What High Protein Foods Are Healthy and Help to Lose Weight?

Foods rich in protein help you lose weight. How? Very simple. Protein builds muscle, and muscle in turn burns fat. You probably have heard that many times from personal trainers and if you haven’t, now you know.

If you want to lose weight it is very important to eat diet high in protein along with fruits and vegetables. Don’t forget about complex carbohydrates either. Do not eat simple carbs like pizza, white pasta and white sugar. Instead nourish your body with complex carbohydrates like brown rice, sprouted bread and fruits.

So what are high protein foods that help you lose weight? There are two major sources of protein: animal and vegetable based. The name says it all. The first one, animal based protein, is sourced from animals. For example: cottage cheese, ground turkey, deli meat, whey protein powder, cheese, butter etc. Vegetable sources of protein consist of quinoa, soy milk, brown rice protein powder, tofu etc.

Not all protein sources are created equal and are good for you or help you lose weight. You have to know what sources of protein are essential for weight loss and more importantly when you should consume them.

Do you work out on a regular basis with a goal to lose weight? If so, did you know that in order to build muscle, you have to consume foods rich in protein and complex carbohydrates within 20-60 minutes after you finished the workout? If you do it later, you have missed a window of opportunity! Your body needs protein right after the workout and if you do not supply extra protein within that time frame it will use the protein within your body – your muscle.

Animal sources of protein are great for you. Make sure to look for lean proteins though like extra lean ground turkey. You could buy extra lean ground beef but did you know that beef contains 75 calories and 8 g of fat more than turkey as it is in a case of 4 oz burger comparison?! Also make sure you buy organic and/or all natural meats and other sources of protein. Why? Because they contain less additives, pesticides, hormones and preservatives which in turn affect your weight loss and overall health. Look for low carb recipes made with real food when cooking.

What vegetable sources of protein are good for weight loss? The best one is quinoa and brown rice protein powder. That’s on my list. You have to be really careful with soy products as 85% of soy in North America is genetically modified and it is high in estrogen. So is tofu good for weight loss? Only organic and in limited amounts.