High Protein Low Calorie Foods

Learning about a variety of high protein low calorie foods helped me to tweak my diet in small ways to achieve my fitness goals faster. Proteins are the super-nutrients that are the building blocks of human body. They are biochemical compounds that facilitate biological functions in human body. If a food contains more that 20 percent of your daily recommended value of protein, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration classifies it as a high protein food.

Researches show that adult females benefit from 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, per day. So a woman who weighs 150 lbs, for example, should try to intake 150 grams of protein per day. I know that is a challenge with food alone, that’s why protein supplements are effective as well.

Protein helps boost the metabolism and since it takes longer for the body to digest it, protein leaves you feeling fuller longer. Eating high protein low calorie foods is something I try to do every day.

Here are the High Protein Low Calorie foods I eat regularly and recommend:

Eggs – I eat 4 dozen a week. Not the whole eggs but general will scramble 2 whole eggs with 4 additional egg whites.

Fish -all kinds, I eat a lot of salmon, tuna, talapia and mahi mahi. I love sushi like spicy tuna rolls. 3 oz. of tuna contains approx. 99 calories and 22 grams of protein. Shellfish has more cholesterol and I don’t eat much of it.

Chicken – Broiled or bakes is my preference, served with brown rice and vegies

Turkey – I eat roast turkey sandwiches every week with low sodium chicken noodle Soup. I also love turney bacon and turkey sausage for breakfast and turkey hot dogs for lunch.

Lean Beef – A lean cut of beef with grilled asparagus is a favorite

Greek Yogurt – packed with protein, I frequently have Strawberry Fage brand for Dessert

Low fat low sodium cheese or cottage cheese – 1 cup of no-fat cottage cheese contains approx. 105 calories and 14 grams of protein

Vegetables – Broccoli, spinach and baked beans

Although Soy is high in plant protein, I stay away from it because as a “plant derived protein” our bodies don’t absorb as much of it as “animal derived protein” which has a molecular structure more similar to our own protein. Our bodies absorb animal protein easier. Soy can leave you feeling gassy and bloated.

High protein low calorie foods are the gateway to a healthy and robust life and can assist in building lean muscle and losing body fat.

Although they might not have the highest protein levels, there are many other low calorie foods that instigate weight loss such as:

Green Tea: Researchers infer that the catechins in green tea trigger weight loss. It stimulates the body to burn calories and thereby decrease the body fat.

Soups: Eating low-calorie low-sodium soups (tomato-based or broths) reduces hunger and increases the feeling of satisfaction and fullness.

Salads: Salad with eggs or meat is a high protein low calorie food that can be taken as the first course of meal or as an entree. Salads will help you to feel fuller and satisfied. It reduces the calories intake during the meal. However, salads topped with cheese or high-fat dressings are not helpful. I always order my dressing “on the side” and dip my fork in the dressing before spearing the lettuce and veggies.

Don’t forget to include high fiber whole grains to help boost nutritional value and fiber content of meal. It is preferred to have a bowl of high fiber, whole grain cereal as breakfast to boost the daily diet and maintain low calorie intake.

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