If you’re trying to slim down, you probably don’t need us to
remind you that eating plenty of protein can help you reach your goal weight.
Protein—even from unlikely sources like veggies—digests at a slow, steady
rate to help you feel fuller longer and make you less prone to junky cravings.
Just as important, it’s essential for maintaining and building lean muscle mass
to help your body torch tons of calories. So it’s worth loading up all around.
But do certain high-protein foods pack more get-lean power
than others? You bet. Some foods serve up more protein for fewer calories,
while a few boast extra weight-loss benefits that just might get you
into your skinny jeans even faster. Here’s a look at the most powerful
picks—and why you should be eating them on the reg.
Eggs
They just might be the best way to start your day. For just
140 calories, 2 large eggs will deliver 14g protein. That, combined with the
fat in the yolks, will keep your blood sugar levels nice and steady, which can
help stave off diet-derailing cravings. In fact, findings show that
eating eggs for breakfast dampens the production of the hunger hormone
ghrelin—and helps you eat less for the next 36 hours.
Incredible, right?
Wild-caught
salmon
You’ll get a whopping 22g protein in 3 ounces of cooked wild
salmon for just 155 calories. Just as important: Salmon is loaded with omega-3
fatty acids, which have been shown to boost fat-burning and help keep your
appetite in check, according to a review published
in the journal Nutrients. As for why you should aim to eat
wild? Compared to
the farmed stuff, it’s got about 32% fewer calories and nearly 1g
more omega-3s per serving.
Low-fat
cottage cheese
Sure, it’s not as popular as Greek yogurt. But a cup of
low-fat cottage cheese actually delivers more protein—28g versus
24g—for just 163 calories. And that’s not the only reason it’s a top pick for weight
loss. Overweight women who consumed more protein-rich dairy foods like cottage
cheese lost more fat and gained more muscle compared to those who skipped the
stuff, found one Canadian study. As an added bonus? It’s relatively
inexpensive. Ounce per ounce, cottage cheese costs less than Greek yogurt, so
you can stock up on more of it.
Boneless,
skinless chicken breast
There aren’t too many other foods that’ll give you 26g of
protein for just 128 calories, which is why boneless, skinless chicken breast
is a weight-loss wonder food. But here’s another reason: Chicken breast’s mild
flavor makes it super versatile, meaning the number of ways to cook it is
practically endless. That’s important, since boredom is a big reason why
dieters often hop off the healthy eating train.
Lentils
A cup of cooked lentils won’t just give you nearly 18g
protein. It’ll also serve up a whopping 15g fiber, which helps slow the
digestion of your meal and stabilize your blood sugar, so you stay satisfied
for hours. The combo means that these humble pulses pack a potent weight loss
punch. In a recent Canadian review, subjects who ate just one serving of
lentils daily lost half a pound in just six weeks—without making any other
changes to their diet. Now, just imagine what lentils could do as part of a
healthy eating and exercise plan.
Pork
tenderloin
For just 30 extra calories per serving, a 3-ounce serving of
this lean meat will give you just as much protein as the same amount of
boneless, skinless chicken breast (around 26g). So when you want to branch out
from your usual poultry pick, it’s an equally satisfying choice. And, yup,
science shows that pork can help you reach your weight loss goals without
losing calorie-torching muscle mass. Overweight women who ate 6 ounces of lean
pork daily retained nearly twice as much lean muscle tissue compared to those
who ate less, an Obesity study shows.
Tempeh
Haven’t given tofu’s lesser-known cousin a try yet? Now’s
the time. Tempeh, a fermented soybean cake with a nutty flavor and a chewy,
meaty texture, boasts 16g protein per 3-ounce serving. But that’s not all. Like
lentils, tempeh is a fantastic source of fiber, giving you 7g per serving. And
that’ll help you stay fuller for even longer than pure protein alone.
Canned
tuna
Like wild salmon, it’s another great source of fat-burning
omega-3s, and packs 16g protein per 3-ounce serving. But unlike it’s
pink counterpart, canned tuna is crazy inexpensive—around $2 per can. Plus,
having it on hand means you always have the makings of a healthy, filling meal.
So you can stick to your weight-loss plan—and reach your goals—no matter what.
If you’re concerned about your mercury intake, stick with lower-mercury chunk
light tuna instead of albacore.
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