Including sufficient amounts of protein-rich foods in a diet is essential for sustaining health and vitality. Your body relies on protein to maintain healthy bones and tissue and it contributes to important processes in the body. Most people need approximately 50 to 175 g of protein each day from food. MayoClinic.com recommends emphasizing protein from plant sources and choosing lean cuts of meat, poultry and fish for supplemental protein to promote overall health.
Legumes
Plant foods such as legumes, including red beans, lentils and soy, provide some of the healthiest forms of protein, according to MayoClinic.com. Eat more legumes to avoid fat and cholesterol in your diet; substitute beans for meat to follow more of a vegetarian diet. Kidney beans are one of the best sources of protein. One cup of kidney beans nourishes your body with 15.3 g of protein, which is "30.7 percent of the daily value for protein," according to The World's Healthiest Foods. Combined kidney beans and brown rice makes a perfect form of protein and also offers a nutritious source of fiber, adds the health food site. Get plenty of protein from other legumes and food made with legumes, such as lentils at 9 g per serving; hummus at 6 g per 1/3 cup; or soy-based products -- tofu at 9 g per serving or soy milk at 6 g per cup, according to the Center for Young Women's Health.
Meat, Poultry and Fish
Choose lean poultry, beef and fish to help make up recommended daily percentages of healthy protein. MayoClinic.com recommends eating seafood a couple of times a week to also get the added benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. Including meat such as beef in your diet will provide you with essential amino acids that are difficult to find in other foods, says Shelley Johnson for the Ironman triathlon training website. Consume 21 g of protein from a 3 oz. hamburger; 21 g of protein from 3 oz. of chicken; 22 g of protein from 3 oz. of tuna; and 18 g of protein from 3 oz. of shrimp, according to the Center for Young Women's Health.
Dairy and Eggs
Egg and dairy products are also good sources of protein. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute site suggests healthy ways to combine egg and dairy products with other kinds of foods for whole protein nutrition. Depending on its size, one egg provides about 7 g of protein. The amount of protein found in dairy products varies. One cup of yogurt provides 11 g of protein; 1 cup of cow's milk provides 8 g of protein; and 1 oz. of cheese provides 7 g of protein, according to the Center for Young Women's Health. Eating low-fat dairy products will help you to reduce fat in your diet. MayoClinic.com recommends limiting intake of daily fat to "20 to 35 percent of your daily calories."
Nuts
Including nuts in your diet is also a nutritious way to get concentrated amounts of protein, according to MayoClinic.com . For instance, 2 tbsp. of peanut butter provides 8 g of protein. Add different types of nuts and spreads made from nuts, such as almond butter, to your meals. Nuts are also a healthier snack food alternative.
Protein Supplements
Protein bars, shakes and powders can't replace the whole protein derived from food. Don't count on protein supplements to enhance muscle-building either, according to the Center for Young Women's Health. Muscles need real nourishment and calories to develop. Ingesting too much protein can cause health problems, adds the women's health site.
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