Surprising high protein foods for Weight Loss
With a hefty six grams of protein each, the humble egg is a cornerstone of a flat belly diet, supplying a crucial building block for lean muscle, which in turn burns fat, keeping you selfie-ready all summer.
But a number of unsung and surprising foods pack even more protein than that wondrous ovoid. Get excited: Some can even combine with eggs to provide a double-strength protein punch. Here’s the Eat This, Not That! list of Surprising Foods with More Protein Than an Egg.
1) Kamut
Amount of Protein: 27 g per cup
This ancient grain, which you can use in place of quinoa, has 3 more grams of protein per cup than its trendy cousin. It’s high in magnesium, potassium and iron, with 21 g of fiber per cup. Bonus: A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating kamut reduces cholesterol, blood sugar and cytokines, which cause inflammation throughout the body.
How to Enjoy It: Toss it into salads or eat it as a side dish on its own. And if you’re looking for a quick way to turbocharge your own weight-loss, sip your way thin with The 7-Day Flat-Belly Tea Diet and Cleanse. Test panelists lost up to 10 pounds in just one week!
2) Chickpea Flour
Amount of Protein: 21 g per cup
You know that beans and legumes are an excellent source of fiber and protein that can spur weight loss. But did you know that chickpeas keep most of their protein content when they’re converted to flour?
How to Enjoy It:High in iron, magnesium, potassium and fiber, chickpea flour is an excellent gluten-free option to use in cooking and baking.
3) Pumpkin Seeds
Amount of Protein: 12 g per cup
Almonds and walnuts get all the attention, but these crunchy seeds are an underrated winner. One cup contains twice as much protein as an egg and is high in iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and immune-system-boosting zinc.
How to Enjoy Them: Add them into salads, oats and yogurt, or grab a handful as a quick snack.
4) Spinach
Amount of Protein: 10 g per bunch
Spinach is a great source of lean-muscle-building iron, calcium and a surprising amount of protein. It’s also rich in plant-based omega-3 fatty acids and folate, which reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and osteoporosis.
How to Enjoy It: Make salads with it, add it to eggs and omelets, or use it as a savory pizza topping. Then keep your belly toned and tight—in no time flat—with these essential 6 Tips to Sensible Weight Loss!
5) Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Amount of Protein: 8 g per cup
Tomatoes are packed with the antioxidant lycopene, which studies show can decrease your risk of bladder, lung, prostate, skin, and stomach cancers, as well as reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. Just one cup of the sun-dried version will lend you 7 grams of fiber, ¾ of your RDA of potassium—which is essential for heart health and tissue repair—and 50% of your RDA of vitamin C, the superstar antioxidant that prevents DNA damage. They’re also rich in vitamins A and K.
How to Enjoy Them: Use them as a pizza topping, a tangy addition to salads, or snack on them right out of the bag.
6) Gruyere Cheese
Amount of Protein: 8 g per 1 oz slice
Here’s an excuse for a wine-and-cheese hour: The schmancy Swiss cheese (don’t forget the accented ‘e’) contains 30% more protein than an egg in one slice, plus one-third of your RDA of vitamin A.
How to Enjoy It: If you’re looking to indulge, keep your serving to the size of four dice, and moderate your vino to one glass for women, two glasses for men, to get the bad-cholesterol-lowering benefits of the antioxidant resveratrol. Also, slim down fast by offsetting all these empty calories with these If you want a Flat Stomach!
