6 Delicious Foods Packed With Protein

Protein is one of life’s essential nutrients.

Even though you may not be trying to enter a bodybuilding contest or get amazingly ripped for the summertime, protein still plays a vital role in your diet.

Many times, we think of protein being linked with one specific food: meat. You want protein? Go eat a steak. Technically, those steak-lovers aren’t wrong and you’ll find plenty of protein in everything from steak to a well-grilled hamburger. But as Billy Mays once said, “and that’s not all!”

You can find protein in plenty of different places than just regular meat. If you’re someone that is following a specific diet, you’ll probably be able to fit most of these foods onto your plate. Below, we’re going to talk about some foods that are full of protein and may very well surprise you.

Chickpeas

If someone wanted to track food trends over the past decade, they’d probably see a rise in the demand for avocados and chickpeas. You can’t go anywhere now without seeing some options for avocados on food or guacamole being presented as a viable dipping option.

Chickpeas too have increased in such popularity. So much in fact, that their price has increased greatly over the last few years due to the high demand.

These little legumes are responsible for giving us hummus and falafel. Both are delicious and both come stuffed with protein.

Almonds and Pistachios

Almonds and pistachios are two nuts that have the most protein. If you’re looking for a snack, then it’s hard to go wrong with these two choices.

While eating them alone may get boring over time, you can always make your own trail mix at home. Throw in some raisins, other nuts, and bits of dark chocolate for a bit of sweetness. It’s the ideal combination for those that like the sweet and salty combo.

Fish

Chances are you know that fish is an excellent source of omega-3 (great for your brain), but it is also loaded with plenty of protein. While it’s not advisable to eat fish more than 2-3 times a week, you should still make sure it’s in your diet.

That being said, you want to be careful when choosing the kind of fish that you eat. Those that are high in mercury, such as swordfish and ahi tuna, should be eaten sparingly.

Instead, try to go for regular tuna, salmon, or cod. Salmon is often a favorite as you can mix it with many different sauces. It is also perfect for your grill.

Chicken

Yes, yes this falls in line with the “duh” category, but it’s hard to talk about delicious protein and not mention chicken.

Chicken, at times, can be mixed up with the “boring” dishes because of its potential bland taste. There’s a joke among clean eaters that chicken, brown rice, and veggies are the only meal they can realistically eat.

But, there are tons of amazing chicken recipes out there. You don’t have to limit yourself to simply throw it on the stove and waiting for it to finish. It’s time to get creative!

Green Vegetables

You’ve been told from a young age to eat your vegetables, and now an article is telling you again that you should do so. We promise we won’t hold you back from dessert if you ignore this piece of advice.

The truth is there are plenty of vegetables that are high in protein, such as peas, artichokes, and broccoli. They make a great compliment to any meal that you have right now and don’t taste all that bad.

Not only are they full of protein, but they come with other benefits such as fiber.

Quinoa

Quinoa is another one of those foods that have slowly made itself more and more popular over the past few years. It’s often heralded as the best protein option for vegetarians and vegans alike.

That’s because quinoa is one of the few foods that contains all 11 amino acids. Many people choose to substitute it for rice when cooking a meal. As a forewarning, quinoa tends to be much more filling than rice due to its dense nature. When you’re cooking, don’t make as much as you would with rice or else you might actually explode.