1. Chicken
Chicken, especially chicken breast, is one of the foods richest in proteins, available to everyone, and it’s a perfect everyday protein source for bodybuilders and dieters who tend to lose weight. There is a lot of ways to make a healthy meal from chicken breasts, and even when it is fried with oil it keeps calories low – 100 gr of chicken breasts fried with oil contain under 200 KCAL.
Beside high protein level, chicken breast almost has no fats and carbs, and it is rich in vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5 and B12 and essential amino acids. Maybe the healthiest way to prepare chicken breast is to bake it in the oven without too much additives or spices and serve it with a lot of vegetables.
2. Tuna
Whether canned or grilled, tuna is extremely healthy food, rich in potassium, magnesium and selenium. It, also, contains a lot of B group vitamins and it’s a great source of Omega 3 fat acids. As other types of seafood, tuna is the only natural source of DHA and EPA, specific Omega 3 fat acids which have a good impact on heart and brain health.
According to some researches Vitamin E and Selenium prevent some types of cancer ( digestive tract ) , and they lower risk of leukemia. Small portion of tuna contains half of body daily needs for proteins. We recommend that you serve it with portion of rice and boiled vegetables.
3. Tilapia
Tilapia is very popular source of proteins ( 26g / 100g ), because of it’s availability, price and taste. Compared to other fish, it contains extremely low levels of cholesterol, sodium and saturated fats. If you can, choose naturally grown tilapia – it contains significantly higher level of omega 3 fat acids. The difference between naturally grown tilapia and the one from the hatchery was the main source of rumors that tilapia is not so super healthy, since it contains omega 6 fatty acids, but nutritionists and dietitians still recommend it, and you should give it a try.
We prefer baking it in the oven, spiced with salt and pepper, and served with lemon and lemon juice. Bodybuilders use it very often as a post workout source of proteins.
4. Shrimp
Shrimp are a great source of proteins. They are, same as other seafood, rich in omega 3 fat acids, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper and selenium. Although some nutritionists claim that shrimp have a good HDL /LDL cholesterol ( even better than eggs! ), take that with a caution: shrimp have high cholesterol levels, so you need to carefully choose foods you will combine with them.
They can alleviate the symptoms of depression, arthritis and be helpful in lowering high blood pressure and fighting Alzheimer. Shrimps can be prepared in almost countless ways, but we prefer the simplest: grilled shrimp, served with a lemon juice.
5. Low Fat Pork
Maybe it sounds crazy, but low fat pork is a very healthy food, rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals, and it should be regularly consumed ( you need to keep an eye on a portions, though ). Low fat pork proteins are “completed” which means that they contain recommended levels of amino acids important for human body cells.
Pork is a great source of zinc, too, which helps in testosterone production ( and it’s the main hormone for muscle building ).
Pork steak would be a perfect post workout meal, served with a pinto bean ( since it cuts down bad cholesterol by 9%).
6. Lamb
The lamb is almost perfect source of proteins, especially for bodybuilders, since it contains high levels of B12 vitamin and niacin which produce energy, so your workout can last longer. It is also a great source of zinc and selenium which makes it a perfect post workout meal. However, it is high in saturated fats, so, before roasting, grilling or boiling it, make sure to cut out fat from meat.
It is best served with green vegetables: kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, arugula, watercress, with which it makes incredible detox combination.
7. Ham
Ham is considered as the queen of proteins! According to USDA it consists of about 20% proteins. It helps you get rid of body fat, and it also contains whole list of other healthy minerals, such as: sodium, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium, and vitamins like vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, C and E.
It is a great food when you get bored with canned tuna, eggs, and chicken breasts. Have in mind that processed foods, like ham, are often high in sodium, which can lead to cholesterol and high blood pressure problems.
8. Eggs
Eggs are extremely important natural source of proteins. Egg white doesn’t contain any fats – the yolk does, but even unsaturated and saturated fats from the yolk are good for our body. Also, the yolk contains the most of proteins, and it’s about 6gr of high quality protein, so there is no need to avoid it.
In contradiction to some opinions, and according to science studies, having eggs during diet, doesn’t increase bad cholesterol levels in our body. The eggs are also rich in choline which has a good impact on cardiovascular system.
The simplest and healthiest way to prepare the eggs is when you hard boil them, with spices and veggies.
9. Non-Fat Milk
It’s cheap, available to everyone and unavoidable drink for high protein dieters. It’s a little known fact that milk has similar ratio of electrolytes and carbohydrates as many popular sport drinks.
Although 90% of milk consists of water, one bottle of 1.5% milk contains nearly 37gr of proteins. It’s also rich in A, D, E vitamins, and it’s the best source of calcium whose role in our body is well known to everyone. Lactoferrin from milk has a positive impact on human immune system, and some studies claim that it also serves as cancer prevention.
Milk is the ultimate drink for post workout muscle recovery.
If you want to sleep well, don’t forget to drink a glass of milk before you go to bed.
