For this reason, the Daily Value (DV) for protein is 50 grams per day.
However, some researchers believe that many people should be eating significantly more than this amount (1Trusted Source).
A high protein intake offers several potential health benefits and could help increase weight loss, enhance muscle growth, and improve your overall health.
Here are 14 easy ways to eat more protein.
1. Eat your protein first
When eating a meal, eat the protein source first, especially before you get to the starches.
Protein increases the production of peptide YY (PYY), a gut hormone that makes you feel full and satisfied (2Trusted Source).
In addition, a high protein intake decreases levels of ghrelin, the “hunger hormone,” and increases your metabolic rate after eating and during sleep (3Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source).
What’s more, eating protein first can help keep your blood sugar and insulin levels from rising too high after a meal.
In one small study, people with type 2 diabetes were served identical meals on different days. Blood sugar and insulin rose significantly less when they consumed protein and vegetables before eating high carb foods, compared with when the order was reversed (5Trusted Source).
2. Snack on cheese
Snacks are a good way to get extra protein into your diet — as long as you choose healthy ones.
Many common snack foods, such as chips, pretzels, and crackers, are very low in protein.
For example, a 1-cup (30-gram) serving of plain tortilla chips has 142 calories but only 2 grams of protein (6Trusted Source).
In contrast, a 1-ounce (28-gram) serving of cheddar cheese contains 7 grams of protein, along with nearly 30 fewer calories and 6 times as much calcium (7Trusted Source).
Additionally, cheese doesn’t seem to raise cholesterol levels much, even among people with high cholesterol. In fact, some research suggests that cheese may even benefit heart health (8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source).
Try enjoying a cheese stick between meals or pair your favorite type of cheese with whole grain crackers, tomatoes, or sliced apples for a healthy and satisfying snack.
3. Replace cereal with eggs
Many breakfast foods are low in protein, including toast, bagels, and cereals.
Although oatmeal contains more protein than most cereals, it still only provides about 5 grams in a typical 1-cup (240-gram) serving (10Trusted Source).
On the other hand, 3 large eggs provide 19 grams of high quality protein, along with important nutrients like selenium and choline (11Trusted Source).
What’s more, several studies have shown that eating eggs for breakfast reduces appetite and keeps you full for several hours, so you end up eating fewer calories later in the day (12Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source, 14Trusted Source).
According to one older study, eating whole eggs can also modify the size and shape of your LDL (bad) cholesterol particles in a way that may even decrease your heart disease risk (15Trusted Source).
4. Top your food with chopped almonds
Almonds are incredibly healthy.
They’re high in magnesium, fiber, and heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, yet low in digestible carbs.
Almonds also contain 6 grams of protein in a 1-ounce (28-gram) serving, which makes them a better source of protein than most nuts (16Trusted Source).
And although a serving of almonds contains around 170 calories, studies have shown that your body absorbs only about 133 of those calories because some of the fat isn’t digested (17Trusted Source, 18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).
So sprinkle a few tablespoons of chopped almonds over yogurt, cottage cheese, salads, or oatmeal to increase your protein intake and add a bit of flavor and crunch.
5. Choose Greek yogurt
Greek yogurt is a versatile, high protein food.
It’s made by removing whey and other liquids to produce a richer, creamier yogurt that’s higher in protein.
A 7-ounce (240-gram) serving provides 17–20 grams of protein, depending on the specific brand. This is about twice the amount in traditional yogurt (20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source).
Research shows Greek yogurt increases the release of the gut hormones glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and PYY, which reduce hunger and make you feel full (22Trusted Source).
In addition, it contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has been shown to promote fat loss in some studies (23Trusted Source, 24Trusted Source).
Greek yogurt has a tangy flavor that goes well with berries or chopped fruit. It can also be used as a substitute for sour cream in dips, sauces, and other recipes.
6. Have a protein shake for breakfast
Many smoothies contain a lot of fruit, vegetables, or juice, but very little protein.
However, a shake or smoothie can be a great breakfast option, especially if you choose nutritious ingredients.
Protein powders make it easy to create a healthy, high protein shake. There are several types on the market, including whey, soy, egg, and pea protein.
Whey protein powder has been studied the most and seems to have an edge over the others when it comes to helping you feel full (25Trusted Source, 26Trusted Source, 27Trusted Source).
In fact, one scoop (28 grams) of whey powder provides about 17 grams of protein, on average (28Trusted Source).
Here’s a basic whey shake recipe:
Whey Protein Shake
- 8 ounces (225 grams) of unsweetened almond milk
- 1 scoop (28 grams) of whey powder
- 1 cup (150 grams) of fresh berries
- stevia or another healthy sweetener, if desired
- 1/2 cup (70 grams) of crushed ice
Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
To boost the protein content even further, use extra protein powder or add peanut butter, almond butter, flaxseeds, or chia seeds.
7. Include a high protein food with every meal
When it comes to protein, it’s not just the total amount you take in every day that matters. Getting enough at each meal is also important.
Several researchers recommend consuming a minimum of 20–30 grams of protein at each meal.
Studies show that this amount promotes fullness and preserves muscle mass better than smaller amounts eaten throughout the day (29Trusted Source, 30Trusted Source).
Examples of foods high in protein include meat, fish, poultry, eggs, legumes, and soy products like tofu or tempeh.
You can also select foods from this list of delicious high protein foods to make sure you meet your needs at every meal.
8. Choose leaner, slightly larger cuts of meat
Selecting leaner cuts of meat and increasing portion sizes slightly can significantly boost the protein content of your meal.
What’s more, your meal may even end up being lower in calories.
For example, compare the nutritional value of a 3-ounce (85-gram) serving of these two steaks (31Trusted Source, 32Trusted Source):
- T-bone steak: 21 grams of protein and 250 calories
- Sirloin steak: 26 grams of protein and 150 calories
10. Eat lean jerky
Lean jerky is a quick and convenient way to get more protein into your diet.
However, it’s important to choose a healthy type.
Many types of jerky contain sugar, preservatives, and other questionable ingredients. They’re also frequently made from low quality meat.
Some jerky and snack sticks come from grass-fed beef, bison, and other free-range animals. Choosing jerky from grass-fed animals will provide better quality meat with higher amounts of healthy omega-3 fats (36Trusted Source).
Lean jerkies or snack sticks contain about 9 grams of protein per ounce (28 grams) (37Trusted Source).
They can often be stored for several months without refrigeration and are also portable and ideal for travel.
The bottom line
Getting enough protein in your diet is very important.
A high protein intake can offer numerous benefits, including helping you lose weight, gain muscle, and improve your body composition and metabolic health.
Fortunately, this is easy to do if you follow the simple tips above.
