Cheap source of protein. The highest protein foods

High-protein foods can be called, without exaggeration, the alpha and omega of a healthy diet. Without them, it is difficult to lose weight and almost impossible to gain weight - unless, of course, the goal is muscles and not rolls of fat on the sides. Without them, the body will not be able to ensure the normal functioning of internal organs. And food that is poor in such important compounds is unlikely to be truly satisfying. In other words, anyone who cares about their physical fitness and health has many reasons not only to know foods high in protein by name, but also to regularly include them in their menu.
Proteins are needed for more than just muscle growth

What are the benefits of protein?

In the scientific community, high-molecular organic compounds, which we simply call proteins, bear the proud title of guardians and organizers of life. And this is not without reason. Once in the stomach with food, they are broken down into amino acids, which immediately begin to take an active part in the physiological processes of the body:

  • participate in the production of hormones;
  • ensure blood clotting;
  • regulate the functioning of the nervous system (lack of protein affects coordination);
  • affect the activity of the kidneys and liver;
  • the delivery of nutrients to cells is also controlled by protein;
  • without it, neither the restoration of old tissues nor the growth and construction of new ones is possible - including muscles;
  • it provides the body with energy;
  • Some proteins act as antibodies, resisting various diseases and strengthening the immune system.

Don’t think that proteins are exclusively meat and cottage cheese!

The body is able to synthesize some amino acids itself. But this part is small, so our body cannot do without regular replenishment of its reserves from the outside. And you can’t do without a list of high-protein foods, which you should print out and hang on the refrigerator, or better yet, memorize it - you’ll have to refer to it often.

Top 10: athlete's first assistants

Let's spend a few more minutes on a little clarification. No food on earth consists solely of proteins; it will always contain a certain proportion of fats or carbohydrates, which can significantly slow down progress towards the goal if your goal is not only beautiful relief, but also weight loss. In this case, preference should be given to high-protein foods low in fat and carbohydrates. Subject to regular training, the body will completely use it to build muscle tissue and will not try to store it in the folds of the abdomen.

Knowing the secrets of healthy eating makes it much easier to achieve your goals.

On the other hand, nutritionists say: a small amount of fats and carbohydrates will benefit the absorption of protein. So don’t rush to clear all controversial dishes from the menu, leaving only the highest protein foods without “excesses” among those allowed. Diversity has never harmed anyone, but bigotry often does.

If your goal is weight loss

What to focus on for those who set themselves the task of losing a few kilograms, so that the muscles not only do not suffer, but also continue to increase in size?

1. Fish. It consists of a quarter of protein (100 g of product contains 20-25 g of pure protein), is easily absorbed by the body and is full of polyunsaturated fatty acids that the body needs for normal functioning. It’s difficult to gain weight on fish, but if you’re actively trying to stay slim or are on a cutting diet, choose low-fat varieties—tuna, trout, salmon—and diversify your diet with seafood more often.

Fish can be safely included in any diet

2. Meat. Here, chicken breast remains the undisputed favorite of athletes and healthy eating enthusiasts. Just like fish, it consists of almost a quarter of protein with a minimum of fat and almost complete absence of carbohydrates, especially if you choose skinless chicken fillet. Following chicken is lean beef, rich in iron and zinc, which are important for men, rabbit meat and turkey meat. But pork and lamb let us down: a large amount of animal fat negates the benefits of the product.

Less fat and oil, more spices!

3. Liver. Offal will help diversify meat and fish dishes. Liver, for example, is comparable in protein content to meat, but it contains little fat - even pork contains, at most, 5%.

Don't discount by-products

4. Low-fat cottage cheese. This protein is a long-digesting protein, so it is not recommended to eat it after training in order to close the protein-carbohydrate window. But during the day and in the evening, cottage cheese is always a welcome guest on your plate. Moreover, from every 100 g of product you will receive 15-20 g of protein, which will include calcium, which strengthens bones and relieves muscle cramps.

Sugar is prohibited, but herbs and spices are allowed

If your goal is muscle

For those who want to gain weight, another list of products will come to the rescue.

5. Legumes. This is a real record holder for protein content! Soybeans consist of almost half of it, and peas, beans and lentils, although they lag behind their “relatives”, confidently hold second place - for every 100 g of product there are about 20 g of the purest vegetable protein, which is as close in composition as possible to what found in meat. However, there was a fly in the ointment here: a third of soybeans are fats, and other legumes are full of carbohydrates.

Pea porridge is as filling as mashed potatoes

6. Cheeses. Pleasant taste, 20-35% protein, calcium... What else is required from a product intended for sports nutrition? If cheeses had a little less fat, we would have an ideal source of protein. Alas, fat is sometimes present in equal parts with protein, so use cheese with caution - it will significantly increase the calorie content of the diet.

