If you want to be healthy, a well-balanced diet is crucial. But although most people are aware of this, they might not know quite what it means to have a well-balanced diet. You need to have the right mix of vitamins, minerals, and other healthy elements to ensure your body has everything it needs to fight infection and disease, to maintain a healthy weight, and to give you enough energy to do all the things you want to do. 

One of the things you’ll need to have enough of in your diet is protein, and if that’s something you’re currently lacking, it’s worth discovering different ways you can add more to the food you eat. With that in mind, read on for some great ideas about foods with great sources of protein. 

Smoothies 

Depending on the amount of time you have and the kind of food you typically eat, adding protein to your current diet isn’t always the easiest thing to do. It could accidentally result in bigger portions or it might mean reducing another important nutrient to make room for the protein.

If this is a concern for you, you can try smoothies to get a filling and nutritious meal. These are easy and quick to make and can be a fantastic snack between meals, meaning you can boost your protein intake without changing the food you’re currently eating. A lot of people like having smoothies for breakfast because this is the busiest time of the day, and being able to whip up a quick smoothie is easier than making a full meal for breakfast. 

Make sure that whatever smoothie you’re opting for has ingredients that include a lot of protein, such as nut butter, protein powder, or oats. One good option is to make smoothies that include peanut butter, as this includes a lot of protein. If you can learn how to make a peanut butter and banana smoothie, you’ll set yourself up well for the day. 

Eggs 

Breakfast is the ideal time to add more protein to your diet because this is generally the meal where the least protein is consumed. If you normally eat cereal, toast, or bagels, you are missing an opportunity to fill up on a protein-rich breakfast, first thing in the morning. 

A good way to make your diet more protein-filled is to eat eggs for breakfast. You’ll need to have the time to prepare them, but they are jam-packed with protein, so having eggs a few times a week is a great way to ensure you get plenty of protein in your diet that you didn’t have before. For an easy on-the-go option, try these egg muffins that can be pre-made and frozen, so all you have to do is heat it up. You can add anything you want and customize it to your taste, with delicious ingredients such as cheese, sausage, mushrooms, and more.

Greek Yogurt 

Greek yogurt is smooth, creamy, and delicious. It’s also a fantastic way to enjoy more protein in your diet – and it’s highly versatile. Even if you eat it by itself (another great breakfast idea, perhaps), it can boost your protein intake, but what makes Greek yogurt so much more interesting is that you can add lots of different ingredients to it to make it even tastier. Ideas for yogurt add-ins include nuts, honey, fruit, and granola. 

Greek yogurt can also be used as an ingredient in other dishes. It can form the basis of a variety of dips and sauces, and some people like to have it on hand to make spicy dishes less hot. It’s also a great thickener for smoothies and a perfect substitute for sour cream.

Whole Grains 

Fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants are just some of the many healthy components found in whole grains. Adding whole grains to your diet will be helpful anyway in that case, but the fact that they also contain plenty of protein is definitely another reason to enjoy them. 

Cooked quinoa has eight grams of protein per cup, while amaranth has almost nine grams of protein per cup. Compared to refined grains like white rice, which only include four grams of protein per cooked cup, this is an enormous difference. Other whole grains that are high in protein include buckwheat, couscous, wild rice, millet, and teff. Toss these into pilafs, stir-fries, and grain salads in place of refined grains.

What’s really great about these other protein-filled foods is that when you start using them, you’ll find your expertise in cooking increases, and you’ll discover new flavors you would never have had before, opening up a new world of culinary delights.