Sources of Protein
The following are the best sources of protein for muscle building and fat loss. These proteins are based on animal and plant-based sources:
- Whey Protein
- Eggs White
- Lean Meat
- Chicken Breast
- Plain Greek Yogurt
- White-Fleshed Fish
- Low-fat Cottage Cheese
- Low-fat Tofu
- Beans
- Peptide
- Peanut Butter
- Almond Milk
- Turkey
Whey Protein
Whey protein is the number one choice for muscle-building, its absorption rate is very high compared to other sources of protein. Whey protein is made of milk whey, in milk two-ingredient casein, and whey, so whey protein takes essential 9 amino acids which are required for lean muscle building.
According to the NCBI research (1), whey protein is an essential amino acid required to build muscles.
The question is how much protein is required to build muscles?
It depends on person-to-person BMI. According to WebMD 2.4 g/kg per day is a high-calorie formula.
After the workout, you have required quick recovery to maintain and growth of the muscles, if you don’t take protein quickly, you may feel sourness in your muscles.
People ask which mass gainer or protein powder they should buy, the best protein powder contains essential amino acid and isolate. So buy only those that contain these essential amino acids.
Eggs White
Boiled eggs white or egg white is the second-best source of protein for muscle building and weight loss. An average single egg contains 6-7 grams of protein.
It is recommended to use a boiled egg or fried egg instead of a raw egg white.
There are 5 types of eggs:
Small egg: It contains around 4.9 grams of protein.
Medium egg: This egg has a 5.7-gram protein.
Large: Large egg contains 6.5g protein.
Extra-large egg: The extra-large egg has 7.3 grams of protein.
Jumbo: Jumbo-sized egg contains 8.2g of protein.
Eggs are low in calories and high in protein. You can use egg yolk because it has low protein as compared to egg white.
A recent study (2) showed using eggs in breakfast is a healthy and protein-rich diet instead of bread or other breakfast.
Lean Meat
Another source of protein is lean meat. You can get meat from chicken, turkey, or beef, but lean should be without fat. Lean meat is mostly white and fat-free.
When we talk about lean beef, it should be 90% lean or ground beef meat. But simple meat has extra fat which isn’t a lean source of protein.
Chicken Breast
Chicken breast nutrition is one of the best sources of protein. It can be a 60% protein source if it’s lean.
Chicken breasts can be used for muscle building, weight loss, and muscle maintenance.
There are different parts of a chicken, like thighs, wings, and chicken breasts. Chicken breast is one of the great sources of protein.
The 100 grams of chicken contains almost 34 grams of protein. Chicken breast is most popular and well-known among bodybuilders, they use it for muscle growth and during the period of fat loss.
When should you take a chicken breast and chicken drumstick? It totally depends on your goal, If you want weight loss, then definitely you should go with chicken breast, on the other hand, if you want to gain muscle, you can use a whole chicken, but again it depends on your whole nutrition and other sources of calories.
According to a study by Harvard University (3), chicken breast is the best source of protein for muscle building.
Plain Greek Yogurt
Yogurt is another good source of protein. Yogurt plays a vital role in your digestion system. Plain Greek yogurt provides you protein which is easily absorbable in your body.
A plain Greek yogurt provides you 15-20 grams of protein from 170 grams of yogurt. On the other hand, simple yogurt provides you 9 grams of protein from 170 grams of yogurt study showed it (4).
White-Fleshed Fish
Most white-fleshed fish is a great source of lean protein, 100 grams of fish contain 20-25 grams of protein, around 3 grams of fat, and 86-130 calories in total.
There are different types of fish that provide protein, but white-fleshed fish provide more protein if we compare them to“““ other fish types.
If you are looking for lean fish-based protein, then these will be great sources like cod, haddock, pollock, flounder, tilapia, and halibut.