How much protein is present in which foods?
Protein is one of the macronutrients along with carbohydrates and fat. A sufficient protein supply is essential for the body to survive. The main source of protein supply should be natural foods, in some cases dietary supplements can also be used.In addition to animal foods, many vegetable foods also contain a high proportion of proteins.
Meat is an important source of protein. It consists mainly of muscle fibers and is therefore very rich in protein. The proportion in chicken fillet or turkey breast is particularly high.
These two foods contain about 30 grams of protein per 100 grams. Pork filet, salami or mixed minced meat comes to just under 20 grams of protein. Besides meat, fish is a good source of protein.
Tuna filet contains just under 25 grams of protein per 100 grams, trout a little less with 22 grams. Eggs are also a reliable source of protein, whole egg contains just under 12 grams of protein per 100 grams. Among the dairy products, low-fat curd cheese is very high in protein, with about 13 grams of protein per 100 grams.
Not everyone’s taste, but with 30 grams a real protein bomb is Harz cheese. Skyr, an Icelandic dairy product, is now also very well known in our country and with 10.6 grams of protein very rich in protein. But not only meat, fish and animal products are very rich in protein.
Vegetable proteins from legumes, nuts, grains and co. are a good alternative for athletes and non-athletes who want to eat a balanced diet. Red lentils, for example, contain 25.5 grams of protein per 100 grams, cooked soybeans 16 grams. In addition to legumes, many nuts and seeds are also very rich in protein: deficiencies, for example, contain 19 grams of protein per 100 grams.
Often used as a meat substitute, tofu meat can also be rich in protein: After all, it contains 16 grams of protein per 100 grams. But grains such as rice, corn, oats, wheat, rye, spelt and barley also contain protein and can easily cover the daily protein requirement with a balanced diet. Vegetarians and vegans can therefore easily defend themselves against the accusation of following a low-protein diet.
Numerous professional athletes have long since started to eat a plant-based diet and have enjoyed great sporting success. Many people, especially athletes, increase their protein intake with protein powder. These are powders, mostly made from milk proteins, which have a high proportion of protein with low fat and carbohydrates.
Protein powders should never replace a balanced diet with an adequate protein intake. However, especially athletes who have an increased protein requirement due to hard physical training can resort to protein powder as a dietary supplement. The quality of a protein powder is determined by the so-called biological value.
This describes how well the powder can be digested by the body and used to build up the body’s own proteins. Whey protein, for example, has a high biological value. Whey isolates have a very low carbohydrate content with a high proportion of protein and are therefore preferred by most athletes.
Protein powder is usually mixed in water or milk, a quality feature of protein powders is also their solubility in liquids. There are even numerous baking recipes with protein powder. Protein shakes are now even available in the refrigerated shelves of supermarkets.
Protein powder is stirred into water or milk to make a creamy shake. It’s worth taking a look at the nutritional value table, because the finished shakes often contain a lot of sugar and are real calorie bombs. Moreover, protein shakes are much more expensive in the long run.
If protein is added, it is better to mix your own shake. If you pay attention to your calorie balance, you should mix the powder in water. Some powders dissolve less easily in water, so you can also mix the shake in a blender.
You can let your imagination run wild, often protein powder is mixed with fresh or frozen fruit such as berries and ice cubes to make a delicious milk shake. Consumers and especially fitness novices can also be quickly fooled by protein bars. Although they have a high protein content, they are often real calorie bombs and rich in fat.
Those who want to lose weight and eat a protein-rich diet should pay attention to their calorie balance and run a deficit. Protein bars taste temptingly delicious, but are not very satisfying. They are more suitable as a larger snack between meals.
If you want to supplement protein in addition to a balanced diet, you should rather go for protein shakes. These are usually more satisfying and contain less carbohydrates, fat and calories. On the other hand, if you find it difficult to cover your calorie requirements or want to consume an excess, you can resort to protein bars.
There are the most adventurous products on the market to deceive the consumer and lure the money out of his pocket.Protein tablets should replace the intake of protein powder if no shaker is available. The recommendations are for the intake of more than 15 tablets. This is the only way to take the same amount of protein in tablet form as a protein powder. This makes protein intake in this way an expensive matter. Instead of expensive powders and pills, the consumer should rather rely on high-quality, nutrient-rich natural foods and cover his or her protein requirements through a balanced diet.
