Not all foods are created equal. An ounce of peanut butter is obviously going to have a completely different effect on your body than an ounce of mashed potatoes. When trying to eat healthier it is tempting to believe that complete restraint is the only way to go.
However there are several high protein foods that not only taste divine, they will also leave you satisfied for hours.
1. Beans
Beans offer 2.6 grams of protein per serving, and 1.9 grams of fiber. They make you feel fuller longer and in proportion are a great diet food. You have the satisfaction of eating something solid, and filling without the insulin roller coaster that mashed potatoes will take you on.
2. Eggs
Eggs are known for being high in protein, however they often get a bad rap for fat. The fact is, that eggs do not deserve the bad reputation at all. Most skinny, healthy people eat eggs nearly every day.
Just one egg offers a whopping 6 grams of protein for just 78 calories. The next time you are considering an afternoon snack of crisps, choose an egg instead, you will feel fuller longer with less calories.
3. Lean Poultry
Obviously, meats are going to be on a highest protein list, however when dieting sometimes people overlook the value of meat in fear of fat. A salad with a few ounces of lean meat will be significantly more satisfying than a plain salad. If you feel full and satisfied you will be less likely to feel peckish and give in to snacking later.
4. Fish
It is hard to feel deprived when you enjoyed a fine filet of fish over brown rice, so enjoy those 30 grams of protein knowing that you are feeding your body healthy fats, and satisfying proteins.
5. Cheese
This is another food that dieters often avoid to their peril. Do not gorge on cheese, however a piece of cheese instead of a candy bar will give you around 5 grams of protein. You will increase your calcium intake, and feel fuller longer, without the sugar rush and crash that a candy bar would give you.
6. Avocados
Avocados have healthy fats, and offer a creamy protein rich alternative to salad dressing and mayonnaise. With 2.9 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber, the health and satisfaction payoff for this food is high. Enjoy it in place of dressing, however keep in mind that it is high in fat even if they are healthy fats.
7. Milk and Yogurt
Choose the fat free kind, and use in moderation. These dairy products are a healthy fulfilling alternative to sodas. Where sodas deplete your bones and leave you wanting more, a cup of skim milk will make you feel full, and offer 1/3 of your daily calcium.
8. Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is not a low fat food, so it is on the bottom of the list. However when dieting if you have a sweet tooth that just will not stop, a spoon full of no added sugar peanut butter is full of protein and healthy fats to tide you over till dinner. Just remember to only have just enough to satisfy that sweet tooth.
If you fill up on the things on this list in several small meals through the day, you will see yourself become healthier faster than with a starvation diet.
Beans also pack a whopping dose of indigestible, gas-inducing starch, and contain phytoestrogens that can suppress the thyroid. Human beings evolved to eat meat, fruit and veggies; beans and “whole grains” came along later, and with them tooth decay, arthritis, diabetes, and a greatly shortened life span.