8 easy ways to increase your protein intake

The worst thing about attempting to reduce your calories are those times when you feel hungry and could legit eat a horse (or an entire large Domino’s). Protein is your best friend for avoiding hunger pangs when trying to lose weight. 

Here are 8 ways to increase your protein intake

Eggs

Eggs are a really versatile way of sneaking a bit more protein into your diet. Fried, scrambled, poached, turned into an omelette or a frittata, or even hard boiled and eaten as a portable snack – eggs are a great source of protein, with a large egg containing 7.5g and 75 calories. 

Eggs are also rich in vitamins D, E, K, B6 and B12, so load up and forgo the multivitamin.

Stuck in an eggy rut? Try these recipes:

• Egg, cauliflower and potato curry
• Bacon and brie omelette wedges
• Hot and sour soup
• Foolproof Shakshuka

Tofu

You may think tofu is bland, spongy and firmly reserved for veggies and vegans, but think again. Tofu is a flavour vehicle, and it soaks up whatever you throw at it. So if you know what you’re doing, it’s a tasty, protein-rich alternative to meat. It has 118 calories and 12.5g protein per 100g, and there’s so much you can do with it.

Pro tip: buy firm tofu (Cauldron is a good brand) and press it before you cook. 

Don’t know what to do with tofu? Try one of these recipes:

• Spicy honey sesame tofu
• Simple maple dijon tofu burgers
• Hoisin-glazed tofu with stir fried brown rice
• Cajun tofu tacos
• Slow cooker tofu tikka masala

Chicken

Ah yes, where would we be without the humble chicken breast? From bodybuilders who eat 72 of them a day to your average Joe who relies on them as a quick weekday meal staple, we’ve got a lotta love for chicken breasts. And with 24g of protein for 100g (which is more or less your average chicken breast), who can blame us?

Need ideas for something different to do with chicken breasts? Try one of these recipes:

• Crunchy garlic chicken
• Pan-fried chicken with lemony roasted broccoli
• Superior chicken balti
• Spicy chicken nasi goreng
• Chicken katsu curry

Greek yoghurt

Greek yoghurt is another of those things that seems kinda boring if you’ve only ever spooned it from the tub. It’s tangy, thick and unless you sweeten it it’s probably not what you were looking for when you attacked the tub (it’s nothing like a Muller Corner. Boo).

But with a bit of thought, you can transform Greek yogurt into a delicious dessert or add it to meals for a bit of creaminess.

Buy Greek yogurt, not Greek-style for the good stuff (can’t go wrong with Fage). The classic stuff is 93 cals for 100g, with 9g of protein.

You can also get 0% varieties which contain no fat, and surprisingly Fage’s 0% variety contains more protein – 54 calories with 10.3g protein.

Wondering what to do with Greek yoghurt? Start here:

• Wholewheat Greek yoghurt pancakes
• Greek yoghurt berry medley smoothie
• Greek yoghurt lemon baked chicken
• Strawberry shortbread frozen yoghurt

Beef jerky

Beef jerky is a solid snack to have on hand as it’s fairly low in calories and can pack a hefty protein punch. There are also many different flavours available, and if you’re feeling fancy you can branch out from beef and go for salmon jerky, veggie jerky and even reindeer jerky. 

A 40g packet of Tesco beef jerky has 13.4g protein, with 114 calories.

The downside to jerky is that it’s really expensive, with one pack of Wild West beef jerky retailing for £2.99. Yikes. 

But it is possible to make your own, if you’re willing to put in the extra effort. Here’s a recipe that you can make in the oven, and one you can make with a dehydrator if you’ve got one.

Red lentils

You might have passed red lentils in the supermarket without a second thought, but these little pulses are definitely worth adding to your trolley. 

They’re brilliant at bulking up meals, and with 7.3g of protein and 93 calories in 100g (which is loads), they certainly hold their own nutritionally. 

Here are a few things you can do with red lentils:

• Curried lentil, tomato and coconut soup
• Red lentil ragu
• Spiced lentils with poached egg
• Spicy red lentil burger with peach relish
• Lentil nachos with three-cheese sauce

Salmon

Do you eat enough oily fish? The NHS recommends that we get at least one portion of oily fish a week as they’re high in a whole host of vitamins and minerals, including omega 3, which helps to keep your heart healthy.

Salmon is an oily fish that is also high in protein, so perfect for upping your protein intake while also getting the other benefits salmon brings.

For 100g (around an average salmon fillet) it’s 209 calories and 25g protein and there’s a lot you can do with salmon as the star of the show.

Add one salmon meal to your meal plan a week with these great recipes:

• Honey and mustard marinated roast salmon
• Blackened salmon tacos
• Spinach kedgeree with spiced salmon
• Vietnamese-style salmon with roasted cashew rice noodle salad

Almonds

Almonds are another great snack to have on standby, and they’re surprisingly high in protein. A 30g handful will set you back 182 calories and will provide 7.9g of protein. 

While they’re delicious eaten as a snack, there’s a lot you can do with them to incorporate them into your meals too to add a welcome crunch.

Get almond inspiration with these recipes:

• Peanut butter chicken thighs with caramelised nuts and steamed rice
• Almond-crusted chicken
• One-pot curried cauliflower with couscous and chickpeas
• Almond and chilli chicken stir fry

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