The last post spoke about how important the 3 elements (Proteins, Carbohydrates and Fats) are in a balanced diet. I also mentioned that processed and junk foods not only add to unhealthy weight gain, but also leave you feeling unsatisfied and generally off, not to mention, hamper the process towards a fit you. You may have heard of the phrase “eat your breakfast like a king, lunch like an average man, and dinner like a beggar”. What this emphasises is, the quantity of foods you intake. This post will be a straightforward one, discussing the different foods, and what nutritional values they mainly focus on.
First, I’ll be talking about Proteins. Proteins are macro-molecules, required by the body for muscle repair. They are very important when the main goal is to build muscle, but also play their part when the target is to lose weight, as they are easily digested by the body, and foods high in protein value generally contain low numbers of calories, carbohydrates, and fats, they also help make you feel satisfied for longer. There are plenty of foods containing high values of proteins for both you, vegans, as well as meat eaters. Vegan sources of Protein are, Spinach (7 grams per one cup), Non-dairy (Soy) milk (7 – 9 grams per one cup), Quinoa (this gluten free source offers 9 grams of protein per cup, and can be cooked in various ways), Tofu (This provides 9 grams of protein per 4 ounces. The reason it made the list is because of economical reasons), Lentils (one cooked cup provides you with about 18 grams of protein!), Beans (Whether, Pinto beans, Kidney beans, or Black beans, cooking one cup of either would give your body about 13 – 15 grams of Protein. There are also many different and tasty recipes enhancing these beans), and Tempeh (just a cup of it contains 30 grams of Protein!). This is a list of vegan sources of Protein, there are many more out there, but these make for a good start and fewer quantities of them contain large values of Protein.
Moving on, I’ll be talking about healthy foods high in proteins, that meat eaters can adopt. Sources such as, Seafood (contains high amounts of Protein and healthy Omega 3 fats, lean meats such as Chicken Breast or Turkey Breast, Egg whites (They contain almost 0% of fats and calories and are an amazing source of Protein), Lean beef (It’s not compulsory to give up on the steak if you have a liking towards it).
Today, the main focus was on the different sources of Proteins. Adding these ingredients to your meals would drastically reduce the total number of calories as they contain very less amounts of them and along with that help keep you full. One tip I leave you with today is, to have a breakfast rich in Protein and some fibre. What this does is, it keeps your cravings to a minimum throughout the day, and keeps you focused better on sticking to your goal, that is, healthy eating.
Fighting Fit 