Bodybuilders and athletes are probably the most well-acquainted with protein, but they’re not the only people who need to consume it. Protein is one of the most vital nutrients in the human diet.
Protein is what builds up our cells and tissues and helps them repair themselves. It’s essentially the building block that helps humans become shaped like humans, and we need a good amount of it to stay strong and healthy.
Protein can be obtained from a number of dietary sources. It can be obtained sparingly in vegetables, found in reasonable amounts in grains, beans, and legumes, and can be found in significant quantities in dairy and meat products, as well as in eggs. Since animal foods are the best ways to get protein, it makes sense that many bodybuilders have diets that contain significant portions of animal foods on a regular basis.
Watching your protein intake
It is possible to eat too much protein – a fact that a lot of bodybuilders tend to overlook. The daily recommended intake of protein is about 55g for men, and 50g for women. Obviously that number is going to fluctuate a bit based on age and activity levels, and will increase if you’re a bodybuilder.
However, consuming an excess of protein can lead to an increased risk of developing health problems like osteoporosis. The type of protein you’re consuming plays a huge part, too – you want to make sure that you’re consuming high quality, lean protein.
The best meat sources of protein
What kinds of animal foods are the best at providing protein? An egg isn’t going to give you the same amount of protein as a steak. Some meats are more protein-dense than others, and if you’re looking to cater your diet around meat as your main protein source, then you’re probably going to want to know which meats have the highest amounts of protein.
While there are differences in the quality of proteins found in different sources, for the omstart, you don’t need to worry about that with meat. Meat contains whole proteins, with all the necessary amino acids that are needed to synthesize a complete nutrient. These meats have the highest concentrations of protein.
As far as fish goes, cod is the cream of the crop in terms of protein with a whopping 63 grams of protein per 100g. This comes in at only 290 calories, too. Cod also contains the full RDA of magnesium per serving, which is a great nutrient for helping ensure proper blood flow throughout the body.
Good blood circulation is necessary to bring oxygen to and from your muscles. Without this, you’ll get exhausted faster and you won’t be able to see the gains that you would with a healthy circulatory system.
Cod’s a bit high in sodium, which isn’t great for people who are trying to watch their salt intake. However, people who enjoy seafood can’t really hold it against the fish for being salty.
If you eat cod with broccoli, research has shown that the nutrients in cod, mainly selenium, work together with the antioxidants in broccoli to be up to 13 times more powerful at fighting cancer.
Lamb and beef
Other types of fish are in a similar league as far as cod for protein content, but we’re going to list other animal sources to give you the most complete assessment of protein-rich meats.
While they have totally different flavours and come from different animals, lamb and beef are matched for protein content, providing 36 grams of protein per 100g.
A serving of beef will give you your RDA for zinc, a nutrient necessary for the production of testosterone which is necessary for someone to build strong, healthy muscles. Zinc also helps with muscle repair and also contains a natural source of creatine which helps to boost strength.
A serving of lamb chops will give you your RDA of niacin and vitamin B12, both of which are necessary to produce energy from carbohydrates. These nutrients will help you make better use of the meals that you eat, and the high protein content will keep your muscles growing strong and sturdy.
Chicken and boneless pork tenderloin
Chicken and pork tenderloins are pretty much matched for protein, with chicken providing 33g per 100g and pork coming in close with 32g.
A couple words about the name boneless pork tenderloin are indicative of the fact that it’s a great protein source.
- Boneless. Obviously, you’re not going to benefit much from eating the bones in a cut of meat. That goes without saying. However, getting boneless meat cuts makes it easier for you to confirm the amount of protein you’re getting, especially when purchasing meats, because you don’t have to try and calculate the weight of the bones out of your final protein count.
- Loin. The word lion is pretty much synonymous with the word lean, and lean is what you want when you’re getting meat for the protein.
As for chicken, well, chicken is just lean – particularly the white part. It also keeps you stocked up on omega-3 fatty acids which helps to promote lean muscle growth and fat loss. (Yes, fatty acids can help promote fat loss – but that’s another article.)
There are a lot of different animal sources of protein. Your best bet is going to be various forms of fish – fish are literally just scaly muscles with fins and faces. Cod is your best bet for fish, and next up is your mammalian protein, coming in at about half the protein content. Lamb, beef, and chicken are great for those who don’t want to chomp down on seafood.