Soft High-Protein Foods
Protein is a substance our bodies undoubtedly need; it helps us perform all bodily functions and, in fact, makes up a part of every cell in our bodies. A number of quintessential high-protein foods are solid or tough, including meats like chicken and beef and most nut varieties. But those looking for soft foods with high levels of protein still have plenty of options. Does this Spark an idea?
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Dairy
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The basis of any dairy product is milk. Milk, on its own, has about 8 grams of protein per cup. But some products made from milk have an even higher protein content, including cheeses and yogurt. Cheddar cheese, for example, has about 7 grams of protein in only 1 oz. Lowfat cottage cheese is even better for you, with 16 grams of protein in 1/2 cup. Other soft dairy products with high protein include cheese spreads and yogurt.
Animal-based
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Because animals are also made of many different kinds of protein, animal-based foods often have high amounts of protein. Still, most kinds of meat can hardly be considered soft, unless thrown in a blender or processed heavily and canned. But some meat-based liquid stocks, like chicken stock or beef stock, do contain about 6 grams of protein per cup. Eggs are another soft animal-based food that has as much as 6 grams in a single egg. Additionally, many fish or shell-fish meats are quite soft and also contain high amounts of protein in addition to being very low fat.
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Plant-based
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A number of plant products also contain high proteins and can be prepared so they are soft. Mushy peas and re-fried beans have very large amounts of protein, usually about 7 grams in a cup. Soy beans have even higher levels of protein, with as much as 11 grams in 1/2 cup. When soy beans are processed as tofu, they retain this high level of protein and become even softer than the natural bean. Hummus is another soft, plant-based food with high protein, made of mashed chickpeas. Finally; nuts can be quite soft when prepared as a spread, such as peanut or almond butter, and also retain a high protein content.
Synthetic
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A number of synthetic foods and supplements are designed specifically to have very high levels of protein. Because protein is so essential to proper muscle repair, eating high levels of protein makes body-building easier. Thus, a variety of high protein shakes, drinks, chewy bars, mixes, and other soft supplements abound, giving as many as 40 grams of protein per serving, sometimes more. Still, doctors debate whether these high levels of protein are actually good for the human body, and many doctors recommend high levels of natural protein foods to build muscle mass as safely as possible.
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References
- The University of Arizona: Got Protein?
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Nutrition for Everyone: Protein; 2011
- Common Sense Health: High Protein Foods List
- High Protein Foods: Grams of Protein in Chicken Stock
- Live Science: Protein Supplement Myth Revealed; Christopher Wanjek; 02 Feburary 2010
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