10. Parmesan Cheese
This sort of cheese contains a remarkable amount of proteins, but it’s, unfortunately, rich in saturated fats and salt ( sodium ), too. Parmesan contains minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and A, B1, B2, B6, C and E vitamins. All nutritive value of milk is highly concentrated in Parmesan – 16 l of milk is needed for 1kg of Parmesan.
Serve it with a tofu, chicken breasts, or with fruits like apples or pears, but keep an eye on portion size.
11. Non – fat Mozzarella
Mozzarella is a cheese which contains high percentage of water and has a fresh milk taste. 100gr of Mozzarella contains about 25% of proteins and about 500mg of calcium, but it’s rich in other important micronutrients like zinc and riboflavin, too.
It’s recommended for kids, older people and sportsmen.
12. Cottage Cheese
Cottage Cheese is very rich in proteins, and it’s used almost in all kinds of foods. It’s rich in calcium and phosphorus, both responsible for your bones strength, but low fat variants can contain a lot of sodium, so pay attention to the ingredients label. It’s a great source of vitamins B2 and B12, which are responsible for our brain health, and which also play the main role in red blood cells production.
You can serve it with a fruit and cinnamon as well as with vegetables, or low fat pork. The simplest, and the way we just love to serve it is as a sour cream on a baked potato.
13. Squash seeds
Squash seeds are unjustly neglected as an important source of proteins, vitamins and minerals. Squash seeds are very high in calories, but on the other side they are very rich in folic acid, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium.
Proteins make 31% of squash seeds! One cup of squash seeds contains more proteins than one low fat pork steak!
They are also very rich in omega 3 fatty acids who are a well known by their benefits for our heart, but they also have a positive impact on our eyesight and mood. Squash seeds are also considered as antioxidant and they are used for lowering cholesterol levels.
14. Almonds
Almonds are probably most nutritious foods of all nuts. 100 gr of almonds contains about 22% proteins. They are also extremely rich in minerals: copper, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, manganese and calcium.
They are perfect if you want to make your teeth and bones stronger. Almonds are also useful in cancer and diabetes prevention and they give you energy necessary for effective workout.
Almonds are recommended as food for all dieters: monounsaturated fats from almonds give you the feeling of satiety, and prevent overeating.
You can have them for breakfast, chopped and mixed with cereals and yogurt, or as a snack with fresh apples, or you can serve them with chicken breasts or tuna for a delicious dinner.
15. Sunflower Seeds
Handful of sunflower seeds provides you with a bunch of useful nutrients, and they can surely satisfy the hunger.
Sunflower seeds are on the list of 20 super foods recommended for everyday use, and they are considered as useful in cancer prevention. They are rich in proteins, minerals ( manganese, copper, magnesium, selenium ), vitamins ( E, B1, B5 ) and folic acid.
However, the most of the sunflower seeds content are fats – unsaturated fat acids, specifically linoleic acid.
They are very popular snack food, and very often can be found as bread ingredient, but also they can be served mixed with cereals, or with salads, made of tuna or chicken breasts.
16. Quinoa
Quinoa has a great amount of high quality proteins, which include all essential amino acids, especially lysine which has a good impact on growth and health of our cells.
It’s recommended for everyday use for people who suffer from migraines, because it’s rich in magnesium and riboflavin. As a whole wheat grain, it has a positive impact on cardiovascular health, and it’s a great antioxidant, but just as a whole grain food.
It’s important to know that quinoa doesn’t contain gluten, and it’s easy to digest, so it makes ideal dinner meal.
17. Greek Yogurt
Two words are enough: protein wonder! It’s extremely nutritious and tasteful.
The main difference between classic and Greek yogurt is that warm milk, which needs to be for a some time in special vessels through which, during the process of fermentation and with help of bacteria, whey filters out of yogurt. This way, important amount of sugar and calories gets removed from yogurt, so, the final product, the Greek yogurt is pretty rich in proteins – it contains double amount of proteins than the standard yogurt, and much more nutrients.
You can serve it with fresh fruits, like blueberries, and it can be combined with almost any hot or cold meal.
18. Tofu
Although it contains a lot of calories, salt, and it’s often mixed with soy, tofu is a great protein source, especially for vegans / vegetarians. It also contains good ( unsaturated ) fats which makes it a very good post workout muscle recovery food.
Serve it with vegetable soup, that will make it more tasty.
19. Blackberries
Blackberries are considered as a superfood in the first place, as an antioxidant- they contain 10x more antioxidants than tomato or broccoli. One of the antioxidants – ellagitannins, which is not found in almost any other food, is proved to be very effective in cancer prevention.
Blackberries are low in calories and rich in vitamins C and E, folic acid, and minerals – potassium, magnesium and manganese.
Thanks to high content of fibers, blackberries significantly contribute to diabetes prevention, and they are cure for high cholesterol levels.
Blackberries make you feel full, and that’s why they are unavoidable item in almost every weight loss menu.
You can eat them fresh, frozen or in a compote, and we are sure you will find your way to consume them.