An essential part of any meal, we will discuss some of the best high protein foods here that have comparatively low calories. Let us not get into details about protein. Everyone knows that protein is the “food for muscles” + it has other health benefits. Having your daily dose of protein (mainly for breakfast and dinner) will obviously help you increase your lean muscle mass and melt fat.
Talking of high protein foods, what about the calorie factor? There are many high protein foods that have high calories. For example, sirloin—244 calorie/100 g. Similarly, there are high protein foods that have low calories. For example, tofu—72 calorie/100 g.
Given are some of the best high protein foods with comparatively low calories as compared to other high protein foods.
Table of Contents
Best High Protein Foods #1: Tofu
Made from soybean curd, tofu is gluten-free and is an excellent addition to any meal. You can even eat it directly from the packet, in sandwiches, or in salads.
If you consume tofu daily, it will give 40 percent iron, 44 percent calcium and 9 percent magnesium + some choline, phosphorus, manganese, niacin, vitamin B-6, vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, and selenium.
Tofu has a number of health benefits. It helps in controlling age-related brain diseases, osteoporosis, liver damage, type 2 diabetes, prostate cancer, cardiovascular diseases and breast cancer.
You can eat tofu daily but keep a check on the portions—100g (or, max. 150 g) in one meal is sufficient.
Every 100g of tofu will give you 72 calories.
Best High Protein Foods #2: Cottage Cheese (fat-free)
A favorite among bodybuilders and people wanting to achieve lean muscle mass, and at the same time keeping a check on calories, fat-free cottage cheese is a much healthier replacement for other types of cheese. This high protein food can be added to any food, just like tofu.
Due to its high level of calcium, cottage cheese is good for weight management. Best would be if you could prepare it at home.
Making cottage cheese at home:
Fat-free Milk – 1 liter
Lemon Juice – of 2 lemon
Squeeze out the juice of 2 lemons in a small bowl and keep it ready. Boil milk. Once it boils, turn off the gas stove.
Immediately after, keep stirring the milk gently with a tablespoon and pouring the lemon juice—both at the same time (do not pour lemon juice in one go). You will find that the milk starts curdling. Keep doing so till you find the cheese separates, leaving light greenish-yellowish water.
Allow it to cool. Strain the cottage cheese and keep the water.
Now, where the cottage cheese is concerned, you can either have it fresh or keep it in the fridge for later usage. Do not store it for more than 24 hours.
Where the water is concerned, drinking it is very good for growing children. Even people who are sick or have light digestive issues can have this water. You can also add the water when you cook some veg or non-veg items.
What will you do with the leftover lemon juice? Make lemon water and drink it!
Though cottage cheese has health benefits especially where weight management is concerned, know that it also has high sodium content.
You can consume it daily but keep a strict check on the amount.
Every 100 g of cottage cheese (fat-free) will give you 72 calories.
Best High Protein Foods #3: Shrimp
Non-veg delight, aromatic and appetizing in oriental and Asian cuisine, shrimp is one of the favorite high protein foods for people living near rivers, lakes and in coastal areas.
Shrimps can be cooked separately or added to any food to enhance the taste. Health benefits include protection against cancer, help in weight loss, and protection of skin against aging.
The only drawback is that shrimp is little high in cholesterol. Well, there is nothing wrong with that as long as you keep a check on the portion you will eat.
Every 100g of shrimp will give you 99 calories.
Best High Protein Foods #4: Tuna
Containing Omega 3, tuna can be eaten both canned (in water) and cooked. Good for the heart, tuna prevents high blood pressure, keeps a check on the body weight, lowers triglycerides, reduces the risk of obesity, lowers the risk of coronary heart disease, improves the immune system, helps keep the skin healthy, and reduces the risk of breast cancer.
As tuna contains vitamin B (water soluble), it builds and maintains RBCs and increases energy.
Every 100 g of tuna will give you 116 calories.
Some of the other best high protein foods (may or may not have low calories) are turkey breasts, eggs, tilapias, tempeh, chicken breasts, and sirloin.
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