A slice of cheese, a savory cracker - and your snack is ready.

7. Nuts. A good choice for a snack: filling, healthy and, on average, 20% protein. It’s not for nothing that they are present on the menu of any bodybuilder who is diligently gaining weight. True, the fat in strong kernels is at least twice as much as protein, so you need to eat them with caution.

Peanuts are high in protein, but almonds and walnuts are lower in fat.

8. Eggs. 10-12% protein makes this product an indispensable assistant in gaining weight, but if you are losing weight or are concerned about creating relief, you will have to give up the yolks. There is too much fat concentrated in them - up to 35%.

9. Cereals. Buckwheat, oats, rice, millet and barley will serve as a tasty side dish, a valuable source of protein (up to 15%) and will not break the budget. One bad thing is that, even if you wanted to, you cannot classify cereals as high-protein products with a low carbohydrate content: in some of them, the amount of these compounds that are dangerous for slimness can reach up to 70%.

Cereals contain not only proteins and carbohydrates, but also minerals

10. Bread. Surprised? Meanwhile, bread contains 5-8% protein, which makes it an important contender for your attention. The main thing is to choose varieties with lower carbohydrate content and more vitamins. Such as rye bread made from wholemeal flour, which can rightfully be called a bodybuilder’s assistant in both weight loss and weight gain.

If you don't get carried away with eating bread, it will only bring benefits

Comparison table

For better clarity, we present you a table of high-protein foods indicating the amount of fats and carbohydrates.

Video: 10 cheap sources of protein

10 cheapest, but at the same time effective products for gaining weight according to the Kukharim channel:

According to a new review published on the website Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, it's not just the amount of protein you consume that matters, but also its source. There are three reasons to care about this.

First of all, any source of protein, be it chicken or peanuts, contains varying amounts of amino acids - the building blocks of proteins. Of the 20 possible amino acids, nine are simply necessary for the body. You can only get these amino acids from food. So it is very important to properly include different foods rich in protein.

Animal products (meat, eggs, dairy) contain all the essential amino acids in varying amounts, but most plant products contain only fractions of the nine essential amino acids.

“This means that if you choose to get your protein only from nuts, your body will be deprived of important amino acids,” explains study co-author Rajavel Elango, a nutrition and metabolism specialist.

When you get protein from plant foods, it is important to choose the right types and amounts to ensure you get your full daily requirement of essential amino acids.

Of course, this is not a reason to give up your food preferences and get proteins only from, eating them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Such a diet, in addition to protein, includes a large amount of calories, fat and cholesterol, which negatively affects your figure and overall health. And this is the second reason to watch what foods you choose to saturate your body with protein.

And finally, the third reason is the most important. “Every food that provides you with protein contains certain amounts of vitamins and minerals,” says Ilango. “Some foods are rich in vitamin B, others are rich in iron, and others have virtually no nutrients at all.”

Your body will not be able to absorb the resulting protein to its maximum benefit if there is a lack of important nutrients.

Want to make sure you're getting your protein from the right foods? Here are some of the healthiest sources of protein.

Eggs

liz west/Flickr.com

“Not only do each egg contain 6 grams of protein, but it is also the healthiest protein,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, an American nutritionist, blogger and author of Read Before You Eat.

Protein obtained from eggs has the highest digestibility and helps form body tissues. In addition, eggs are rich in choline and vitamins B 12 and D - substances important for maintaining the overall level of energy and its supply in the body's cells.

Despite the widespread belief that cholesterol from eggs negatively affects the functioning of the heart, as a result of which this product can be consumed no more than 2-3 times a week, scientists have proven the opposite. A study published in the British Medical Journal found that one egg a day does not affect heart function or increase the risk of stroke.

Cottage cheese

“One 150g serving of cottage cheese contains about 25g of protein and 18% of the daily value for calcium,” says nutritionist Jim White. In addition, cottage cheese is rich in casein, a slowly digestible protein that blocks the feeling of hunger for several hours.

Chicken


James/Flickr.com

Poultry should be the basis of a protein diet. It contains less saturated fat than most other meats and about 40g of protein per breast (20g protein per 100g of meat). Ilango advises choosing white meat as often as you can to consume fewer calories.

Whole grain

Whole grain products are healthy and contain much more protein than regular flour products. For example, bread made from first grade wheat flour contains 7 g of protein, and whole grain bread contains 9 g of protein per 100 g of product.

More importantly, whole grains provide fiber, are good for the heart, and help control weight.

