Popular Protein Rich Foods To Try

There’s so much more to protein than just its muscle growth properties, making it a key part of a balanced diet – no matter who you are or what your diet goals may be. And with so many high protein foods available, all diets and taste buds can make sure they’re getting their fix.

Protein is a nutrient that helps you grow and repair cells, meaning it’s necessary to fit it into your diet. Getting the right amount is fairly easy, especially when there’s such a wide range of sources of protein available. Some of the best protein foods include plant and animal sources like meat, seeds and nuts and legumes. So whether you’re starting a new protein diet to kick-off your new health kick, or are looking for some protein snacks to help boost your intake, there are multiple sources of protein to choose from.

What are the Best Protein Foods?

Protein rich food is everywhere, and it doesn’t just come from animals. Find our top six recommendations in our list of some of the best protein foods below to get your fix – morning, noon and night.

The Breakfast – Eggs

How do you like them in the morning? Either way, it goes without saying that eggs are one of the best sources of protein for your body, especially when it comes to breakfast. With more than <strong>6 grams of protein per egg</strong> tucked away in this protein rich food, anything where you can use a few, (scrambled egg, omelettes) means you’ll easily be getting around a third of your recommended daily intake at breakfast alone. So if you’re kicking off a high protein diet, try throwing in a few extra eggs.

Good for: Portion control

Food high in protein also helps to control hunger throughout the day by triggering hormonal responses that result in you feeling fuller for longer. This keeps portion control in check, meaning you’ll snack less throughout the day and eat smaller portions in the evening.

The Lunch – Cod

Cod boasts around 20g of protein per 100g, making it doubly healthy when you consider it’s also low in calories and high in nutritious omega-3 acids. Including it as part of your lunch will not only provide you with a handful of essential vitamins, but it should also keep you going through to dinner during your high protein diet.

Good for: A leaner figure

Food low in calories and high in protein contributes to a decrease in fat tissue, resulting in a leaner figure – for both women and men.

The Dinner – Turkey

With a whopping 29g per 100g, Turkey provides even more protein per gram than chicken and beef, all while having less fat and calories. Perfect for dinners where you want a protein rich food, it’s also much lower in cholesterol and unsaturated fats, making it a super healthy option for a high protein diet.

Good for: Burning calories

High protein diets make for a faster metabolism. This means that your body will begin to burn more calories than it would without the protein, preventing weight gain. Bonus!

The Side – Lentils

As well as being a great source of potassium, vitamin K and fibre, there’s a lot of lean protein found in lentils - 9g per 100g to be exact. Perfect for soups, stews, or simply as a side, couple this with your venison steak and you’ve got a super meal filled with protein rich foods on your hands. 

Good for: Anti-aging

Our bodies begin to lose muscle mass at a faster rate as we get older. Food high in protein combined with regular exercise fight to prevent this, meaning you can stay stronger and healthier (and younger!) as you get older.

The Alternative – Quorn

Quorn is a perfect protein rich food alternative for vegetarians seeking a meat replacement – or even meat eaters looking for something different – with a healthy dose of around 15g per 100g. Low in fat and with the ability to help lower your cholesterol, using it as a substitute in meals like spaghetti Bolognese or lasagne offers all the benefits of red meat, without the higher fat and calories.

Good for: Protecting your body from stress

Okay, so this might sound like a weird one, but it’s all logical. When stressed, your body can struggle to deal with hormone influxes, which in turn can damage cells. A high protein diet can work to protect you from this damage, making for a much healthier you.

The Dessert – Greek Yoghurt

Finally, everyone’s favourite. Dessert. At 10g per 100g serving, Greek yoghurt contains almost twice as much protein as traditional alternatives, while also providing healthy probiotics. Mix with berries for added nutrition and flavour, and you’ve got a high in protein, low in fat dessert, free from guilt – this also makes for one of the most delicious protein snacks!

Good for: Hair and Nails

As hair is made up of mostly protein, naturally it thrives off it – and a healthy, balanced intake of protein continues to help hair and nail growth. In fact, without it, hair growth can slow down, or even stop!

With high protein foods available in meat, dairy, vegetable and alternative sources – there’s no excuse not to up your intake this year with a whole host of new sources of protein!

Visit your local SPAR to see what protein rich foods you can add to your diet. Looking for more foodie inspiration to help you along your new healthy journey? for regular recipe updates, deals and SPAR competitions.