Easy ways to up your protein intake

Wonder why the diets of physically fit people often revolve around protein?

An essential macronutrient that helps you stay lean and slim, it gives you greater satiety than other food groups such as carbohydrate and fat.

Because it also prevents muscle loss, protein keeps your metabolism revving.

About 58g of protein a day is recommended for the average sedentary woman, so here are some simple ways to increase your daily intake.

Have eggs for breakfast

Planning your daily breakfast can be quite a fuss, so making eggs your go-to morning meal will definitely reduce your preparation woe.

Eggs are also versatile and can be enjoyed in many ways.

Nuts as a go-to topping

Nuts are an extremely rich source of protein. Sprinkling them over your lunch salad or mid-day snack is a simple way of adding protein.

Almond, walnut and pistachio pair extremely well with a salad or an oatmeal bowl.

Snack on Greek yogurt

One serving contains roughly 18g of protein, much more than plain yogurt, which has about 9g. It is also a versatile snack that can be enjoyed with the addition of your favourite fruit or nut butter.

Greek yogurt tastes especially fantastic with chia seeds - another great source of protein.

Get some protein powder

Getting a good protein powder is a great tool in your weight-loss effort as kick-starting your day with a protein shake is sure to get your metabolism up and running.

With the addition of fruit and a scoop of peanut butter, your protein shake is sure to keep your sated till your next meal comes around.

Protein shakes can also be a great late afternoon snack, right before you hit the gym.

Make protein the star

Plan your protein first, then build a meal around it.

Make protein the VIP of your dish. When visiting the supermarket, buy a variety of meats from the poultry and seafood sections and store them in your freezer for future use. Meal prep will be a breeze.

Prep hard-boiled eggs

The perfect bite-sized protein snack that can keep your hunger in check? Hard-boiled eggs.

Instead of waiting for these delicious gems to be boiled, cook them in batches and store them in your fridge for up to one week.

You can have a delicious snack any time with these handy bites around.

Go for lentil pasta

Upgrade your wheat pasta to mung bean pasta. These nutritious green strips of noodles can be found in supermarkets and are made with protein-packed lentils - and might even have a better taste than regular wheat spaghetti.

Store cheese at workplace

If you are a cheese lover, you can now cheese it up - in the name of protein.

It is delicious when paired with fruit and cracker.

Enjoying your salad with feta or Parmesan cheese makes it taste absolutely delightful as well.

Nut butter on everything

A spoonful of almond or peanut butter can be a rich and flavourful addition that makes your morning oatmeal, milkshake, yogurt bowl and snack even more appetising.

Replace your grains with quinoa

Switch out your rice or salad leaves to quinoa. Rougher in texture than couscous, it is packed with all the amino acids that will boost the nutritional content of your food.

Have hummus on hand

Possibly the best dip ever - plus it comes packed with protein and healthy fat.

Perfect for serving with carrot or celery sticks, hummus can also be used as a salad topping.

Experiment with this smooth spread as it can be a great addition to almost any dish. You will love the rich flavour it brings to your meals.

This article first appeared in Shape (www.shape.com.sg).