(NAPSI)—Here’s some health and nutrition news you should find easy to swallow. Protein can go a long way toward satisfying your appetite. In the world of fitness and muscle building, protein has had its seat permanently rooted as a key nutrient in every meal and snack. Now it has gone mainstream and is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and diet.
Considering Americans’ busy lifestyles—and that half of all eating occasions today involve snacks, according to research by Mintel*— eating more protein can be a good thing.
For those of us with active lives, convenience is king. Snack options that are tasty and healthy, as well as portable and accessible, help increase the likelihood of maintaining a balanced diet and making healthier food choices.
Here are five high-protein foods to enjoy on the go or at home anytime of day:
• Jerky—With options now made of turkey, bison, pork, salmon and poultry, there’s a flavor for every taste preference. A 1-ounce serving provides around 9 grams of protein. Look for brands that are free of artificial flavors, colors or sweeteners.
• Cottage Cheese—What was once considered a boring diet food has been reimagined as a protein-packed snack item, available in a variety of flavors and conveniently portable single-serving cups. One such brand, Muuna®, recently launched a line of unique, melt-in-your-mouth, creamy cottage cheese with delicious, real pieces of fruit, including strawberry, blueberry, pineapple, peach and mango. Each 5.3-ounce fruit-flavored, single-serve container has 15 grams of protein, while its plain cottage cheese counterpart contains 19 grams of protein.
• Bean-Based Snacks—This protein-packed superfood is popping up everywhere from chips with 5 grams of protein in a 1-ounce serving to roasted chickpeas averaging around 6 grams of protein per 1-ounce serving. With experts recommending consuming up to four servings of legumes a week, these options make upping your intake even easier.
• Greek Yogurt—As one of the fastest-growing categories on the market in recent years, Greek yogurt can have up to twice the amount of protein as traditional yogurt, and is available in a variety of sweet and savory flavors.
• Nut Butters—Peanut butter is an oldie but a goodie with 8 grams of protein per 1-ounce serving, whereas increasingly popular almond butter is also an excellent source of protein with around 6 grams of protein per 1-ounce serving. These delicious items are now available in snack packs for an on-the-go protein boost eaten right out of the pack or served alongside a favorite fruit or vegetable.
According to Rania Batayneh, MPH, a nationally recognized nutritionist and author, “When it comes to snacking, I recommend clients look for options with at least 8 grams of protein per serving. High-protein products like Muuna cottage cheese can make all the difference in feeling satisfied to hold you between meals. You will find that choosing to snack on creamy cottage cheese or beef jerky instead of chips and cookies will not only satisfy your sweet or salty cravings, but it will also power you throughout the day. Plus, as one of three key macronutrients that our body needs, protein plays an important role in muscle building as well as preventing age-related loss of muscle mass.”
While food and fitness fads come and go, your need for high-protein foods is here to stay. Protein-rich snacks can be good for you whether you’re bulking up or slimming down, looking for a pre-workout energy boost or simply keeping something on hand while burning the midnight oil.
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For further facts, visit www.Muuna.com or join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with #Muuna.