Protein products for weight loss: a complete list in convenient tables and tips for consumption

Today we will get acquainted with squirrels. It is one of the three macronutrients we need to live a full life. The other two are fats and carbohydrates . You can also find out which foods contain proteins.

What are proteins? Meaning and main functions in the human body

Proteins (protein) are polymers that consist of amino acids. Proteins contain only 22 amino acids. Thanks to the various combinations of 22 amino acids, thousands of different proteins are built.

The importance of proteins is great. After all, it is the main building material of all organisms . As if all the tissues and organs of your body are built from protein bricks - heart, liver, kidneys, pancreas, blood vessels, muscles, hair, nails, etc.

In addition, proteins perform other important functions :

1. Catalytic. Proteins are the main component of all known enzymes.
2. Hormonal. Most hormones are proteins.
3. Protective. A lack of proteins weakens the protective function because the immune system cannot function adequately.
4. Transport. Proteins are involved in the transport of oxygen, carbohydrates, fats, some vitamins and microelements.

When is a protein-free diet prescribed?

If you have kidney disease, which occurs in an acute or chronic form, you may want to consider whether it is worth eliminating certain foods from your diet. The reasons may be the following:

1. If you need to reduce protein metabolism in the body.
2. If you need to increase diuresis to eliminate edema.
3. If it is necessary to increase the excretion of under-oxidized decomposition products.
4. If you want to lower your blood pressure.

Typically, the diet should not exceed 2200 kilocalories. As for a bedridden patient, he should be even smaller. As you can see, it is precisely this limited nutrition that reduces weight. This can be done without limiting the consumption of proteins, which simply must be part of the daily diet. Fats in a protein-free diet reach eighty grams, and carbohydrates do not exceed four hundred grams.

It is important to note that it is important to consume salt in limited quantities during a protein diet. You should also reduce sweets and confectionery. These are the features of a protein-free diet.

Complete and incomplete proteins

In the process of digesting proteins from food, they are broken down into amino acids . These amino acids are then used to build the proteins the body needs. Thus, it is not just protein that is important to you, but the composition of amino acids.

Amino acids are divided into essential and non-essential . Replaceable ones can be synthesized in the human body. Essential ones , on the contrary, come only with food. For this reason, if there is a shortage of any essential amino acid, a certain protein will not be created, which will ultimately lead to certain consequences.

Proteins that contain all the essential amino acids in the required quantities are called complete .

Sources:

• egg whites;
• liver;
• milk and dairy products (except sour cream and butter);
• Fish and seafood;
• meat, poultry;
• soybeans

Proteins that contain only some of the essential amino acids are called incomplete .

Sources:

• grain crops;
• legumes (except soybeans);
• nuts and seeds;
• vegetables.

Top best

Nutritionists name the best protein foods for weight loss, which you can eat in almost unlimited quantities during a diet.

• Eggs

Chicken eggs are the richest source of protein. To lose weight, you can eat 7 whites and 4 yolks per day. There are diets based on 5 eggs for breakfast during the week.

• Low-fat kefir

The main protein product for any weight loss system. The protein it contains is easily digestible with minimal total calories. Improves digestion, rids the body of toxins. The extra pounds disappear quite quickly. Protein content - 28 g. All these beneficial properties of this protein product formed the basis of the kefir diet.

• Cottage cheese

A protein product that is very quickly digestible. Provides a feeling of fullness for a long time, which has a positive effect on weight loss. Keeps nails, bones, teeth in good condition. Protein content - 20 g.

• Natural yogurt

For weight loss, only natural protein products without dyes, sweeteners or other additives are suitable. This yogurt will be stored for no more than 3 weeks.

• Milk

Compared to meat and fish, milk is higher in this rating because it contains protein, which is absorbed by the body much better. At the same time, you will not be able to lose weight on milk alone, since it does not have a very good effect on the functioning of the stomach. But for preparing protein dishes (the same cocktails) with minimal fat content, this product will be ideal.

• Meat

First up is chicken breast. 200 grams of meat contains about 40 grams of protein, 2 grams of fat, 200 kcal. An essential protein product for weight loss. Secondly, it's beef. The ratio of main substances is approximately the same, but there is a little more fat. It is an alternative to white chicken meat to diversify your diet while losing weight.

• Fish

The best protein product is salmon fillet. Contains fats, but much more protein, as well as omega 3 acids. To lose weight, you should treat yourself to this tasty morsel twice a week.

