Do you ever eat a meal and feel hungry not too long afterwards? Especially you women who like to eat a salad for lunch? Don’t get me wrong, I like salads, but they have to be done right for them to stick with me!
There are several reasons for food not to satiate very long, and one of those is Protein. It is so important to have protein with every meal and snack. If that salad is loaded with lovely greens, veggies and a little dressing, it will taste great, but might not stick with you very long.
So when you are making your next meal or snack, think about the components and make sure there is a protein source. For example, if you are eating your morning oats and you’ve only added berries and a little sweetener, boost it with some nuts, seeds, and a dollop of yogurt. Play with toppings, just be sure some of them are protein sources. For that lunch salad, add some meat, beans, nuts or seeds. Dinners tend to be the place most people don’t miss out on a protein source. But get creative. Next time you are going to make a pasta dish, grab lentil noodles or chickpea noodles. This is budget savvy, too. You can have your noodles with a lovely sauce, get lots of protein and fiber, and skip the expense of a meat source!
The list below contains some ideas for clean protein sources. Add them to your meals and snacks and see how you start feeling each day. Notice if your hunger cues change, how long you stay satiated, and have fun add new things together!
CLEAN PROTEIN SOURCES
ANIMAL BASED – pasture raised or organic is preferred
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Bison
- Grass-fed beef
- Elk
- Pork
- Eggs
- Cheese – cow, sheep or goat
- Yogurt – plain
FISH AND SEAFOOD
- Canned fish (sardines, tuna or wild salmon, look for BPA free cans if possible)
- Shellfish such as shrimp or scallops
- Fish such as salmon; or non-fatty white meat fish such as carp, cod, haddock or trout or tilapia
PLANT BASED
- Seeds – Hemp, Chia, Sunflower, Pumpkin, Flax, Sesame
- Raw nuts
- Avocado
- Tofu, tempeh
- Beans, Legumes
