Good Protein Food Sources That Boost Metabolism

Foods that have a high protein content can help improve your present metabolic rate so that you will burn calories more efficiently. If your metabolism is out of shape because of neglect or poor eating habits, you can begin consuming excellent sources of high-protein foods to remedy the issue. There are plenty of high-protein food sources to choose from, so you can easily diversify your protein intake.

Why Proteins are Good for You

• Foods with high protein content have important amino acids that your body needs for healthy growth; protein affects the growth of your organs, skin, hair, nails and muscles. Getting the right amount of protein can improve your general health, but an absence of necessary proteins or an excess of proteins can have adverse effects on your body. When you eat too many proteins, you can accumulate ketones in your system, thereby forcing your liver and kidneys to work overtime to filter your system.

  You will want to integrate at least one high-protein food source into every meal of the day as well as all the snacks you consume. By integrating a good protein source into every meal, you will be able to meet the demands of your body, and your energy levels will improve vastly. In addition, because it takes far more calories to digest high-protein foods, you will be using 25 percent more energy just to burn up the foods you consume.

How Much to Consume

• According to the Board of Food and Nutrition from the Institute of Medicine, a child should have a protein intake that is equivalent to 5 percent to 30 percent of their total caloric intake. Adults should have 35 percent of their caloric intake consisting of proteins. Proteins can be derived from a variety of natural foods, and some athletes opt for protein supplements for additional energy when strength training. You will need to determine your necessary caloric intake in order to determine the number of grams of protein you require.

  Use a calorie calculator to find out the appropriate caloric intake for someone your age, height and weight. Multiply the caloric intake by 0.35 to get the percentage of calories that you consume that should consist of proteins. Once you have your total, divide it by four because every gram of protein is equivalent to four calories. For example, if you determine that you need to consume 2,000 calories a day, 35 percent of your caloric intake equals 700 calories. The total, 700, divided by 4, equals 175 grams of protein that you should consume every day to achieve optimal health.

Beans

• Beans of all varieties are a fantastic source of protein; fava beans contain just more than eight grams of natural proteins for every cup consumed; kidney beans, either cooked or raw, have 3.67 grams of protein per cup; fresh lima beans, when raw, have 10.67 grams of protein per cup, and one cup of raw Mung beans contains 3.13 grams of protein per cup. Beans are also an excellent food source because they are low in caloric content, are vitamin enriched, are fat-free and are a great source for fiber, too. Eating at least one serving of beans a day will increase your protein consumption and will further improve your health.

Seeds and Nuts

• Want a snack that is super high in protein? Start consuming seeds and nuts instead of sweets. For example, a single cup of whole almonds has 30.4 grams of protein; one cup of whole cashews contains 20.16 grams of proteins; and one cup of chopped walnuts has more than 29 grams of protein per serving. Flaxseeds offer you 30.22 grams of protein per cup, and sunflower seeds have 32.79 grams of protein for every cup consumed. You can add nuts and seeds to a variety of foods for additional flavor and to easily increase protein values.

Meats and Other Protein Alternatives

• Of course, eggs are a popular source of protein. Eggs when either scrambled or hard boiled offer the most protein; scrambled eggs have 24.40 grams of protein per cup, and hard boiled eggs have 6.29 grams of protein per egg. Three ounces of roasted pork will supply you with 21.5 grams of protein, and fish such as haddock and carp are also loaded with protein. A single fillet of haddock has more than 36 grams of protein per serving, and a fillet of carp has more than 38 grams of necessary proteins. There are plenty of high-protein foods for you to consume in order to diversify your diet and to get all of the protein you need to boost your metabolism quickly.