You have to watch your protein intake because protein contains calories, which can interfere with weight management. Some protein foods also are high in fat, so serving sizes play an important role in limiting weight gain. Protein provides you with energy needs and repairs and maintains cells throughout your body. Well-balanced meals with adequate protein help you maintain a healthy weight. Adding regular physical activity burns calories and can help you lose weight.
Variety of Sources
Protein comes from a variety of sources. Meat, poultry, fish and dairy products are major sources of protein, but they contain saturated fat, which can promote weight gain. You can reduce the fat content by choosing low-fat varieties. Trim all visible fat from meats and remove skin from chicken or turkey. Fish has less saturated fat than meat or poultry do. A 6-ounce porterhouse steak has four times as much saturated fat as the same amount of salmon, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
Meat, Poultry, Fish
The recommended serving sizes for meat, poultry or fish are generally the same, about 3 ounces of the cooked items, according to MedlinePlus. Many varieties of fish, however, contain less fat. You may choose a slightly higher amount of fish, depending on your weight management needs. Salmon, tuna, mackerel and herring also contain omega-3 fatty acids, which may help reverse damage from cholesterol buildup in your bloodstream.
Dairy and Protein Shakes
Dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheese, contain saturated fat. Choosing skim milk, low-fat milk or low-fat yogurt, cheese and other dairy products helps reduce your fat intake. Standard serving sizes for milk and yogurt are 1 cup or the size of a standard yogurt container. A serving size for cheese is 1 ounce or 1 tablespoon for cream cheese. Eggs have low-saturated fat content, but contain high amounts of dietary cholesterol. MedlinePlus recommends eating no more than four eggs per week. Protein shakes have been used in place of certain meals for weight loss, but protein shakes also contain calories and you miss out on the nutrients from other foods when concentrating on the drinks.
Beans, Nuts, Seeds
You also can get protein from beans, nuts and seeds. A recommended serving size of 1/2 cup dried beans makes a healthy replacement for meat once in awhile. Other sources of protein include split peas, black beans, kidney beans and pinto beans as well as almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, walnuts and sunflower seeds. A handful of nuts, about 1.5 ounces, provides you with protein, vitamins and minerals. Nuts are cholesterol-free and have no sodium unless salt is added. A healthy serving size for peanut butter, also rich in protein, is 2 tablespoons.
References
- Harvard School of Public Health: Protein: Moving Closer to Center Stage
- MedlinePlus: Protein in Diet
- MayoClinic.com; Protein Shakes: Good for Weight Loss?; Katherine Zeratsky; 2010
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Serving Sizes: Approximations to Common Items
- University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County; Nuts for Nutrition; Alice Henneman; March 2004
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