No matter what anyone tells you, you don’t have to be rich in order to feed your body with high quality protein.
Flashy bodybuilding ads can sometimes lead you to believe that you’ll never get the muscles you want without using a certain expensive product, but that’s far from reality – it’s simply their job to sell you that food or supplement. Proteins don’t necessarily have to be the most expensive part of your diet if you make some smart shopping choices.
Need some help with that? Read our list of cost-effective foods that can provide you all the protein you could possible need!
1. Whole eggs
Eggs are the perfect food for bodybuilders because they pack all the essential amino acids your body needs to build and repair muscle tissue, plus they’re a great source of healthy fats and vital minerals. One whole egg (learn to love the yolk as well!) contains all the important nutrients for the normal functioning of the body, including 6 grams of protein. In addition, eating eggs for breakfast will keep you full for a longer period of time, which makes them great for enhancing fat loss.
2. Fish
When it comes to budget-friendly proteins, what can be more economic than cans of tuna? A can of 3oz comes with 20 grams of protein and 1 gram of fat. And if you get bored of it, alternate tuna with cod – this one comes pretty close to it in terms of both price and protein richness, offering 17 grams of protein and 1 gram of fat in a 3.5oz fillet. Another affordable option is canned pink salmon, which comes with 20 grams of protein and 4 grams of fat for a 3oz serving.
3. Cottage cheese
We can’t possibly talk about protein without mentioning diary products and the best source of it is cottage cheese. It’s delicious and can be combined with many types of food, including leafy veggies and fruits, for a healthy lunch or tasty snacks. In half of a cup of regular cottage cheese you’ll find 13 grams of protein and 4.5 grams of fat for a fairly low price.
4. Greek Yogurt
Ah, the king of all yogurts. This rich, creamy product contains double the amount of protein traditional yogurts have, and you won’t have to pay a lot more to enjoy it. Opt for the plain variant without added sugars – a relatively cheap source of 23 grams of high quality protein per serving.
5. Lean ground beef
Besides being so tasty, ground beef is rich in iron and protein. Make sure you choose leaner types of beef because the higher the fat content of the ground beef, the less protein it contains. Plus, we assume you don’t want to accumulate more body fat, so don’t have it as your main meal every day. A serving of 3oz offers 22 grams of protein and 10 grams of fat.
6. Chicken breasts
If you’re afraid of the fat found in beef, stick to the basics. Bodybuilders of all types and eras love chicken breasts because they’re such an exceptional source of cheap protein (especially if you buy in bulk!) without any dangerous amounts of fat. That being said, one 30z serving comes with 27 grams of protein and 3 grams of fat.
7. Turkey
In case you didn’t know, the white turkey meat is the leanest animal protein source you could possibly find. And it comes with an affordable price too – on average, a pound of turkey will cost you less than 4 bucks. In one serving of 3.5oz you’ll find 21 grams of protein and 8 grams of fat. And in case you prefer turkey breasts (skinless and boneless, that is), you can score 26 grams of protein and 1 gram of fat per one 3.0oz serving!
8. Sirloin steak
A rather lean cut, the sirloin steak is a great source of protein, niacin and vitamin B, and it’s a lot cheaper than top sirloin steak. Just make sure you trim off all the fat before cooking it, because as we mentioned before, more fat means less protein. One 30z serving comes with 23 grams of protein and 11 grams of fat.
9. Soy
Finally, why not include some plant-based protein in your diet? Soy protein has been found to offer multiple health benefits, and some studies suggest that adding this inexpensive product to your protein shakes could increase the impact of your body’s anabolic response to protein, i.e. enhance the building of muscles. A 30z serving of soybeans contains 33 grams of protein and 18 grams of fat, but you can also get soy protein in the form of a supplement.
10. Protein supplements
If you want to additionally fuel your muscles without spending big bucks on special formulas, whey protein is the way to go. For less than a dollar you can get 20-25 grams of easily digested good quality whey protein, and for the same amount of money you could also buy casein protein – a slowly digested variant that will provide you with a prolonged steady supply of amino acids. It might take some time to find the best brand to suit your needs, but when you do, it will definitely power up your gains.
Whatever your goals are, try to eat as much different types of food as possible – don’t get stuck with your favorite source of protein because diversity will bring you a lot more benefits (don’t forget about fruits and veggies!).
Buy smart, eat clean and regularly hit the gym, and the results will follow.
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