• Legumes

These are plant-based protein products that can maintain normal muscle mass even during the process of rapid weight loss. In addition, they give a long-lasting and pleasant feeling of fullness, so you won’t be hungry.

• Protein powder/shake

Effective protein nutrition without fat. Recommended if you supplement your diet with exercise in the gym. Instantly absorbed by the body. It makes the figure not only slim, but also sculpted, as it promotes the growth of muscle mass.

Always keep this top protein diet for weight loss before your eyes when creating a menu. After all, these are the products that should be included in recipes that will make any diet seem like a holiday and not a test.

What foods contain proteins?

Protein foods are divided into animal and vegetable protein.

Animal proteins contain all the amino acids you need. Moreover, you get the required amounts of vitamins B12 and D, calcium, iron, zinc, Omega-3 fatty acids.

On the other hand, red meat, for example, contains saturated fat and cholesterol. Excessive consumption of red meat, according to nutritionists, is associated with increased mortality from cardiovascular diseases and oncology. Therefore, it is recommended to consume red meat no more than three times a week. Frankfurters and sausages are even rarer.

However, there must be moderation in everything! There is no need to give up such products, but there is also no need to eat in unlimited quantities.

And also do not forget about products such as egg whites and dairy products . These are the best sources of animal protein , in terms of biological value.

Protein of plant origin is considered especially valuable. The reason is that in addition to protein, you get fiber, vitamins and microelements, and the most healthy unsaturated fats. At the same time, it is worth remembering that it is difficult to fully replace animal products.

Only soy protein is complete. Therefore, it is better to combine both. The ideal ratio is 60% animal - 40% plant.

How to replace animal protein for vegetarians?

Vegetarians are advised to include lentils, soybeans, broccoli, onions, asparagus, red peppers, couscous and wheat germ in their diet. Among fruits and vegetables, spinach, avocado and bananas are great (but they are not suitable for weight loss). Brazil nuts are very nutritious and healthy, as well as almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Peanut butter is also rich in protein, but it is also not suitable for weight loss, but it is quite suitable for gaining muscle mass.

A popular product among vegetarians is seitan, which is made from wheat gluten, which absorbs the flavors of dishes that are cooked nearby. One hundred grams of this “meat” contains 57 g of protein and perfectly replaces duck or chicken meat. Soy cheese tofu is also important for the functioning of the body and for weight loss. It can be fried, added to soup, pureed, etc.

Green soybean pods are also popular among vegetarians. It is a healthy and nutritious snack, but its protein content is about 7 g/100 g.

We also recommend that vegetarians eat quinoa, zucchini, hummus, black beans, and green peas. You can prepare many dishes from them, showing your imagination. All these products contain a minimum of fat and are very good for weight loss.

The right combination of protein with other foods

If you decide to go on a protein diet, then you don’t need to think that eating protein in itself will solve your problem of excess weight. There are some foods that, when combined with protein, can add extra pounds to you. Therefore, follow these combinations:

• eggs plus beans;
• eggs plus potatoes;
• eggs plus corn;
• eggs plus wheat;
• soybeans plus millet;
• milk plus rye.

There are simple rules that, if followed, will allow you to maintain healthy animal protein in your diet without compromising your health and figure:

• If the diet contains meat, its amount should not exceed 1/3 of the total number of vegetables - the golden rule of Chinese cuisine.
• Raw (not heat-treated) vegetables promote better protein absorption.
• Do not combine two or more types of foods high in animal proteins.
• You should not combine proteins with sugar.
• Forget about meat and potatoes and butter, especially when fried.

Both fast and slow proteins are needed by those who are losing weight, those who are gaining muscle mass, or simply want to be healthy. Remember - a healthy combination of animal and plant foods and compliance with calories will allow you to achieve the desired result!

How to replace animal protein?

If you are not going to become a vegetarian, or just want to observe Lent, then you cannot completely give up protein. Beans, peas, soybeans and lentils are considered excellent substitutes for animal protein. At the same time, soy is in first place - the main competitor to meat in terms of protein content. Fish rich in Omega-3 and vitamin B2 will be replaced by seaweed and cereal seeds. Sesame will compensate for the lack of calcium - the amount in it is the same as in animal food. Natural milk with its vitamin D and B12 will replace soy or rice milk. During Lent or the temporary abolition of animal proteins, it would not be a bad idea to include vitamins and increase the portion size in order to replenish the body’s daily requirement of protein.

Low Protein Foods List

Foods low in protein do not have a beneficial effect on the body, but eliminating them from the diet completely is not recommended.

