Protein is a very important part of one’s diet. It is one of three most important groups of nutrients and it is used by our body in hundreds of different ways, for example – as a construction material for cells and tissues and as an important part of our immune system.
That’s why if you’re working out regularly, you need your diet to contain less carbohydrates and more protein foods. If you’re not sure, what to include in your diet, here’s a list of protein food in Nigeria for you to choose from.
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1. Eggs
Eggs don’t have the highest amount of protein per mass, but it is still considered an etalon protein food. It contains the biggest variety of proteins, required by human organism.
Furthermore, hardboiled egg has pretty low number of calories, which makes it really easy to include into your diet. But, if you’re going to eat eggs regularly, you’d better eat only glairs, as too many yolks can cause a rise of your cholesterol levels and in some cases even lead to liver failure.
Meals you can make: egg stew, egg roll wrappers, Scotch eggs.
2. Meat and fish
Meat is in this list of proteinous foods because it has one of the highest amount of protein per gram (7 grams per 30 grams of meat). Fish and poultry are close to it by this standard.
This makes them a perfect ingredient for a healthy Nigerian food. Unfortunately, meat is also full of fats, excess of which can yet again cause dangerously high levels of cholesterol in your blood.
On the other hand, fish is full of Omega-3 fats, which are not only less dangerous for your organism, but they are actually good for your brain. So, if you want your diet to be healthy, choose meat from less fatty parts of an animal (like brisket) or fish.
Meals you can make: meat pie, suya, balangu, egusi soup, grilled tilapia, peppered fish
3. Milk
Milk is one of the healthiest protein foods in Nigeria, as, besides protein, it is full of calcium, iodine, potassium, magnesium and a number of vitamins, that are essential for the human organism.
But this drink is also full of lactose, which transforms into sugar inside our bodies, so you couldn’t really call it a dietary product. Still, it is useful to drink it from time to time, just don’t consider it as your main source of protein.
Meals you can make: condensed milk, wara, milk, and cereal
4. Nuts
Most types of nuts are full of protein and slow carbohydrates, which makes them a perfect between-meal snack. They will both blunt your hunger and add some protein to your reserve.
Groundnuts, almonds, cashew, walnuts or chestnuts – doesn’t matter, they are all great.
Meals you can make: groundnut soup, kuli kuli, ose oji
5. Beans
Not the first thing, that comes to mind, when you think about diet food, but beans are really full of useful substances, like iron, folate and soluble fiber, which can help to lower your blood cholesterol. Furthermore, beans have so much protein, that half a cup of them can substitute 1 once of meat, so it is a great choice for a vegetarian diet.
Meals you can prepare: ewa, akara, moimoi.
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