PROTEIN IS KING: 3 High Quality Protein Sources That Aren’t Meat Or Eggs

PROTEIN IS KING! In my opinion, protein is THE most important macronutrient. If there is any macronutrient you should prioritize every day, it is protein. Some people find it hard to hit their protein goal everyday so I am going to share high protein food options that DON’T include meat, fish or eggs.

SIDE NOTE: When choosing any food at the grocery store, make quality your priority. Don’t fall for the “no fat”, “keto” or any other marketing labels. Calories shouldn’t be your number one concern. It should be the quality of the food. If you’re eating REAL food, you’ll be fuller longer & you won’t be overeating like you think. If anything, stay on the outside perimeter of the grocery store. That’s usually where the real food is.

Personally, I’m a meat, egg and fish eater. They are ELITE sources of protein. They contain a full amino acid profile and nothing truly compares to their nutrient density. Not all protein is created equal. I build my meals around a high-quality animal protein source and some of my go-to’s are ground beef, chicken, steak, seafood: tuna, salmon and shrimp and the occasional Bison. But sometimes, I’m just not in the mood for those. Especially Breakfast. I like to consume something that is easier on my digestive system. So instead of forcing meat down to hit my protein goal, here are my top 3 protein sources that I love and incorporate weekly.

GREEK YOGURT. So creaammyyy. Go for the ones that are unsweetened, contain no artificial flavors and no seed oils. So as good as the key lime pie flavor sounds, trade it in for the plain kinds and you can add real fruit to it to achieve your desired flavor. Turn the container around and read the ingredients, you’ll be surprised at what you see. And make sure it has good fermented live cultures as those probiotics support the good gut bacteria. Some of those include: Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei. My go-to Greek yogurt brand is Fage and I get the 0% one. What I love about Greek yogurt is that it can be manipulated to go with different style dishes. For example: It can replace sour cream, it can be added to marinara sauce to achieve more of a creamy texture and it can be used to feed that dessert craving. Just top it with some berries, cinnamon and even mix in some cacao powder to make it more of a chocolate flavor. The possibilities are endless!

For a high protein breakfast idea using Greek yogurt, read my blog on how I make overnight protein oats. It’s a staple!

I understand that some of you don’t eat dairy. There are nut based yogurts that provide a decent source of protein too. The only thing with nut-based yogurts is to achieve the same amount of protein as a dairy source, it will come with a lot more fat and a lot higher calories per serving. And it does not have the same amino acid profile. So- depending on your lifestyle, nut-based yogurts could be an alternative. My favorite non-dairy nut yogurts are: Lavva and Kite Hill. And again, make sure there are no added sugars, artificial sweeteners or seed oils. Those can disrupt the gut and leave you feeling bloated and lethargic. FUN FACT: Your overall health is determined by your gut health. You can either feed those illnesses or prevent them just by what you are eating. So- think quality as the priority when choosing foods at the grocery store.

• Fage 0% provides 18g of protein in ¾ of a cup for 90 calories
• Kite Hill yogurt (unsweet almond milk) provides only 4g of protein in the same ¾ cup serving for 140 calories

BONE BROTH. Life hack alert!!! I don’t think many people truly know all the amazing benefits bone broth has to offer. A couple servings provides 20g+ of protein and you don’t even have to chew! Some of those benefits include:

• Supports gut health: Chicken bone broth contains amino acids like glycine and glutamine that help keep your gut working properly, which aids in digestion and keeps your immune system in check.
• Contains collagen: Think hair skin & nails.
• Literally 10-12g of protein per serving
• Fits any lifestyle: Low carb, keto friendly, low calorie
• Great to use for breaking fasts!

The holy grail of bone broths and the only one I will buy is Kettle & Fire. I love them so much that I actually work with them and they gave me a special 20% OFF discount code for you all to use! And trust me, you want to use the discount code as this bone broth is pricey because the quality is second to none. You get what you pay for people! And can we really put a price tag on our health?

CLICK HERE: Kettle & Fire & Use my code: GIONNAHEALTH for 20% off

I incorporate bone broths weekly and most of the time I literally pour it in a coffee mug, heat it up and drink it just like that. But if you want to get creative, you can use it as a base for soup or any other recipes that call for a broth. Bone broth is a non-negotiable for me.

Kettle & Fire provides 10-12g of protein per serving at only 45 calories.

COTTAGE CHEESE. Cottage cheese is having a comeback! I tried it for the first time a few months ago. Yea, don’t judge me! It was never something I ate growing up. And like Greek yogurt, it can work well as a savory dip or sweetened up with some fruit. Cottage cheese is also an excellent source of calcium, a mineral that plays a major role in tooth and bone health. And like Greek yogurt, you want to choose a brand that contains fermented or live cultures (probiotics). On the flip side, the sodium content is a bit higher so if that’s a concern, keep track of that. The brand I recently discovered is called Good Culture. And as I mentioned earlier, check the ingredients to be sure it contains the good stuff and doesn’t contain all the added crap you don’t want to consume. I found that adding fruit on top cuts some of the bitterness and it’s how I enjoy it most. You can also use it as a dip or spread it on a cracker. You can even mix it in with your eggs to make them fluffier than ever. The fun part is getting creative and coming up with your own recipes.

Cottage cheese contains 19g of protein per 1 cup and 120 calories.

There you have it! My top 3 non meat, fish, egg protein sources that will help you hit your protein goals. My first choice is usually meat, fish or eggs but in case you’re not feeling those things, these are great options as well! If you happen to try any of those I shared above, Tag me on Instagram @gionnahealth – I’d love to see what you guys come up with!

XO -G