5 Simple Ways to Add More Protein to Your Diet

Many people shy away from eating adequate protein because they think it’s unhealthy.

But, if you are trying to lose weight, or simply improve your health, getting enough protein into your diet is extremely important.

It can even help with weight loss, by making you feel more satiated, which means you naturally want to eat less.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not taking here about a “high protein diet”. But, getting enough protein, from the right sources, is really important for all-round good health.

For most of us, that equates to 0.6 grams of protein, for every kilogram of ideal body weight.

If you think getting that amount of protein into your diet in a healthy way is too much of a challenge, think again.

Here are my fast and effective techniques for eating a healthy protein diet:

#1 Add protein powder
One of the simplest, yet tastiest, ways to boost the protein content of your diet, is to stir some vanilla protein powder into your morning cup of coffee. So, rather than loading it up with creamer, which adds unnecessary fat and calories, give this technique a try instead.

In a small cup or container with a lid, mix together a quarter cup of water, with a half scoop of your favourite vanilla protein powder. After it’s dissolved, pour this into your coffee cup, and top up with coffee.

This is a very easy way to add roughly 10 grams of protein to your diet, and will really transform the taste of your coffee at the same time.

#2 Add cottage cheese
Another way to boost your protein intake quickly, is to serve some cottage cheese, mixed with natural yoghurt, some fruit, and a few slivered almonds.

Since cottage cheese contains more protein per serving than yoghurt, by mixing the two together you increase the protein content of this snack by around 5 to 10 grams, without dramatically increasing the overall calorie content.

Then, sprinkling some almonds over the top will add a small amount of extra protein, and more importantly, a healthy source of fat.

#3 Add egg whites
Most soups are lower in overall protein content, so adding some egg whites works really well to fill you up and increase the nutrient content. This is an excellent way to make your meal more nutritionally balanced.

Simply bring the soup to boil, and once it’s ready, drizzle the egg whites in. They will quickly begin cooking, and as soon as they are white in color, the soup is ready to eat.

#4 Add chickpeas (or other legumes)
Tossing some chickpeas into your salad is a great way to increase the protein content. Many people overlook legumes, but they are so nutritious, easy and delicious — I am a huge fan!

Not only does half a cup of chickpeas provide you with almost 6 grams of protein, but it will also give you over 5 grams of fibre, which is a great bonus.

Check out what are legumes and how to add more legumes to your diet.

#5 Add vegetables
Many people forget that vegetables are also a source of protein.

Try to add protein-rich vegetables to your salads, side-dishes, and main meals. Protein-rich vegetables include broccoli, asparagus, beetroot, spinach, mushrooms, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.

These vegetables can easily be added to a stir-fry, or eat them raw in salads, lightly steamed, or mash (e.g. cauliflower) as an alternative to mashed potatoes.

So, can you see that eating a healthy protein diet doesn’t have to be such a difficult challenge?

What tips do you have for getting healthy sources of protein into your diet?