To have a balanced diet means making sure you eat sufficient amounts of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. In dealing with clients day in and day out I often find they struggle to know what foods are good sources of protein Today I am sharing my five favourite protein sources. 

 

1: Chick Peas

These little beauties are truly delicious. And with an impressive 19g of protein per 100g portion they are protein packed to boot. I love adding them to salads as one of my 5-a-day and lets not forget they are the key ingredient in humus – which is a firm favourite of mine for snack time. Try corn-cakes, rice cakes or vegetable sticks smothered in humus to pack some added protein into your day! And you can even make your own with four simple ingredients: chick peas, olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and tahini. Pop them in the blender and voila! 

 

2: Beans and Lentils

Lentil curries and dahls are absolutely delicious and just 100g will give you 9g of protein. Beans and lentils are also the cheapest form of protein you’ll find in comparison to other sources and they are classed as a superfood. Opt for the non-canned varieties where you can to get their full benefit. My favourite beans are edamame which yield a very impressive 11g of protein per 100g and kidney beans – which I add to homemade chilli – have a massive 24g of protein per 100g. 

 

3: Fresh Fish 

I could happily live on seafood! But good quality fish is far superior in both taste and nutrients. Here are some of my favourites and their protein values:

Hake Fillet – 25g

Salmon Darne – 22g

Prawns – 24g per 100g

 

4: Steak 

Having a good steak is a delicious treat and protein packed! An average serving could well pack over 60g of protein! 

 

5: Eggs

Last but by no means least are eggs. I literally eat eggs every day. I try to buy free range where possible too. You get 6g of protein in 1 large egg so having two for breakfast gets your day off to a good start. Some times I will have an omelette with two full eggs and two egg whites packing in a good 19-20g of protein. 

 

I hope you found this little post useful. Protein is so much more than copious amounts of meat. I like to try get a balance of plant, animal and supplementary proteins in my diet.

 

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See you there,

 

Leanne x