Fat blaster extreme plus mega max ultimate shred protein xxl… We can often get bombarded by fancy fat burning protein supplements which promise the world but are really just a concoction of artificial synthetic chemicals that we may be better off avoiding. We need to go beyond all the hype and marketing jargon, and look at why protein is so important to weight loss and which are the healthiest sources.

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Protein works like the fuel in the car on the weight loss journey. High protein foods kick start your digestion and metabolism which in turn means the burning of calories. This is why most weight loss plan begin with an analysis of your current diet and often recommend an increase of high protein foods such as chicken or lean red meat.

As FYI, the RDI of protein for women is approximately 46g however this can increase to up to 100g depending on activity levels and size. A good guide is to aim to eat in grams what you weigh in kilograms so for example if you weigh 55kg aim to eat approximately 55g of protein daily. It is important to remember this is the actual protein amount and not just the size of the protein source, 150g of chicken does not contain 150g of protein for example.( for a ready reckoner check out my protein handouts

So what are the best nutritious sources of protein?

Seafood (Salmon, Tuna etc).

Seafood is a great source of protein. Oily fish such as salmon is particularly beneficial due to its Omega 3 oil content .

Chicken/Turkey

Chicken and turkey area great sources of lean protein and B vitamins.

Red meat

Another great source of protein and loaded with iron and zinc. Choose grass fed over grain fed to reduce the pro inflammatory intake of omega 6 fatty acids.

Almonds

Almonds not only have high protein content but also have fibre, vitamin E and manganese (anti-oxidants). 30g of almonds have 6g of protein.

Dairy

Cheese and milk in addition with protein comes with the added benefits of calcium.

Eggs

Eggs are high in protein, vitamins A,E, K, B12 and folic acid.

Beans and pulses

For example lentils and chickpeas, are great sources of protein as well as iron and fibre.

What about the protein powders?

With these great, natural sources of protein available, I tend to veer away from highly processed protein supplements with artificial flavours and additives, natural sources are always a better option. There are some good natural vegan protein powders available however that are less processed which can be an easy and reliable source when an extra protein boost is needed.

What to look for:

– Minimal processing and additives (such as sugar and artificial flavours)
– Clean source of the protein, not a blended mix of trade names
– Tested for toxic heavy metal safety and gentle extraction processes.
– Organic where possible

Now back to that name…

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