Why Are High Protein Snacks Beneficial?
Written by Jordyn King, BS, MS
High protein foods are important to snack on throughout the day. Do you ever feel hungry at work or completely energy less when leaving work? This could be due to not getting enough protein into your diet throughout the day. When you’re living a busy work life, snacks and other meals can be useful in a hunger habitat and you may not have time to prepare a healthy meal. However many snack foods can be available with low protein, refined carbs and high sugar content can leave you feeling unsatisfied craving more food and having less energy throughout the day. Protein is a vital nutrient for maintaining muscle mass, bone health and strength training which is important for all individuals but crucial for when we get older. Protein is a filling snack, and studies have shown that protein has little to no impact on blood sugar. There is a solution to making your snack convenient and having high energy dense food sources. The key is consuming high protein snacks throughout the day to maintain your energy levels.
Why High Protein Snacks?
High protein sources can promote a sense of fullness because it signals the release of your appetite-suppressing hormones in the body which can slow down digestion and stabilize your blood sugar levels. It is important to have these high protein snacks around you so that you feel full and satisfied throughout the day. This tip will also help you avoid snacks around you that can be unhealthy or processed; additionally, these snacks will provide plenty of healthy and portable options for quick grab and go.
Reading Nutrition Labels is Essential
Keep in mind to always look at your nutrition facts on snack labels, specifically on the serving size, carbohydrates, protein intake and calories. When certain macronutrients can be way off, this can enable a sudden weight gain due to improper reading of nutrition labels and facts. Snacks with protein higher than 12 grams, lower than 15g of carbohydrates and lower than 300 calories per serving is great option to start with.
The snacks listed provide high protein options with low calorie and low carbohydrate content:
Beef Jerky, trail mix, turkey roll ups, Greek yogurt parfait, veggies and yogurt dip. Tuna, hard-boiled eggs, no bake energy bites, cheese slices, almonds, roasted chickpeas hummus and veggies, cottage cheese, apple with peanut butter, beef sticks, protein bars, canned tuna, Chia pudding, granola, pumpkin seeds, protein shakes, edamame, avocado, and chickpea salad. Also, fruit and nut bars, lentil salad, overnight oats, Egg McMuffin, and cheesy popcorn
Additionally, Here are some snack option ranked from their protein content with calories provided:
Average Protein Shake- 13g per 2 scoops - 75 Calories
2 Hard Boiled Eggs- 13g- 140 Calories
Cottage Cheese- 13g per ½ cup - 90 Calories
Cheese- 12g per 1.75 oz.- 205 Calories
Peanut Butter- 12g per 1.5 oz. - 249 Calories
Pumpkin Seeds- 12g per ⅓ cup- 239 Calories
Plain Greek yogurt- 11g per ½ cup- 80 Calories
Tofu- 11g per 2 oz.- 105 Calories
Black Soy beans- 11g per ½ cup- 120 Calories
Canned fish or Seafood - 11g per 2 oz.- 50 Calories
Tempuh- 11g per 1.75 oz.- 95 Calories
Lupini Beans- 10 g per ½ cup- 80 Calories
Dry Edamame- 10g per 3 tablespoons.- 98 Calories
Ground Beef Sliders (80% lean)- 10g per 2 oz. - 140 Calories
Jerky- 10g per ⅔ oz. - 55 Calories
Cold Cut Deli Meats- 10g per 2-2.5 oz. - 65 Calories
Chia Seed Pudding- 10g per ⅓ cup- 296 Calories
Parmesan Crisps- 10g per 1 oz. - 110 Calories
Hemp Seeds- 10g per ¼ cup - 180 calories
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