Protein
Which foods count?
What are the key nutrients?
- Meat, poultry, seafoods, eggs, dairy products, nuts and seeds, beans and legumes
What are the key nutrients?
- Protein: "building blocks" for the body; essential for building or maintaining muscle mass.
- Iron: needed to transport oxygen to tissues. Heme iron is found in animal products and is best absorbed by the body. Non-heme iron can be obtained from plant-based foods, but it is not as readily absorbed and used by the body.
- Zinc: important for chemical reactions in the body; crucial for immune system function.
For optimal health, choose lean protein sources:
To learn about where to get healthy fats in your diet, click here.
To get ideas for adding protein to your diet, click here.
- Chicken, turkey, eggs, or fish
- Lean cuts of red meat, such as flank steak
- Low-fat dairy products
- Beans
To learn about where to get healthy fats in your diet, click here.
To get ideas for adding protein to your diet, click here.
Reference:
- Protein foods. United States Department of Agriculture website. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/protein-foods.html
Images in header used under Creative Commons license, from left to right:
Beef: https://flic.kr/p/g5TcbV
Nuts and Seeds: https://flic.kr/p/9t9zHn
Eggs: https://flic.kr/p/6mx9Z3
Beans: https://flic.kr/p/CoZGr
Cheese: https://flic.kr/p/9MzQio
Portion size photos:
Chicken: http://dining2014.csit.unc.edu/PortionSizesandConversions
Peanut Butter: http://blog.shareitfitness.com/2011/overestimating-portion-sizes-top-10-offenders/
Cheese: https://nutritiontranslator.wordpress.com/tag/eating-healthy-portion-sizes/
Beef: https://flic.kr/p/g5TcbV
Nuts and Seeds: https://flic.kr/p/9t9zHn
Eggs: https://flic.kr/p/6mx9Z3
Beans: https://flic.kr/p/CoZGr
Cheese: https://flic.kr/p/9MzQio
Portion size photos:
Chicken: http://dining2014.csit.unc.edu/PortionSizesandConversions
Peanut Butter: http://blog.shareitfitness.com/2011/overestimating-portion-sizes-top-10-offenders/
Cheese: https://nutritiontranslator.wordpress.com/tag/eating-healthy-portion-sizes/