Want to burn fat and build lean muscle? Feeling hungry all the time? If so, add more protein to your diet! This nutrient has been the darling of the fitness and bodybuilding community for years, but anyone can reap its benefits. A high-protein diet will keep you full longer, preserve muscle, and rev up your metabolism.

Animal Protein vs. Vegetable Protein

Meat, eggs, and dairy are the best protein sources out there. Plant-based foods, such as vegetables, nuts, and seeds, contain protein too, but in smaller amounts. You also get this nutrient from sports supplements like whey protein powder, casein, and meal replacement drinks. It all comes down to your goals.

Unless you’re a vegan or vegetarian, get your daily protein from lean meat, fish, and eggs. These foods contain all nine essential amino acids along with other nutrients, such as iron, zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B12. Dairy products are a good choice too, but they may cause digestive distress in those with lactose intolerance. Additionally, milk and its derivates are quite high in carbs. Meat, fish, and eggs have no carbs at all.

With a few exceptions, most vegetable foods lack one or more essential amino acids, such as leucine, histidine, valine, and tryptophan. The human body can not produce these nutrients, so you have to get them from food. For instance, leucine is considered the most important amino acid for muscle growth and repair. Research indicates that it helps preserve muscle when dieting, and reduces catabolism. Most plant-based foods don’t provide this amino acid.

Vegetables are considered incomplete protein sources. The only exceptions include quinoa, hempseeds, chia seeds, soy, buckwheat, quorn, and seitan. However, if you have wheat allergy or celiac disease, you might not be able to consume these foods due to their high gluten content. Vegetarian diets have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, obesity, hypertension, and other chronic disorders, so they can improve your health.

Whether you choose to eat meat or stick to a vegan diet, make sure you get enough protein. Consume 0.8 grams to 1.5 grams per pound of body weight. Some athletes eat as much as three grams of protein per pound of body weight to recover from training and prevent muscle loss. The more active you are, the higher your protein requirements.

Best High-Protein Foods to Include in Your Diet

Skinless Chicken Breast

With 24 grams of protein and just 94 calories per serving (3 oz), chicken breast is a great choice for those who want to stay lean. It’s low fat and provides large amounts of potassium, iron, calcium, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and selenium. If you want to shed fat, chicken breast should be a staple in your diet. It can be grilled, steamed, roasted, or cooked without oil. For a healthy, filling meal, serve with leafy greens or sweet potatoes.

Tuna

Both fresh and canned tuna are an excellent source of protein. One serving (3 oz.) delivers about 25 grams of protein, 239 milligrams of omega-3 essential fats, 7.6 milligrams of omega-6 fats, and 42 percent if the daily recommended intake of vitamin B12. Compared to other protein sources, tuna is lower in calories and packs larger amounts of monounsaturated fats. On top of that, it’s cheap and can be used in various recipes.

Whole Eggs

One large egg boasts over 6.29 grams of protein and just 74 calories. An omelette made with four or five eggs will keep you full and curb hunger for hours. Eggs are also an excellent source of vitamin A, calcium, iron, and B-complex vitamins.

Contrary to what you may have heard, it’s no need to remove the yolk. Despite its high fat content, it’s good for your health. The saturated fat in egg yolks stimulate the release of anabolic hormones, such as HGH and testosterone, leading to fat loss and muscle growth. Additionally, dietary cholesterol has a negligible impact on blood cholesterol. This nutrient is a precursor for testosterone, so it can make it easier to build muscle.

Salmon

This fatty fish contains over 23 grams of protein per serving. It’s also one of the best food sources of essential fats. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids reduce inflammation, boost your energy, and keep your body in an anabolic state. They also lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides while increasing good cholesterol levels. To fully reap the benefits, choose wild-caught salmon, which boasts 25 percent more protein than its farmed cousin.

Lentils

With 18 grams of protein per cup, lentils are a favorite choice for vegans and vegetarians. One serving provides about 63 percent of the recommended daily allowance of fiber and large amounts of calcium, iron, vitamin C, folate, thiamin, copper, and manganese. Compared to other dried beans, they are much easier to cook and absorb flavors from other foods and herbs.

There are many other great sources of protein available. Beans, low fat cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, turkey, and ground beef can add variety to your diet and make clean eating a breeze.