Following a high-protein diet puts you at risk of overconsumption of saturated fats, which can lead to heart disease and other chronic conditions. A high-protein diet can be an effective weight loss tool, as studies show it helps squelch hunger and revs your metabolism. A 2005 and 2008 research study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that participants who eat more protein while dieting report feeling full longer with fewer calories. Selecting foods high in protein, but low in carbohydrates and fat, combines the positive weight loss effects of a high-protein diet with smart nutrition.
Meats
Meat is an obvious high-protein food source, but a lot of meats are high in saturated fat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Guide Pyramid and the American Heart Association both recommend that no more than 10 percent of your total fat calories come from saturated fat. Bacon, processed ham and hot dogs, fatty ground beef, steaks and dark meat poultry all contain significant amounts of this fat. To avoid too much saturated fat, simply select leaner cuts of red meat such as the tenderloin, flank steak, 99 percent lean ground beef and most cuts of bison. Seek out red meat alternatives like skinless chicken breasts or use lean ground turkey.
Fish
Fish is usually lower in fat than red meat and poultry. White fishes like tilapia and cod provide a lot of protein with no carbohydrates and little fat. Shrimp, crab and lobster are another low-fat and low-carb source of protein. Shrimp, for example, contains a whopping 18g of protein in 3 oz. with no carbohydrates and 1g of fat. Remember to prepare your lean fish and meats with only a bit of unsaturated fat like olive or canola oil, rather than butter, which contains mostly saturated fat.
Vegetarian Sources
Soy is the only complete vegetable protein and provides an alternative to all the meat consumed in high-protein diets. Use tofu as a meat substitute in stir fries or blend silken tofu into smoothies. A typical 3-oz. serving of tofu contains only 2g of carbohydrates and 2g of fat but provides 6g of protein.
Other Options
Most of the fat in an egg resides in the yolk, but the white has very little fat and contains most of the protein. One egg white has only 17 calories and less than 1g of carbs, no fat and 4g of protein.
Whey is another low-carb, low-fat, high-protein food source. Whey protein results from the water left from boiled milk that is then filtered and made into a powder. Mix flavored whey protein into water or milk for a quick snack. Natural flavored protein powder may be stirred into soups. Most protein powders contain only 80 to 100 calories per serving with 18 to20 g of protein and only 1 to 2g of carbohydrates. Read your labels, however, as some manufacturers add extra carbohydrates or sweeteners to their powders.
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