Pump up your protein intake, aisle by aisle, at the supermarket with Bodybuilding.com's top 40 ultimate protein picks!
Let us count the reasons we're obsessed with protein. For one, you need enough of this benevolent macronutrient to build and repair muscle. It also plays a role in revving fat-burning metabolism and reducing the hunger pangs that can lead to an attack on the vending machine. Additionally, protein works to slow the release of carbohydrates into your bloodstream, which can prevent the sudden spikes in blood sugar that are thought to encourage fat storage and sagging energy levels.
Physique-minded individuals should seek out at least 1 g of protein for each pound of body weight to maintain and build muscle. To reach this lofty amount, however, you'll need to make sure your grocery cart is filled with a variety of high-protein fare. Unfortunately, today's supermarkets are flooded with processed foods that can quickly threaten your fitness gains.
That's why we thought it was about time to roll our editorial cart through the major supermarket sections to help you find the biggest protein wallop for your buck. That way you can load your trunk with the necessary building blocks for a body more chiselled than a Roman sculpture.
Check out our top 40 items to put on your protein-friendly grocery list!
High-Protein Dairy
1. Greek Yogurt
Protein Power: 23 g per 8 oz. serving
Made by straining away the liquid, deliciously thick Greek-style yogurts contain about twice as much protein as regular versions. You'll also reap the rewards of gut-friendly probiotic bacteria and bone-building calcium.
Need to Know: Plain Greek yogurt can contain up to three times less sugar than flavored types.
2. Cottage Cheese
Protein Power: 14 g per 1/2 cup serving
This curd-riddled cheese product is laced with casein protein—a slow-digesting protein that supplies your growing muscles with a steady supply of vital amino acids. Think of it as the MVP of snack time, especially before bedtime.
Need to Know: Cottage cheese is notoriously high in sodium, but you can now compare nutrition labels to find brands that contain less.
3. Swiss Cheese
Protein Power: 8 g per 1 oz. serving
Ounce for ounce, Swiss cheese provides more protein than other commonly available varieties in the supermarket, making it a muscle-friendly option for your sandwiches and burgers.
Need to Know: If you're concerned about the calorie density of full-fat Swiss, low-fat versions have a protein-to-fat ratio of around 8-to-1, while still providing good flavor.
4. Eggs
Protein Power: 6 g per 1 large egg
These white orbs are near-perfect muscle food. That's because the biological value—a measure of how much protein from the food can be incorporated into proteins in the body—of an egg is higher than that of nearly any other item in the grocery store. The biological value is largely dictated by the amount of essential amino acids a food possesses, and the humble egg has these in spades.
Need to Know: Keep an eye out for cartons containing eggs with beefed-up omega-3 levels to make your morning scramble work even harder for you.
5. Milk, 2%
Protein Power: 8 g per 1 cup serving
Moo juice remains a reliable source of top-notch protein with a biological value just shy of that found in an egg. But why try to chug watery, flavorless skim milk when you can still enjoy the richer taste of 2 percent without breaking the fat bank. Besides, the extra fat will help you absorb the fat-soluble nutrients like vitamin D present in the great white.
Need to Know: Studies show that cows raised using organic farming methods produce milk richer in a range of nutrients, including body-friendly omega fats.
6. Whey Protein
Protein Power: 24 g per scoop, on average
Whey protein is one of the cleanest, fastest-digesting proteins on the market. It’s the pefect addition to any fat-loss or muscle-building diet. Whey protein is low-calorie, fast-digesting, and perfect to take immediately after a workout, first thing in the morning, or even alongside low-protein meals!
Need to Know: Whey protein is extremely anabolic, or good for building muscle, because it’s a particularly rich source of branched chain amino acids, or BCAAs.
High-Protein Meat
7. Steak (Top Or Bottom Round)
Protein Power: 23 g per 3 oz. serving
These leaner cuts of steak provide a fantastic 1 g of protein for every 7 calories; rib eye, on the other hand, delivers roughly 1 g of protein for every 11 calories. Plus, round steak is considered one of the more economical cuts.
Need to Know: Leaner cuts of steak like round and loin will become drier than the Sahara with overcooking, so prepare them quickly over high heat to just medium-rare.
8. Ground Beef (95% Lean)
Protein Power: 18 g per 3 oz. serving
Using 90 percent ground beef provides just the right amount of fat so your burgers and meatloaf won't taste like car