That's why the Healthy Eating Plate encourages choosing healthy protein foods. Choose fish, poultry, beans, and nuts; limit red meat and cheese; avoid bacon, cold cuts, and other processed meats.
Grain-fed red meats
Eating high amounts of fatty cuts of red meat — meaning beef, pork and lamb — can be hazardous for your health. “Grain-fed red meat is my least favorite source of protein, due to its high saturated fat content and impact on the environment,” states Zumpano.
Processed meats, such as bacon, hot dogs, sausages, and cold cuts should be avoided. Although these products are often made from red meats, processed meats also include items like turkey bacon, chicken sausage, and deli-sliced chicken and ham.
Some high-protein diets allow red meats, processed meats and other foods high in saturated fat. These foods may increase your risk of heart disease. And they can increase your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the “bad” cholesterol.
As far as meat options go, consuming leaner, less-processed meats more often than fattier and processed meats (like hot dogs, sausages, bacon and deli meats) is recommended. "Fattier and processed meats typically contain more saturated fat and sodium than leaner cuts of red meat, chicken and turkey," Sollid says.
Eating undercooked or raw pork can result in parasitic infections. Taenia solium, or pork tapeworm, is an intestinal parasite. Most of the time it's harmless, but it can occasionally cause a disease called cysticercosis, which leads to epilepsy.
Seafood: A Healthy Alternative to Meat. There are a few key differences between seafood and red meat. For one, seafood is generally lower in calories and saturated fat than red meat. It's also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are linked to heart health.
Kathy: When we talk about clean protein, we're talking about three things: Mostly we're talking about whole plant foods like beans, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. And then we're also talking about plant-based meat, meat made from plants, like what Tofurky, Beyond Meat, and Impossible Foods are doing.
How much protein do I need? Most adults need around 0.75g of protein per kilo of body weight per day (for the average woman, this is 45g, or 55g for men). That's about two portions of meat, fish, nuts or tofu per day. As a guide, a protein portion should fit into the palm of your hand.
Lower quality proteins, in contrast, are called incomplete proteins because they lack one or more of the essential amino acids. Plant protein and lower quality protein are one and the same, comprising all starch (such as grains, potatoes, legumes) and vegetables.
Two eggs give you 12 grams of hunger-satisfying protein. Although 2 eggs does not complete your daily protein needs, it's a great start. Eating two eggs in the morning ensures you are on the right track to hit your protein consumption goal by the end of the day.
Best Time of Day to Eat Protein
Morning: When you wake up in the morning, your body has already used up most of the nutrients you ate during your previous meal. Consuming protein first thing in the morning is a great way to get your energy back and get your day started on the right foot.
The recommended dietary allowance to prevent deficiency for an average sedentary adult is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. For example, a person who weighs 165 pounds, or 75 kilograms, should consume 60 grams of protein per day.
To increase muscle mass in combination with physical activity, it is recommended that a person that lifts weights regularly or is training for a running or cycling event eat a range of 1.2-1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, or 0.5 to 0.8 grams per pound of body weight.
No, you do not. A 200 grams protein meal plan is best left to elite athletes and bodybuilders looking to gain some lean muscle as most ordinary people do not need this much protein in their diets. The average human just requires 0.8 g of this nutrient per kilogram of body weight (5).
So there you have it: The rundown of which meats are highest in protein. Chicken breast and lean cuts of beef are top choices, offering high protein-per-gram ratios. Turkey breast, bison, venison, pork tenderloin, fish, chicken drumsticks, lean beef, lamb, and chicken thigh are also solid high-protein options.
If your protein tastes like a milkshake keep an eye out for an overload of sweeteners. Things like corn syrup solids, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium, or maltodextrin, fructose, and sucralose. Any and all of the above are prime offenders in "dirty" protein.
Protein is also a critical part of the processes that fuel your energy and carry oxygen throughout your body in your blood. It also helps make antibodies that fight off infections and illnesses and helps keep cells healthy and create new ones.
But is it safe to eat fish every day? “For most individuals it's fine to eat fish every day,” says Eric Rimm, professor of epidemiology and nutrition, in an August 30, 2015 article on Today.com, adding that “it's certainly better to eat fish every day than to eat beef every day.”
Lean beef (defined by government guidelines as having less than 10 grams total fat, 4.5 grams or less saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3.5 ounces) can be healthier than chicken, fish - or tofu (bean curd) for that matter - depending on how much is eaten and how it's prepared.
Least healthy meats
Processed Meats: Notably, there are over 200 types of cold cuts and processed meats. These include hot dogs, bologna, and Vienna sausages. Processed meat is often made of less healthy organs like the stomach, lips, and heart.