So, what foods are low in protein:

• marmalade – 0 grams;
• sugar – 0.3 grams;
• apples – 0.4 grams;
• raspberries – 0.8 grams;
• unprocessed russula – 1.7 grams;
• prunes – 2.3 grams.

List of foods containing protein

Dish recipes

We invite you to try preparing various dishes from protein products: here there are recipes for soups, salads and main dishes. With such diversity, this weight loss system can hardly be called a hunger strike.

First meal

Do you think that making soups exclusively from protein products is impossible? Indeed, traditional first courses are a combination of protein (meat and fish broths) and carbohydrates (a variety of vegetables, cereals, pasta, noodles). But nutritionists never tire of repeating that liquid food improves weight loss results, so it cannot be excluded from diets. So let's learn how to cook first courses from protein products.

• Spinach soup

Remove the skin from the turkey breast or drumstick. Boil, remove from broth, let cool. Finely chop a package of spinach (frozen product will not spoil the dish), cook in broth for 10 minutes. Separate the meat from the bones, finely chop it, and return it to the broth. Cook the spinach and turkey together for another 10 minutes. Cool the soup, use a blender to puree it, adding 50 ml of skim milk, spices, and 2 cloves of garlic. Eaten hot.

• Salmon with milk

Pour boiling water over 4 medium-sized tomatoes, remove the skin and finely chop. Peel and chop a large onion. 1 PC. grate carrots. Fry the carrots and onions, adding tomatoes at the end. Place in a saucepan with a liter of cold water and boil. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Cut 450 grams of salmon fillet into cubes and add to the broth. After 5 minutes, add 500 ml skim milk. After boiling, add spices. Leave for 20 minutes.

• Meatball soup

Prepare chicken bone broth. Make minced chicken breast and form meatballs from it. Drop them into boiling broth. After boiling, add 50 grams of chopped bell pepper, the same amount of green beans, and herbs. Cook for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Second courses

Main courses made from protein products are the basis of the diet. The recipes include only low-calorie ingredients - specifically for weight loss.

• Chicken in kefir

Cut 100 grams of selected, fresh chicken fillet, mix with salt, pepper, chopped herbs. Add 50 ml of low-fat kefir, 50 ml of filtered cold water. Place in the refrigerator for 3 hours. Place in a hot frying pan and simmer for 10 minutes on each side.

• Fried eggs

Break 5 eggs into a plastic container. Beat. Microwave for 2 minutes. It turns out healthy and incredibly tasty scrambled eggs. If you want to diversify your weight loss menu, you can add chopped chicken breast and herbs.

• Baked fish

Pour lemon juice over the salmon fillet, sprinkle with dried herbs and spices, and bake in the oven on foil until cooked.

Snacks

Salads made from protein products are indispensable for any weight loss system. They are nutritious, healthy, and contribute to menu diversity. They allow you to whip up dinner without putting on extra pounds.

• Protein salad

Boil 3 soft-boiled eggs, chop chicken breast (150 g), chop 50 g of squid. Mix everything thoroughly.

• Asparagus salad with chicken

Boil 3-4 cauliflower inflorescences in one container with 100 g of chopped asparagus and 300 g of chicken breast. Grind 2 medium-sized fresh cucumbers and 60 grams of celery root. Mix everything thoroughly. Add 2 tablespoons of canned green peas. Add chopped boiled and already cooled products. Season with 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar.

When choosing recipes for your protein menu, carefully look at what products are listed in them. Sometimes olive oil or lean lamb is allowed, but these should be exceptions to the rules, concessions, so that the diet does not seem completely debilitating.

But fats and carbohydrates in their pure form are strictly prohibited. So there shouldn’t be anything floury, sweet or fried in this diet.

Daily protein intake

You all constantly need amino acids. They fulfill their function and disintegrate. Part of it enters the bloodstream and is used again, the other part is disposed of.

Proteins are vital. Therefore, every adult should consume at least 40–50 g of protein per day.

In fact, 40-50 g is the minimum intake that is necessary for your life.

Your needs depend on your caloric intake . Calorie content, in turn, depends on gender, weight, age, and physical activity. Having calculated your individual calorie content and taking into account that 1 g of protein has a calorie content of 4 kcal, your norm is calculated. Therefore, to say that each person needs 1, - 1.5 or 2 g of protein per 1 kg of weight per day is incorrect.

The approximate daily intake is shown in the table below in grams.

As an example, calculations were carried out for a man and a woman of 30 years old, of average height with low activity.

In the case of weight gain, average activity was taken (3 workouts per week).