Fish


James Bowe/Flickr.com

"Low in calories and loaded with nutrients, fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which promote heart health and stabilize mood," says Taub-Dix.

Among the healthiest fish are salmon and tuna. One serving of salmon contains about 20 g of protein and 6.5 g of unsaturated fatty acids. And tuna is a real storehouse of protein: 25 g per 100 g of product.

If you want to get rid of excess body fat, you should also include salmon in your diet: it contains only 10-12 g of fat, saturated and unsaturated. Nutritionists advise eating fish twice a week, baked or fried.

Legumes


cookbookman17/Flickr.com

Greek (filtered) yogurt

Greek yogurt can serve as a breakfast, a snack, or an ingredient in a variety of dishes. Compared to regular yogurt, Greek yogurt has almost twice as much protein: instead of 5–10 g in one serving of yogurt, it is 13–20 g. In addition, Greek yogurt has quite a lot of calcium: 20% of the daily value.

Nuts


Adam Wyles/Flickr.com

Nuts are known for being rich in healthy unsaturated fatty acids, but they are also high in protein. Additionally, a 2013 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that people who ate a handful of nuts a day had a 20% lower risk of dying from various diseases.

Green


Jason Bachman/Flickr.com

Various types of greens and green leafy vegetables are rich in protein. For example, 100 g of spinach contains only 22 kcal and about 3 g of protein, and parsley contains 47 kcal and 3.7 g of protein. Even though greens don't contain enough essential amino acids, you can combine them with legumes and get enough protein and nutrients.

What protein-rich foods do you prefer?

Every person interested in healthy eating has heard and read more than once about the importance of protein, which is often called the basis of life. This is not an exaggeration, but a reality that corresponds to reality. When monitoring your diet, you should always take into account that the amount of protein in it should be at least 30%. A similar number should be for fats, and 40% for carbohydrates.

Drawing up a balanced menu requires knowledge of which foods contain the most protein and how to correctly calculate the daily requirement. In addition, an important aspect of a proper diet is the proper combination of foods with each other.

For women, it is one gram for every kilogram of body weight. And if a representative of the fair sex weighs 60 kilograms, she needs 60 grams of protein. The amount increases to 1.2 grams when visiting the gym.

Men who do not exercise should consume 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. This number increases if we are talking about an active lifestyle, which includes visiting the gym.

Knowing which foods are rich in this important compound for humans allows us to provide the body with the required amount of protein throughout the day.

10 foods with the highest protein content

  • Poultry meat – from 17 to 22 grams (per 100 grams of product)
  • Meat – from 15 to 20 grams
  • Fish - from 14 to 20 grams
  • Seafood – from 15 to 18 grams
  • Legumes – from 20 to 25 grams
  • Nuts – from 15 to 30 grams.
  • Eggs – 12 grams
  • Hard cheese – from 25 to 27 grams
  • Cottage cheese – from 14 to 18 grams
  • Cereals – from 8 to 12 grams


food productProtein (grams)
Squid18,0
Crab16,0
Shrimps18,0
Mackerel18,0
Flounder16,1
Pink salmon 21,0
capelin 13,4
Herring 17,7
Zander 19,0
Cod 17,5
Sturgeon16,4
Bream17,1
Pollock15,9
Salmon20,8
Canned fish in oil17,4-20,7
Canned fish in tomato12,8-19,7
Canned fish in its own juice20,9-28,7

The data given in the tables are absolute values, but the percentage of protein absorption by the body does not reach one hundred percent for everyone.

Protein Digestibility Chart

Protein sourceDigestibility coefficient
Milk100%
Supro isolated soy protein100%
Beef92%
Fish92%
Other isolated soy protein92%
Mechanically separated poultry meat70%
Canned beans68%
Oats57%
Rice54%
Peanut42%
Corn42%
Wheat gluten27%

To find how much protein enters the body, add 50% to the above calculation, which will be 90 grams, that is, 65x1 + 50%.

Protein distribution during the day

It happens according to two main schemes:

First. Involves distributing high-protein foods into five servings that are eaten throughout the day.

Second. For breakfast and dinner they eat 20%, and for lunch - 45% protein. The rest of the daily intake is distributed 5% for snacks after main meals.

Regardless of the chosen scheme, you should take into account that each serving should be no more than 300-350 g. The main thing is to choose the products that suit your taste the most.

Sample daily menu

For breakfast You can serve a lean piece of meat, a protein shake, a whole egg or white, or Greek yogurt.

For dinner and lunch Tofu, turkey meat, chicken breast and sausage, lean minced beef, salmon, shrimp, tuna and cod are perfect.

