Quick tips for increasing your protein intake

Consuming enough dietary protein is essential for maintaining (or building) skeletal muscle mass, supporting enzyme function and antibody production, and promoting healthy skin, hair, and nails. There are lots of great sources of dietary protein, and it’s best to consume a variety of these foods to make your diet as interesting and varied as possible.

It’s especially important to vary your dietary protein sources if you’re following a vegetarian or vegan diet, as many veggie and vegan protein sources are incomplete proteins. This means they don’t contain all of the essential amino acids the body needs, but instead, they contain a selection of them. Varying your protein sources enables you to consume all nine essential amino acids through different foods to optimize your health.

Here are some quick tips for increasing your protein intake:

• Eat lean proteins, such as poultry, fish, tofu, and tempeh, to maximize protein intake while minimizing your intake of saturated fat and salt
• Incorporate dairy or dairy in your diet, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt. If you’re vegan or lactose intolerant, consume dairy alternatives like almond milk, cashew milk, hazelnut milk, oat milk, or soy milk.
• Switch from plain yogurt to Greek yogurt, as it’s much higher in protein
• Consume eggs as they are complete proteins and contain all of the essential amino acids your body needs, as well as a bunch of other beneficial nutrients
• Include plant-based proteins in your diet to expand your palate and increase your intake of phytonutrients (plant nutrients), including tofu, tempeh, nuts, seeds, lentils, beans, and chickpeas
• Consume protein powders in shakes, smoothies, pancakes, cookies, and other desserts