Introduction
Together with fat and carbohydrates, proteins are part of the 3 macronutrients that are essential for our body. In this article, we will analyze why they are so important for a healthy lifestyle and some examples of how to integrate them effortlessly into our meals.
Proteins are built from amino acids and are the main components of all cells in the body. While human beings can produce some proteins internally, others must be obtained through the consumption of some aliments and foods.
When you hear about diets, some people blame carbohydrates and fat, but never the third macronutrient. The reason is that our body is able to store fat and carbohydrates. However, it is not possible to store proteins. That’s why it’s important to keep a diet that is rich in protein (either protein or vegetable).
Our body is not just composed of one unique protein, but we have many types that have a specific role. Some of these functions are related to transport, defense, or structure. Without going into detail, the first question you would be asking yourself is how you can get proteins and the ideal meals for this.
When it comes to products, it’s likely that you may have heard about whey protein on more than one occasion. It is a product, which is made up as the main element of the proteins that are extracted from the whey of milk, and that can provide interesting benefits to our health. For this reason, it is widely used as a dietary supplement, especially indicated for practicing sports. However, having this product every day – even with different flavors – may be a bit boring after several weeks.
For this simple reason, this article collects other products that may help in order to achieve a diversifying and funny diet, from complete natural products.
1. Quark
Quark is quite trendy recently in several countries and you may see with many flavors. Quark is a type of cheese obtained from the rennet of milk in which proteins are concentrated due to the fact that the largest aqueous portion or whey is separated from the milk after its acidification.
Their protein content is variable, being able to find around 10 to 20% in them. One of the biggest advantages is that quark It is a source of casein, a protein of high biological value that our body can make the most of.
2. Greek yoghurt
Although the one you may find in your supermarket. may not have many things with the original Yoghurt from Greece, in both cases the content of proteins will give a boost to your daily intake.
A 6-ounce serving of Greek yogurt provides you with 15 to 20 grams of protein, significant amounts of potassium, calcium, vitamin B-12 and B-6, and magnesium. It has low levels of sodium and cholesterol. Furthermore, it does not include too many carbohydrates, compared to the “normal” youghurt.
3. Skyr
Between cheese and yoghurt, we have the next product coming from a small island in the North. Skyr is a dairy product of Icelandic origin that has been gaining prominence for its health benefits. Although many classify it as a yogurt, it is actually a hybrid between it and a fresh cream cheese since its texture and flavor fall somewhere between the two.
Skyr is usually made from skimmed milk, from which cream or cream has been removed. This makes this product perfect for our diet.
Because of this ancient historic process, Skyr is low in fat, but it keeps the milk, which is why it has big content on protein, vitamins, and minerals.
4. Eggs
Criticized by many not many years ago, eggs are one of the most common products. Apart from the big number of proteins, they are known for having a good quality due to the high proportion of amino acids.
Furthermore, when it comes to combining them, eggs offer a multitude of gastronomic possibilities thanks to their versatility, easiness to prepare and technical properties. You can have them prepared in various ways such as fried, baked, boiled, or even used in some desserts. Obviously, if fried or in desserts (think of French eclairs or the Portuguese Molotof pudding), they will not be very healthy either. However, just a simple omelet (including also Spanish omelet) can be a good boost of proteins in your meals. If you add for example tuna, you will be almost covered for the day.
Very simple to cook (or part of more sophisticated recipes), eggs are one of the most complete sources of proteins
5. Cod
In general, all fish and meat have a high proportion of protein in their composition. Nonetheless, compared to other fish such as salmon, cod stands out above other varieties of fish, since it has a very low amount of fat, which is an advantage regarding the proportion of protein compared to the rest of the macronutrients.
Despite not being one of the most famous fish by the public, the truth is that cod offers multiple options in the kitchen to satisfy all kinds of palates. In each country or region, you will see cooked in complete different ways.
6. Peanuts
Although surprising for some, nuts are two food groups that offer variable amounts of protein and can be very helpful in a vegetarian diet to meet the dietary needs of this macronutrient in the diet. Some examples are almonds or pistachios.
This also happens with peanuts, a legume that, due to its appearance and form of consumption, is often confused with a nut. Peanuts offer interesting amounts of protein in the diet, whether consumed raw or with the classic peanut butter that many are passionate about. Here are some fantastic recipes with peanuts. One of the most popular ones is the peanut butter, which you can combine with many meals.
The disadvantage is that they may be too caloric or contain too much salt, but just taking a handful of them as a little snack will not harm anyone.
7. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is one of the most nutritious, versatile, and healthy cereals. Hence, more and more people are betting on incorporating it into their daily diet, mainly for breakfast.
Oatmeal can boast of being one of the cereals with the highest protein content. We can obtain a protein of high biological value, in combination with foods such as milk or legumes.
Its richness in protein (12 grams per 100 grams) and mostly complex carbohydrates (60 grams per 100), makes this cereal an ideal food for athletes. The disadvantage is that it may not be very tasty. For that reason, one solution is incorporating it into shakes.
8. Lupins
If you take care of your health, most of aforementioned products may be known to you.
I never thought that the last one would be considered a high source of protein and it may be good for some of you to know. Lupins are similar to corn and eaten as snack. In some countries they may be more popular. They are legumes and are perfect to add proteins to vegetarian diets.
It may not be very famous because it was always marginalized and linked to poverty.
Nevertheless, their properties and some research about them have given them a more notorious role. The extraordinary properties of lupins have made this product popular, which is good news, since it is an inexpensive product, very healthy.
Some of the most important attributes of this aliment is that they contain a high source of protein (they contain 40%). They are also. Ideal for diets. Its high fiber content (34%), low levels of fat (less than 6%) and antioxidants.
Microalgae can be an interesting product to consider with the growth of population and lack of resources in the years to come.
9. Microalgae
The last one is more a product to be considered for the future and the scarcity of some resources, including the increase of population in the current century. There are several studies that indicate that microalgae can be a solution to world hunger.
Several genera of microalgae are a valuable source of protein that compete favorably in quantity and quality with traditional products such as eggs, soy, or fish. In addition, they have the ability to synthesize all 20 amino acids and to be a rare source of essential amino acids.
Conclusion
We have seen different ways of having proteins in our daily diet. As we have seen, they have different advantages that will be beneficial for our health.
They are effective for weight loss. Besides, proteins help the development of muscles and improves recovery, thereby contributing to the increase in their strength, reducing body fat while maintaining muscle. This one is a goal that is often very difficult to achieve through exercise or diet alone.
Not just related to aesthetics or sport, beneficial health effects. Many studies have concluded that the supplement with Whey protein can be a great help to combat certain diseases and to have a better general state of health.
Having said this, it’s now your turn to try the different options or even find new sources of protein. This also does not mean that you should forget about the other 2 macronutrients because they are also essential for a correct functioning of our body.