Depending on your weight and gender, you can use the data from the table as the basis for your diet. I repeat, the figure is approximate. Such calculations are carried out according to certain formulas, according to your age, height, weight, activity and your goals.

Here we mean not only animal, but also plant protein. This means take into account not only meat, eggs, but also bread, dairy products, cereals, vegetables, fruits, etc. Therefore, whatever your goals, most likely you will not have to make a huge effort in order to achieve your norm .

When protein needs increase

1. With increasing physical activity (hard work, training to increase muscle mass, etc.).
2. During illness, and during recovery, as well as during stress.
3. During intensive growth and development.
4. During pregnancy and breastfeeding.
5. During the cold season.

When protein requirements decrease

1. In the warm season.
2. With age. The older a person is, the less protein he needs.

Signs of protein deficiency

1. Fatigue, weakness, fatigue.
2. Decreased muscle volume.
3. Growth retardation in children.
4. Dry, flabby skin.
5. Dry, dull, brittle hair.
6. Decreased resistance to various infections.
7. Anemia.
8. Swelling.
9. Violation of the functions of the body systems: cardiovascular, nervous, circulatory, gastrointestinal tract, etc.

Causes of deficiency

1. Lack of protein in food.
2. An unbalanced diet due to eating only plant foods, fasting or vegetarianism. You can eat protein foods, but still not get the full range of essential amino acids.
3. Gastrointestinal diseases.
4. Malabsorption.
5. Hormone deficiency.

Excess protein in the body

Chronic consumption of large amounts of protein can cause:

• gastrointestinal, renal and vascular disorders;
• decreased natural immunity, which leads to infectious diseases;
• risk factor for cancer.

Protein foods for pregnant women

The diet of the expectant mother should be balanced and include vitamins and minerals. To ensure a healthy pregnancy and proper development of the fetus, protein must be present in the daily menu of pregnant women:

• Quail and chicken eggs. You should avoid eating raw eggs.
• Dairy products - milk, kefir, natural yogurt, cottage cheese, low-fat sour cream.
• Grain products, cereals, wholemeal bread.
• Sea fish - salmon, sardines, anchovy, hake, scallops. Canned food should be avoided.
• Lean chicken or turkey meat, fish, beef.

The effect of protein on the body of a pregnant woman:

• ensures normal fetal development;
• plays a transport role in the transfer of nutrients, calcium and iron;
• strengthens the immune system (protein products are the main antibodies against viruses and bacteria);
• ensure optimal functioning of the coagulation and anticoagulation systems,
• prepares the mother's body for breastfeeding,
• responsible for lactation processes,
• strengthens the mammary glands, uterus and placenta, preparing the body for childbirth,
• contribute to the regulation of hematopoietic function, protects the mother’s body from anemia.
• has a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora,
• improves blood supply to the fetus.

If the expectant mother eats for two, this contributes to the gain of fat mass, which negatively affects childbirth and can even affect the health of the child.

Vegetarianism and protein

Each person makes his own choice about how and what to eat. Vegetarianism has been gaining popularity in recent years. Increasingly, due to moral and ethical convictions, people refuse meat, or animal food in general.

If we talk about health, vegetarianism over the years leads to a sharp deficiency of many vitamins and microelements . First of all, this applies to vegans who completely refuse animal food.

They need to plan their diet very carefully to provide themselves with the necessary amount of essential amino acids. With the right approach, you can replace animal protein with plant protein.

For example, cereals contain little of the amino acid lysine and a lot of the amino acid methionine. Beans, on the contrary, are high in lysine and low in methionine. So consume both regularly. Although not necessarily in one meal.

You are recommended to eat a variety of plant foods: cereals, legumes (beans, lentils, peas and chickpeas), nuts, seeds, broccoli, etc.

Read more: Vegetarianism. How to stay healthy? Advice from professionals

When is a protein-free diet prescribed?

Hello, dear readers!
If you decide to lose weight, then it's time to go on a carbohydrate-free diet. As for protein-free, it is prescribed by a doctor, rather not for weight loss, but to restore kidney function, remove waste products and cleanse the body of toxins. Therefore, if your kidney function is impaired, then a protein-free diet is indicated for you. In fact, you can lose weight by following a protein-free diet, but only because your diet will be low in calories. But doing physical exercise and not consuming protein means ruining your body. Since muscle fibers, cells are formed precisely thanks to this component.

Today, there is debate about whether a protein-free diet is beneficial or harmful. After all, this is a diet when the body is denied protein. It turns out that the nutrition prescribed by a protein-free diet can become life-threatening.

