Sources Of Protein Other Than Red Meat

Protein is found in every cell and organ in your body. It plays an important role in the growth, repair and maintenance of muscles and body tissue. According to the Center for Disease Control, approximately 10 to 30 percent of your daily calories should come from protein. If you want to avoid red meat, there are a variety of healthy, nutritious foods that will fulfill your protein needs.

Dairy

Dairy products are high in protein. Skim milk and two percent milk have 8 g of protein in every 8 oz. serving. Drink milk or use it in cooking or serve whole-grain breakfast cereal to add protein to your diet. Low-fat cottage cheese has 14 g of protein per 1/2 cup, and 1 cup of flavored yogurt has 8 g of protein. According to the University of Arizona, a single egg has 6 g of protein and hard cheeses such as colby and cheddar and soft cheeses such as mozzarella each contain 7 g of protein in every 1 oz. serving. A two egg omelet with 1 oz. of hard cheese contains approximately 20 g of protein.

Legumes

A healthy way to add protein to your diet is to increase your intake of legumes. Beans such as kidney, black, pinto and lima contain between 10 g and 15 g of protein in every 1 cup serving, according to the Vegetarian Resource Group. Add beans to soups, salads or stews to boost their protein content. Soybeans are high in protein, containing 29 g of protein per every 8 oz. serving. Lentils have 18 g of protein per 1 cup serving and chickpeas has 12 g of protein in every cup. Black-eyed peas and other peas have over 9 g of protein in each 8 oz. serving. Use lentils, peas and black-eyed peas in soup stews or serve in salads.

Seafood and Poultry

Eating more fish, chicken and turkey adds extra protein to your diet. A 3 oz. serving of skinless chicken or turkey breast has 26 g of protein, according to the University of Arizona. Use chicken or turkey on sandwiches or in salads for lunch or dinner. Cod or salmon contain 17 g to 19 g of protein in every 3 oz. serving, while a 6-1/2 oz. of canned tuna, in water, has 30 g of protein. Add tuna to salads or eat on whole grain crackers as a snack. Tuna salad sandwiches made with whole-grain bread are ideal for lunches or late-night snacks.

Nuts and Grains

Eating nuts and whole-grain foods provide another source of protein in your diet. White and brown rice have 5 g of protein in every 1 cup serving. Prepare rice as a side dish for chicken or fish or add beans to rice to create high-protein meals. Pasta contains 3 g of protein in a 1/2 cup serving. Mix pasta with legumes, chicken or vegetables for a healthy, protein-rich dish, according to the Vegetarian Resource Group. Almonds and cashews contain more than 5 g of protein in every 1/4 cup serving. Sprinkle nuts over salads or eat them as a protein-rich snack.