As a snack you can eat peeled seeds, drink a protein shake, eat nuts, or some legumes.

Hello! Most people think that Eating right is always expensive. And when it comes to sports training, it is generally impossible to achieve outstanding results without expensive proteins And gainers. Is this true? Let's figure it out. But first, I recommend that you read my article. Don’t pay attention to the title – all the basic principles of proper nutrition are described there. The most important basics, don’t be lazy and read.

The talk about how expensive it is to eat right is partly true. After all, the cheapest calories are found in sunflower oil And sugar, and these are far from the healthiest products. People with a lack of money often lean on sweet, flour And bold– because it is very nutritious and inexpensive. But in order to eat right and be healthy We must not forget about high-protein foods. Although it is more expensive, it is not much more if you focus on inexpensive protein products.

Remember protein (aka protein) – this is life itself. And if you want to be healthy and have a beautiful figure, you should maintain balance proteins, fats And carbohydrates. Different sources recommend different balances, but in general it looks something like this: We get 30% of our calories from proteins, 25% from fats and 45% from carbohydrates. We regulate carbohydrates depending on the goals: when gaining weight– we lean on carbohydrates, when drying- we don’t lean too hard. Squirrels in any case they should give us order 30% calories.

Now let's discuss the importance of sports nutrition sold in specialty stores. It is very important! And above all it important for the owners of these stores, because if there were no sports nutrition, they would have nothing to sell, and perhaps they would even have to go to work at a factory :) Yes, yes, Sports nutrition brings the greatest benefit to manufacturers and sellers. No, I'm not saying that sports nutrition is bad, but its benefits are greatly exaggerated. And this was done so that it would sell better. After all, what does the buyer pay money for when buying a jar? gainer? For a few kilograms of nutritional powder? No. He is first and foremost pays for a dream packaged in a jar. For him, this is not just powder, but some kind of "wand", with which he can easily gain the desired muscle mass. But in reality it's just a nutritional powder that Only in one thing is it superior to ordinary food. In convenience. Indeed, it’s easier to eat as always, just leaning more on meat and 2-3 times a day Kneading yourself a protein shake is better than eating several dozen eggs, half a kilo of meat, half a kilo of cottage cheese and drinking a liter of milk a day. Therefore, in my opinion, the only advantage of sports nutrition before eating as usual - this is ease of reception.

Due to the overestimation of the importance of sports nutrition, many They underestimate normal nutrition. But this is the basis! A properly balanced diet is much more important than any sports supplement.

Since, within the framework of this article we are talking about inexpensive nutrition during training– then we won’t consider sports nutrition, but Let's focus on eating normally. It may not be as convenient, but it is inexpensive and no less effective.

3 pillars of nutrition for muscle growth

1. Calorie content. If you consume fewer calories than you burn, you can forget about any weight gain - you will lose weight, no matter what expensive proteins you take.

2. Proportions of Proteins/Fats/Carbohydrates (30/10/60) . The typical modern diet includes too much fat and too little protein. Such food is more tasty, but at the same time more harmful. And if you don’t maintain the right balance, you risk becoming fat rather than gaining muscle mass.

3. Amino acid profile of proteins. Diversify your protein intake dairy products, eggs, fish, seafood, red and white meat, offal. The more diverse it is, the better the amino acid profile will be.

The Best Inexpensive Workout Products

Squirrels

  • Eggs. From 0.8 rub/gram of protein
  • Chicken breasts. From 0.8 rub/gram of protein
  • Fish. From 0.8 rub/gram of protein
  • Cottage cheese. From 1.3 rub/gram of protein
  • Milk. From 1.3 rub/gram of protein

It is worth noting that for a gram of high-quality protein from a sports pit can you will have to pay rubles 5 . The benefit is obvious.

  • Sugar. From 4 kopecks/gram of carbohydrate
  • Pasta. From 4 kopecks/gram of carbohydrate
  • Rice. From 5 kopecks/gram of carbohydrate
  • Oatmeal. From 6 kopecks/gram of carbohydrate
  • Buckwheat. From 7 kopecks/gram of carbohydrate
  • Potato. From 20 kopecks/gram of carbohydrate
  • Fruits. From 40 kopecks/gram of carbohydrate

Moreover, if you need long carbs- then there is nothing better buckwheat And rice, and if faster- then pay attention to oatmeal, potatoes And pasta. Well, if you need very fast carbohydrates- then there is where to roam - starting from fruit and ending with the usual sugar.

So, as you can see, eat right and at the same time inexpensiveMaybe. The main thing is to set a goal! And Working out without proper nutrition is a waste of time and effort.

Good luck with your training and inexpensive proteins!