Would you want to have a snack that ups your energy levels and keeps you strong? How about having a snack that can help in building your body as well? If you are wondering what the snack we are talking about is, it is the one rich in proteins.
Proteins are vital for our body. They are the building blocks of muscles, tissues and cells; and they play a role in the development of our body.
And this post talks about the top 15 healthy high protein snacks out there! Would you like to know what they are? Go ahead and read!
1. Lentil Salad:
Lentils are one of the best sources of plant protein on the planet. They are not just protein-packed, but are also super easy to be turned into yummy salads.
Lentils may not be the world’s tastiest foods, so you can ‘taste-them-up’ by adding veggies and fruits. You can add lentils to avocados, sources of good quality fats, raw nuts, seeds, and lots of vegetables like beans, and you have a tasty, health snack for you to enjoy!
2. Cauliflower Soup:
Who would believe that this modest, off-white vegetable can be super healthy and packed with the building blocks of our bodies. Consider this – 1 cup cooked cauliflower equals 28 gm of protein. A healthy way to eat cauliflower is to add other protein and mineral rich veggies and make a soup. Not only will you be getting loads of proteins that way, but you will also be consuming abundant nutrients for keeping you protected against cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
Cauliflower also contains carotenoids and omega-3 fatty acids that reduce inflammation in the body and decrease the risk of heart disease.
3. Roasted Pumpkin Seeds:
These small, orange seeds pack in 7gm protein per 1oz. and are great for you. Because of their high protein content, pumpkin seeds are an excellent pre-workout snack. They make an exemplary grab-and-go snack after they are washed, dried and roasted. They are also great as a topping for salads and soups.
A word of caution – All nuts and seeds, including pumpkin seeds, are high in calories and fat. Hence, it’s better to not overindulge in them. Remember, you don’t want to pile on fat while consuming more protein, do you?
4. Hard-Boiled Eggs:
Eggs, especially the yolk, are loaded with nutrients and proteins. This makes eggs one of the best and most inexpensive ways to get a healthy dose of protein. All you have to do is hard boil an egg, slice it, and place it on a slice of whole-wheat bread for a healthy snack on the go.
5. Peanut Butter And Jelly Sandwich:
Peanuts have many other benefits due to the presence of a substance called Co-Enzyme Q10, which protects the heart when the oxygen supply becomes low. It also contains Resveratrol, (1), which is a chemical that improves blood flow to the brain and lowers your LDL or bad cholesterol. This is one of the best high protein snacks for kids.
6. Mung Bean Sprouts Salad:
Most beans, including the humble Mung bean, are excellent sources of protein. 1 cup of Mung bean contains 3.16 gm of proteins; it is also low in calories, and is super healthy as Lecithin lowers blood cholesterol levels and reduces liver fat. You can add other sprouts to the mung bean sprouts and enjoy a healthy mid-morning snack.
7. Just Almonds:
Keep a handful of almonds around for a hunger fix. Not only are they high in proteins, but are also nutrient dense. This makes them ideal snacks that can keep you full for longer, thereby ultimately resulting in weight loss. 1 oz. of almonds contains 6.03 gm of protein.
8. Spinach Stir Fry:
Spinach is the king of greens. This vegetable is excellent as an ingredient in both stir fries and salads. 1 cooked cup of spinach packs in 5.35 gm of protein. And since it is rich in flavonoids and has anti-cancer properties, spinach is good for your skin, eyes, bones, and the brain!
9. Quinoa:
Known as the king of grains, quinoa is indeed a perfect protein. It has the highest percentage of protein content found in a plant source at 16 percent per volume! This means that if you eat just ¼ cup of quinoa, you get 6 gm of protein. But if you want more protein, you can add asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli and sprouted mung bean stir to your diet.
10. Cereal And Granola:
Wheat-based cereals are good sources of protein as well. They contain an average of 3 to 6 gm of protein per cup. 1 cup of cereal eaten dry or with 1/2 cup of milk will serve you as a protein-rich snack at any time of the day. If you want more proteins, you can have 1/2 cup of granola containing 4 gm of protein as a protein-rich snack.
11. Beef Or Turkey Jerky:
This snack is full of protein and is super tasty. Just 1 serving gives you 9 gm of protein. Just make sure that you choose a low-sodium and preservative-free variety of jerky.
12. Cottage Cheese And Grapes:
Cottage cheese is a good option for protein. You can add cinnamon and grapes to cottage cheese for an easy-to-make high protein snack. Cheese on its own is a good source of protein and can be packed in your lunch box for a good snack. Just take care to choose a low-fat and hard cheese, like the mozzarella string cheese for making the snack. We also recommend cottage cheese as it is also an excellent source of protein. Just half a cup of cottage cheese has as much as 14 gm of protein.
13. Tofu Sticks:
Tofu is a great source of proteins and an excellent alternative for vegetarians. Low in fat and high in isoflavones (2), tofu has many health benefits, especially for women.
What makes tofu even more appealing is that it can be cooked in different ways. This soybean-based protein snack called Tofu isn’t just for making stir-fry; it can also be sliced into sticks and baked to make tofu sticks, a high–protein snack. If you want to spice tofu sticks up, all you have to do is serve them with spicy teriyaki sauce.
14. Greek Yogurt:
6 oz. of Greek yogurt contains 15 gm of proteins, which is almost double the amount of protein present in regular yogurt. It can be eaten as a dessert as it is thick, filling, and sweet. You can also have it with fruit. If Greek yogurt is not readily available, or you just like plain yogurt, that makes for a great snack as well.
Yogurt is very high in calcium, vitamin D and protein. Both regular and Greek yogurt are good for women as they help prevent osteoporosis later in life due to their richness in calcium.
15. Soy Milk:
Soy is a great high protein food, but soy milk provides even more goodness. You can choose from flavors like chocolate, vanilla or just plain soy milk which is great for making baked goods and smoothies. 1 cup contains about 8 gm of protein.
Other good sources of protein are the protein bars and drinks as well as legumes, Tuna fish, low-fat milk etc. Sea foods and lean meats are also very good sources of protein.
Hope you now have a list of healthy high protein snacks that you can gorge on before hitting the gym or for a nutritious mid-morning treat! Do you know of any other snacks high in protein? Tell us in the comments section below!
