 17g of protein in a 6oz container
Milk - 8g of protein in one cup
Lean Beef - 22g of protein in 3oz of cooked beef
Steak - 23g of protein in 3oz serving
Pork Chops - 26g of protein in 3oz serving
Tuna - 39g of protein in one cup
Quinoa - 8g of protein in one cup
Whey or Casein Protein Powder - 24g of protein per scoop
Lentils - 18g of protein in one cup boiled
Turkey Breast - 24g of protein in 3oz serving
Shrimp - 18g of protein in 3oz serving
Sockeye Salmon - 23g of protein in 3oz serving
Peanuts - 7g of protein in 1oz
Swiss cheese - 8g in 1oz
Beef Jerky - 13g of protein in 1oz
As always, when choosing foods to eat, ones that are fresh all-natural and minimally processed are always best for you! Go fresh!
