An essential part of a balanced diet is protein, but what do you do if you are looking for a meal that’s high in protein and low in fats and calories?

Thankfully, nature has provided a range of lean animal and plant protein sources that will allow you to have tasty, high protein meals. 

On average, the daily intake of protein for an adult who eats 2,000 calories a day is roughly 50 grams. However, some individuals may benefit from eating more protein than this. Your calorie and protein requirements are based on age, weight, height, sex, activity level and dietary needs. 

Why are lean foods good for weight loss? 

Proteins are good for weight loss as they help the brain recognise the hormone leptin, which promotes the feeling of fullness and provides your body with energy. 

Health nutrition experts recommend lean proteins because they have lower levels of saturated fats; some even go so far as to recommend trimming off any additional fat or skin on meat produce. You can also prepare and cook your meats healthier, such as grilling or roasting to lower the saturated fat content. 

Salmon

An excellent example of a lean animal protein is seafood. Salmon is packed full of nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and contains less saturated fats compared to other animal proteins. 

Another fantastic benefit of eating fish at least once a week is that it can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 15% and has also been associated with lowering the chances of diabetes. 

Salmon is a good choice of seafood as 1 oz has 36 calories, 5.8 g of protein, 0.23 g of saturated fat, and 1.2 g of total fat, which is perfect for a high protein, low-fat meal. 

Plain Greek yoghurt

Greek yoghurt is made by straining the liquid, leaving a more concentrated product packed with more protein than regular yoghurts. Per 170 gram serving of Greek yoghurt, there are 15-20 grams of protein. 

Opting for a low-fat plain Greek yoghurt, you can avoid unnecessary sweeteners. In a 170 gram serving, you only have around 3 grams of fat and 125 calories. 

Lean beef

When buying fresh beef without a nutrition label, words such as “loin” and “round” indicates that the meat is lean. Examples of lean cuts are sirloin steaks, tenderloin steaks and any round steak. Lean cuts of beef tend to be ones with less than 10 grams of total fat and nothing higher than 4.5 grams of saturated fat per 100 grams. 

It would help if you went for around 90% lean with ground beef. For a burger that is 113 grams that have been made with 95% lean ground beef, you will be looking at 155 calories, roughly 5.6 grams of total fat and 24 grams of protein. 

Lean beef is also a good source of vitamin B, zinc and selenium. 

Tofu 

Tofu is for you if you want a protein substitute for animal products. Within an 85 gram serving of tofu, there are around 3.5 grams of fat, 9 grams of protein and 71 calories. Tofu also contains substantial quantities of amino acids, which are great for the body. 

As tofu comes in different textures, you can choose your tofu based on how you plan to use it. You can use a firm or extra-firm tofu as a meat substitute that you can grill, bake or saute. 

If tofu is not for you, you can look at alternatives such as edamame and tempeh, which are other soy-based products. These are both still high in protein and relatively low in fats and calories. 

Egg whites 

Eating whole eggs is suitable for a healthy diet; however, if you want something lighter, you can eat egg whites. 

There are less than 0.5 grams of fat in one egg white but 3.5 grams of protein, roughly half of one whole egg. 

When cooking with egg whites, you have various dishes to choose from. You could indulge in an egg-white omelette or muffin with spinach. Or you could have scrambled egg whites with vegetables on toast or in a wrap. The possibilities are endless. 

Beans and Legumes

Beans and legumes are excellent plant-based proteins highly beneficial to the body. They are naturally cholesterol-free and rich in fibre, folate and phytates, which are antioxidants that can help reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and some cancer types. 

The protein content in different types of beans and legumes will differ. For example, chickpeas contain around 160 calories with 10 grams of protein, 2 grams of fat (with 0 saturated fats) and 5 grams of fibre. 

There is scientific evidence that eating legumes have high health benefits. Some of these benefits include reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, lowering high blood pressure and helping weight control. 

Low-Fat Milk

Low-fat milk is a quick and easy way to get protein, regardless of whether you may consume it. In a single cup of low-fat milk where the milk fat is 1%, there are 8 grams of protein, 2 grams of fat and roughly 105 calories. To put this into perspective, in a cup of whole milk with 3.25% milk fat, there are 146 calories, around 8 grams of fat, and the same amount of protein. Choosing low-fat milk is lower in calories and fat content. 

So there you have it. Many different high protein foods can assist with weight loss by helping in the feeling of fullness. There is also some other way you can increase your chance of weight loss. Exercise is a great way to burn excess calories and fat cells. Use our 25% Nike Discount Codes to get your accompanying fitness clothing for your weight loss journey. 

Exercising when accompanied by dieting, whether it is a high lean protein, low-fat diet, fasting, keto, and any other diet types available, will always help you reach your goals. Please take a look at our 3 diet tips whilst training.