Snack on Savings! Save 20% on Subscriptions!

The best ways to add protein to your diet

You may have heard that eating more protein is good for you. But what exactly does eating protein do for your body and how can you incorporate more protein into your daily diet? 

Why eat protein?

Protein is important because it helps with weight loss, muscle growth, boosted metabolism, and lower blood pressure. 

It also keeps you full and satisfied — one study showed that overweight women who increased their protein intake from 15% to 30% of their daily calories ultimately ate 441 fewer calories.

If your health goal is weight loss, then eating more protein is an excellent way to be in a caloric deficit without restricting yourself from delicious foods. 

What foods are high in protein? 

The following foods are good sources of high protein:

  • Greek yogurt
  • Eggs
  • Lean beef
  • Fish (all types)
  • Quinoa
  • Lentils
  • Turkey breast
  • Chicken breast
  • Milk
  • Peanuts
  • Cheese
  • Chickpeas
  • Edamame beans
  • White beans
youtopia snacks on a plate of high protein peanut butter jelly sandwich

What foods are high in protein and low in calories? 

If you're looking specifically for high-protein, low-calorie foods, here are some choices: 

  • Greek yogurt (look for plain, non-fat versions) 
  • White fish like tilapia, halibut, and cod (fish like salmon are fattier but have healthy omega-3s, so they're still important to eat as part of a well-rounded diet).
  • Lentils, beans, and peas (plus they're high in fiber!) 
  • White meat from chicken and turkey (this means breasts, tenders, and wings) 
  • Lean beef (90% lean is recommended)

Here are some easy high-protein, low-calorie recipes for Weight Watchers when you're ready to get started. 

What are the best high-protein, low-calorie snacks?

When it comes to our personal favorite time of the day, snack time, you can make your own snacks from the above list of foods, including:

  • Yogurt with fruit and natural peanut butter
  • Roasted chickpeas or edamame beans
  • Turkey-string cheese rollups 
  • Black bean dip with corn-free tortilla chips 
youtopia snacks high protein low calorie snacks propped up in front of a picnic basket

 

If you're low on time and need to grab something on the go, then Youtopia Snacks are an easy way to add more protein to your day. 

The Espresso Obsesso and Bananas for Chocolate flavors each have 8 grams of protein per bag, while the So Money Honey Mustard packs in 9 grams of protein per bag! 

Shop high-protein Youtopia Snacks here