Want to know the 11 best sources of protein for promoting fat loss? We all know protein is important for losing fat and building muscle. A calorie deficit drives weight loss, but if you’re not getting sufficient protein, you may be losing more muscle weight than fat weight.
In this article, we are going to address the absolute best sources of protein. These are foods where protein is the dominant macro-nutrient. Just because a food may contain a few grams of protein doesn’t mean it’s a protein food.
1. Lean Beef
Beef is arguably the best source of quality protein. It contains all the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs. The nutrient density in beef is what makes it so satiating on a diet plan. You want to make sure you buy lean cuts of beef though.
The best cuts of beef are going to be things like
- New York Strip Steaks
- Flank Steaks
- Lean Ground Beef
- Top Sirloin Steak
- Top Sirloin Roast Beef
Other cuts of beef are going to be high in fat. When shopping in the grocery store, it is best to purchase beef that has a 1 to 3 ratio of fat to protein. In other words, the protein content should far outweigh the fat content in the meat.
Red meat is something you can eat every day if it’s one of your preferred sources of protein. Despite popular belief, red meat won’t destroy your health as long as you’re eating a moderate amount of it.
If you want to read more about the amazing benefits of regular red meat consumption, check out this article Red Meat is the Only True Super Food.
2. Chicken Breast
Chicken breast should defiantly be a staple protein source in your diet. It is low in fat, high in protein, and very versatile to cook with. Some great recipes with chicken breast include things like:
- Fried Chicken tenders
- Pan-Grilled Chicken
- Chicken baked in breadcrumbs.
- Chicken Pasta
Chicken breast is leaner than beef and has a better fat to protein ratio. With chicken breast you are getting a 1 to 4 fat to protein ratio, which makes it a low-calorie, high protein food. It’s best to buy skinless cuts of chicken breast, so you don’t get excess fat.
3. Chicken Thighs
Chicken thighs are slightly higher in fat compared to chicken breast, but it’s still an excellent source of protein. Some people may prefer chicken thighs over chicken breast because of its higher fat content. Fattier meats tend to taste better than meats that are very lean.
With chicken thighs you can make:
- Grilled Chicken Thighs
- BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Pan-Fried Chicken Thighs
- Baked Chicken Thighs
Like chicken breast, you want to make sure you are getting skinless chicken thighs to avoid excess fat in the meat.
4. Egg Whites
Egg whites are a pure protein source. There are no fats or carbs in a serving of egg whites. You can buy boxed egg whites from the grocery store. There are a variety of recipe uses for egg whites that include:
- Egg White Omelets’
- Healthy Pancake recipes with egg whites
- Chicken recipes with egg whites
- Egg whites paired with oatmeal for a small meal.
Three tablespoons of egg whites contain about 25 calories and 5grams of protein.
Whole eggs can be paired with egg whites for small meal recipes. Whole eggs do contain protein but whole eggs are mostly fat. There is nothing wrong with that, but this article is focusing on sources of food where protein is the dominant macro.
We will discuss dietary fat sources in a later article.
5. Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is one of those protein foods that can be used for either a small meal, snack, or dessert. It contains probiotics as well as a high amount of essential amino acids. Nonfat or 2% plain Greek yogurt would be the most macro friendly if you are on a fat loss plan.
Greek yogurt can be hit or miss depending on the individual. If you’re one of those people who dislikes Greek yogurt, it could be you are buying a bad brand, or you don’t know how to make it tasty.
Some of the ways you can enhance the taste of Greek yogurt includes recipes such as:
- Greek yogurt, collagen protein powder, and peanut butter
- Greek yogurt, almond butter, and chocolate chips
- Greek yogurt added in a smoothie.
Dannon’s Light + Fit Nonfat Greek Yogurt is a delicious brand of Greek yogurt. One cup contains only 80 calories, 12 grams of protein, 9 grams of carbohydrates, and 0 grams of fat.
If you have never tried Greek yogurt before and you don’t know which brand to invest in, than Dannon is highly recommended.
6. Turkey Breast
Turkey breast is a very lean source of protein. It has less fat than chicken breast. The challenge with turkey breast is making it tasty. Some of the best tips for cooking turkey breast include:
- Making sure the turkey breast is well-seasoned.
- Not overcooking or undercooking the turkey breast
- Cooking turkey breast with olive oil to make it more flavorful.
If you are on an intermittent fasting plan and you want to use turkey as a small meal option, Starbucks has a delicious Turkey Pesto Panni sandwich. It has about 520 calories and will run you 32grams of protein.
If you want more eating out options on a diet plan, check out this article Best Restaurant Franchises for Dieting.
7. Ground Turkey
Ground turkey is another great protein source you can have in your diet. The ground turkey you buy should be lean though. An example would be a 93% lean and 7% fat ground turkey. If you are a skilled cook, a lot can be done with ground turkey.
Some good macro-friendly recipes with ground turkey involve:
- Ground turkey cooked with tomato sauce and cottage cheese.
- A healthy lasagna recipe
- Ground turkey and sweet potatoes
- Ground turkey cooked in olive oil.
- Turkey burgers
Good seasonings or a flavorful sauce can make a world of difference in how the ground turkey tastes.
8. Pork Tenderloins
Pork tenderloins are also great for macro dieting if you are a pork person. It has a 1 to 4 ratio of fat to protein. You can pair pork tenderloins with healthy sides like rice, potatoes, or green vegetables.
Soy sauce also makes pork tenderloins taste delicious.
9. Salmon
If there is one fish that deserves a place on this list, it’s salmon. Not only is salmon an excellent source of protein, but it’s high in essential amino acids, omega 3s, vitamins, and minerals. When choosing salmon, go with wild-caught and not farm-raised.
The wild-caught salmon is natural. The farm-raised salmon is processed with artificial food coloring. Wild caught salmon will also have significantly less mercury, that is a toxin you don’t want much of in your body.
Like other recipes, you can pair salmon with:
- Rice
- Potatoes
- Broccoli
- Quinoa
- Asparagus
- Spinach
- Kale
Things like olive oil, soy sauce, and spicy mayonnaise can also be used to make salmon tasty and flavorful.
10. Cottage Cheese
Cottage Cheese is another one of those foods that doesn’t taste good on its own. It is, however, a great high-protein food to use as an ingredient with other foods mixtures. For example, you can make cottage cheese taste amazing in:
- Omelets
- Healthy lasagna recipes
- Dessert recipes
- A healthy tomato sauce, meatballs, and pasta recipe.
Since collage cheese is a low-fat food, you must pair it with other foods that contain more fat to make it tasty.
11. Collagen Protein
Collagen is great if you need a protein supplement. It’s very low in calories and very filling for the number of calories you’re getting per scope. Collagen protein supplementation can also be good if you don’t like whey protein, or you have issues digesting whey protein.
You can add collagen to your:
- Greek yogurt bowls
- Smoothies
- Almond milk drink
- Oat milk drink
- Healthy protein pancake recipe
If you are interested in learning more about the amazing benefits of collagen, check out this article Why You Should Supplement with Collagen Protein If You Are Over 25 Years Old.
Conclusion
Protein is a high priority if your goal is to get lean and build/retain muscle. Ideally, there should be a dense amount of protein with every meal you consume. If you’re not getting sufficient protein in your diet, it will be difficult for you to stay satiated in a calorie deficit.
You don’t need a ridiculous amount of protein like what is promoted in body building culture. If you want to know your true protein needs as a natural lifter, check out this article, How Much Protein You Need in Your Diet.
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