Protein makes up a pretty substantial part of my nutrition. Why? Because it's one of the most important components of a healthy and balanced diet, especially for people who do lot's of exercise. But proteins aren't only important for fitness geeks or people who want to gain massive muscles. They are also the backbone of many popular weight-loss approaches out there. Be it Paleo, Atkins or Sout Beatch. They all tell you one thing: Go easy on the carbs and eat proteins instead. Proteins are the coolest source of energy in town and that's why I'm always on the look out for tasty and easy ways to eat them. Here are my favorite five!
Low Fat Curd Cheese
This stuff is one of the most underestimated and tasty sources of proteins out there. It's a by-product of cheese making and has ridiculous nutrition stats. It comes with almost 15% protein, less than 4% carbs and not even 0.5% fat. Mix curd cheese with some frozen or fresh fruits, put it in the blender and you'll have a very health and surprisingly tasty protein shake. You can also use it as a spread or dip! The only problem: It's really hard to get low fat curd cheese in the US. If you go looking for curd, make sure you get the absolute low fat one. Some types of curd have up to 50% of fat, which you would most likely try to avoid.
Tofu
It doesn't get much more versatile than tofu. You can fry it, bake it, make bread out of it or put it in a soup. Tofu is made of soy and comes with over 10% protein and less than 1% carbs. Depending on how you prepare it, it usually has between 5-10% fat. Even though I love to eat meat and fish, I really wouldn't want to live without tofu. One thing has to be said about tofu though. Tofu does not have any taste itself, so the flavor usually comes in the form of sauces, spices or through the cooking process itself. Some restaurants tend to use TONS of oil when preparing tofu. The tofu sucks up the oil and tastes delicious, BUT it's fatty as hell. That's why I only eat tofu that is prepared by a health conscious person, who knows how to make it taste good without soaking it with oil.
Spirulina
This is an algae-based supplement and contains over 60% proteins. It contains essential amino acids and is the natural alternative to protein powder. Mix it into a shake or your dish and get a major protein boost.
Fish and Seafood
Okay, not really a surprise, but my personal favorite in terms of nutrition facts AND taste has always been and will probably always bee fish and seafood. Depending on what type of fish or seafood you eat, you'll get an amazing 20-30% proteins and 2-8% fat. Fish has no carbs and boast of omega-3 fats. I try to eat fish at least 2-3 times a week and I never go for the breaded kind (the breading or batter sucks up the oil and is basically pure carbs and fat).
Beetroot
High in antioxidants, fiber and protein, beetroot is one of the least popular sources of protein. Put it in a salad, make a soup or blend it into a shake, beetroot has a distinct but (in my eyes) tasty taste. 18% protein and just 13% carbs.
Enjoy your proteins!