Protein diet for weight loss

Such diets are popular and have already proven their effectiveness.

Many weight loss diets are based on the principles of protein nutrition. For example, the Dukan , the Kremlin diet , etc.

Among the advantages of such diets are:

• rapid weight loss;
• losing weight without hunger, you are always full;
• no need to count calories and limit portions.

At the same time, there are also disadvantages:

• Excess protein in the diet increases the load on all organs and systems of the body, which can lead to serious consequences.

Tips for use

To lose weight with protein foods, you need to know how to use them correctly. A few useful tips will allow you to reduce your weight by an impressive amount.

1. Meat protein products are best consumed boiled. To diversify the diet, stewing, baking and steaming are allowed.
2. During the diet, in addition to protein foods, the body must receive fiber in order to burn excess fat as quickly as possible and ensure the proper functioning of organs. Therefore, you definitely need to eat greens, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, cereals, and whole grain bread.
3. Many people ask what protein foods can be eaten at night: an hour before bedtime, you are allowed to drink a glass of low-fat kefir or natural yogurt. Everything else is prohibited.
4. Sweet dairy products (yogurt, curds with fillings), mayonnaise, sauces and other protein substitutes are harmful to health and do not contribute to weight loss.
5. In one meal, the body can absorb only 30 grams of protein, no matter how many eggs, for example, you eat. The daily norm for men is about 2 grams of protein per 1 kilogram of weight, for women - only 1 gram.
6. To improve the absorption of proteins by the body, you can introduce the principles of fractional nutrition into practice. According to them, food is taken up to 6 times a day in small portions.
7. Dinner must be no later than 19.00.
8. If you go in for sports while losing weight on protein products, you will not only reduce your waist size, but will make your butt firmer and your chest firmer, since protein is an excellent building material for muscle tissue with sufficient physical activity.

As for specifically each protein product that can promote weight loss, the features of their use as part of the diet are conveniently collected in the following table:

Now you know what protein foods include, and what products you need for quick, and most importantly, healthy weight loss.

It is also important to remember that such diets are still a serious shock to the body. Therefore, firstly, they should last two or four weeks, but no more. Secondly, it is recommended to use such a figure correction system no more than once every six months, and even less often in case of health problems.

How to make up for protein deficiency

If protein deficiency was not caused by nutritional factors, then primary attention should be directed to the cause leading to their difficult breakdown and absorption. It is the elimination of this etiological factor that will provide the body with a sufficient amount of proteins - otherwise, everything eaten simply will not be absorbed.

As a rule, the leading role is occupied by hypochlorhydria - a decrease in the secretion of hydrochloric acid by the parietal cells of the stomach. If its cause is a violation of the folate cycle, it is worth starting to work with it, taking a course of active forms of vitamins involved in its mechanisms:

• methylfolate;
• methylcobalamin;
• riboflavin 5-phosphate;
• pyridoxal 5-phosphate.

Provided there is no damage to the gastric mucosa, you can also consider the use of dietary supplements that stimulate the secretion of hydrochloric acid:

1. Betaine-pepsin.
2. Iodine, chlorine and zinc.

In addition, exposure to stress factors that lead to vasospasm should be reduced or completely eliminated. Increase the tone of the parasympathetic system: as you know, it is the vagus nerve that controls the digestive processes. Take baths with magnesium salts, do relaxing practices like Pilates, yoga, breathing exercises.

Suitable as adaptogens for reducing cortisol levels:

:

• Rhodiola rosea;
• valerian;
• ginseng.

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Lifestyle changes play a key role in normalizing the condition of the entire body. Move more - let 10,000 steps become not something supernatural for you, but a familiar, everyday norm. Eliminate simple sugars from your diet as much as possible: especially if the cause of impaired secretion of digestive juices lies in the syndrome of excessive fungal or bacterial growth.

Go to bed early: at 11 p.m., the secretion of melatonin, an antioxidant hormone responsible for youth, beauty and actively counteracting the development of oxidative stress, begins. In addition, the release of other, no less important hormones: TSH and somatotropin is also tied to the sleep-wake cycle.

When not to follow a protein-free diet

We list the options when you cannot use a protein-free diet:

• When a woman is pregnant.
• When she breastfeeds the baby.
• For a child entering adolescence.
• In general, for children.
• To old people.

The basis of vegetarianism, which includes only plant foods, is, on the one hand, interesting, but on the other hand, only an adult can decide to eat only this way and not otherwise.