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High-Protein Diet Food List (+ Shopping List and PDF)
July 21, 2023
If you want to improve your athletic performance, boost your energy, or lose some weight, this diet is something you should be looking for. High-protein diets are very nutritious, taking into consideration the variety of products you are allowed to eat. Take a look at the high-protein diet food list we’ve created and find some more information about the diet itself in the article.
Table of contents
High-Protein Diet Shopping List
High-protein Diet Guidelines
High-protein Diet Food List Breakdown
What Else to Keep in Mind?
Conclusions
High-Protein Diet Shopping List
Meat and Poultry
Fish and Seafood
Vegetables
Eggs and Dairy
Legumes and Beans
Cheese and Dairy Alternatives
Processed and Packaged Protein Snacks
Alternative Protein Sources
Grains and Seeds
High-protein Diet Guidelines
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. This means that a person who weighs 150 pounds requires 54 grams of protein. You easily reach this need on a daily basis, even if you’re not following any diet.
You want to start a high-protein diet with the following ratio: 30% of calories from protein, 30% of calories from fat, and 40% of calories from carbohydrates. Of course, it is only a starting point. As the diet progresses, you will learn what works best for you. You can then adjust your macronutrients while continuing the same approach.
When on a high-protein diet, you should include protein in every meal, snack on protein, skip processed carbs, and start your day with protein.
High-protein Diet Food List Breakdown
Meat and Poultry
If you are a fan of steaks, get yourself some lean beef. Not only is it full of protein, but it also contains less unhealthy fat. It has hardly more saturated fats than chicken breast, which is also highly recommended on this diet. Poultry has considerably less fat than red meat. It is also advised to remove the skin from these kinds of meat as it contains saturated fat.
If you are an environmentally-conscious person, you may be discouraged by the fact that red meat is one of the first components listed while talking about this diet. You can replace red meat with other protein-rich foods from our shopping list.
Vegetables
Non-starchy vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts are suggested. However, these vegetables will not provide you with the right amount of all the nutrients you need or give you the total dose of protein and calories.
That’s why you have to center your meals around animal or plant protein sources and complete them with high-protein veggies for an extra dose of amino acids.
Fish and Seafood
Fish is low in fat and high in protein, making it an ideal choice for those on a high-protein diet. Despite having more fat, fish like salmon or tuna are also recommended. They contain omega-3 fatty acids, which many people are deficient in. Seafood also contains many vitamins and minerals like B vitamins, Potassium, Magnesium, Selenium and a lot more.
Eggs and Dairy
Eggs are known for being a very good source of lean protein. Additionally, egg yolk is packed with healthy fats – a crucial component of any healthy diet.
Products like cheese, yogurt, or milk are rich in calcium, which is necessary for strong bones and a healthy heart. Choosing low-fat dairy products will keep your calorie intake in check.
Whey protein powder is often consumed by bodybuilders and athletes. It is an additional boost of protein that can result in faster muscle mass gain.
Legumes and Beans
Beans are not only packed with proteins but also with fiber. Fibre is very important, especially if you are on a low-carb diet with very few fibre-containing foods. Together with protein, it also helps you feel full longer and keeps your cholesterol at a healthy level.
In addition to that, legumes and beans help reduce cholesterol, decrease blood sugar levels, and increase healthy gut bacteria. They are very easy to incorporate into a diet.
Cheese and Dairy Alternatives
Dairy products like mozzarella or cottage cheese are obviously full of protein, but that’s not the only positive behind them. Products like Greek yogurt also contain essential vitamins and minerals, including B12, selenium, and zinc.
Mozzarella cheese is also packed with calcium and vitamin K, which helps lower cholesterol levels. It also reduces the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease.
Processed and Packaged Protein Snacks
If you are on the go or in a hurry, our packaged snack propositions will be. Canned tuna is a great source of high-quality protein and, of course, omega-3 fatty acids. If you want to be creative, you can mix it with other products from the diet shopping list and create a salad or a wrap.
Jerky comes in many varieties: beef, turkey, you name it. 28 grams of beef jerky contains over 9 grams of protein, and adding to its portability, it will be a must-have during your trips or busy days.
Alternative Protein Sources
If you like a change from time to time, you can use some alternative protein sources to meet your daily needs. Seitan is a mind-blowing vegan alternative that is gaining popularity. Just 80 grams of seitan contains about 15–21 grams of protein.
Quorn is a source of meat-free protein. It is high in fiber and low in saturated fat. In addition to that, it is a more sustainable and nutritious protein source.
Grains and Seeds
As many high-protein diets limit the intake of grains, you have to be careful and choose your grains wisely. Products like white bread or pasta have little to offer in terms of nutrition. That’s why it is recommended to choose wholegrain foods like bread, cereal, or pasta.
These products contain fiber, which in a diet like this can be in short supply, causing some issues like constipation.
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What Else to Keep in Mind?
What Foods to Avoid?
While on a high-protein diet, you should avoid products that contain refined sugar, such as candy, sodas, and baked goods. You should also avoid highly processed foods and those with “diet” labels, as they could contain excessive amounts of artificial sweeteners.
Moreover, you should avoid bacon, cooking wine, seasoned salt, and sea salt. You should also remember that sauces like ketchup, tartar sauce, soy sauce, steak sauce, barbecue sauce, and chili sauce are not recommended.
Why do I lose weight on a high-protein diet?
When you restrict carbohydrates, your body gets rid of retained water, which leads to weight loss. Also, when you don't eat carbohydrates, your body starts to burn more fat as fuel. This causes a state of ketosis, which on the one hand makes you lose weight, but on the other hand can cause fatigue, headaches or irritability.
Conclusions
We hope that after reading this article, you are motivated to try out a high-protein diet.
Remember to include a variety of protein sources in your everyday meals. Choose products that are low in fat and carbohydrates, but control your nutrient intake to prevent any deficiencies.
Make suer to use our shopping list to get ready for your new diet journey – download it in a PDF version or open it in our free Listonic app.
Article Reviewed
Our editorial team has checked this article to make sure it was accurate at the time of publishing it.
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