Best Heart Healthy Proteins

When it comes to protein, you might think the more the better, but it’s not quite that simple. We all need protein, and high-protein diets are very much in style. But most of us are taking in far more protein than we need, much of it high in heart un-healthy saturated fats,  partially because of what happened during the Great Depression.  

Wait. What? It’s true. Eating lots of protein in the form of meat became trendy nearly a century ago, and shows no signs of stopping. During the Great Depression, high-protein foods, especially meat, were not affordable for most people. Eating meat with every meal, therefore, became a status thing -  a sign of good health and wealth - so many families adopted the practice of eating meat at every meal when possible. There’s also a common myth that if you don’t eat protein, specifically meat, at every meal you won’t feel full, which is totally untrue.  

Proteins are pretty important. Here’s the definition of protein from the National Institutes of Health: Proteins are nitrogen-containing substances that are formed by amino acids. They serve as the major structural component of muscle and other tissues in the body. In addition, they are used to produce hormones, enzymes and hemoglobin. Proteins can also be used as energy; however, they are not the primary choice as an energy source. For proteins to be used by the body they need to be metabolized into their simplest form, amino acids.  

How much protein do I need?

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is smaller than you might think. It’s just .36 grams of protein per pound of weight. So to determine how much you need, multiply your weight (in pounds) by .36. Someone who weighs 150 pounds needs 54 grams of protein a day. A 200-pound person needs 72 grams a day. 

When you hit your 40s and 50s, muscle mass decreases due to age – that’s called sarcopenia. Adding a bit more protein to your diet at this age can help. Shoot for 20 to 35 grams of protein per meal. But make sure it’s high-quality protein.

Can I eat too much protein?

Yep. The body doesn’t do a terrific job of using extra protein. Too much protein over an extended period of time can burden your bones and organs. Your kidneys, for example, have to work harder to filter your blood when you’re following a high-protein diet. High-protein diets also cause calcium loss, potentially weakening bones. People who eat a diet high in meat have an increased risk of developing kidney stones. Also, if your extra protein is coming from meats that are high in saturated fats, your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels may become elevated. 

What are complete proteins? Are they better?

Which foods can be called ‘complete’ proteins lies in the number of amino acids they contain. Human bodies need 20 different amino acids. Adults produce 12 of them (children produce 11), so our diets don’t need to include them. They’re called nonessential amino acids.

The other eight, though, the essential amino acids, must be gotten through food. Here’s another protein myth: you don’t need to eat only ‘complete’ proteins. As long as your diet includes a healthy variety of incomplete proteins, your body will use them together.   

Animal proteins vary wildly in how healthy they are, particularly for your heart. Animal proteins can certainly be heart healthy, but many are not. Americans eat 274 pounds of meat per person each year on average, not including fish or seafood. That’s a 40 percent increase since 1961. Processed meat is something you should avoid eating – it’s not good for you. That includes lunch meat like bologna, along with bacon, sausages and hotdogs. The healthiest proteins come from plants. And plant foods contain more protein than you may think.

Here are some great, high-protein, heart-healthy foods:

Legumes. Beans (AKA legumes) are SO good for you, and extremely versatile. Grams of protein per half cup of beans breaks down this way: great northern beans, 9.7; lentils, 9; split peas, 8.2; black beans, 7.6; navy beans or black-eyed peas, 7.5; kidney, pinto or cranberry beans, 7.2; cannellini, 6.2; and garbanzo beans (chick peas) 6.3.  

Dairy. Eating the heart-healthiest dairy takes a little know-how. While most dairy foods contain nice amounts of protein, full-fat dairy should be eaten in moderation. That said, low-fat Greek yogurt packs in 23 grams of protein per cup. Low-fat or skim milk has eight grams per cup. A cup of low-fat cottage cheese contains 25 grams. Whole-milk kefir packs nine grams per cup; low-fat kefir has about eight.

Soy. Soybeans in the form of edamame contain 11 grams of protein per cup.  Half a cup of tofu clocks in at 10 grams. Tempeh has 31 grams per cup. Regular soymilk contains eight grams per cup, but Silk Ultra Protein and other protein-fortified soymilks contain 20 grams per cup.

Grains. Whole grains bring with them many health benefits including soluble and insoluble fiber, minerals and complex carbs. They also bring the protein. For about three ounces uncooked, here’s the protein lowdown for common grains and some that may be new to you: quinoa, 6.35; wheat, 6.93; spelt, 6.56; rolled oats, 5.92; amaranth, 6.10; hulled barley, 5.62; millet, 4.96; brown rice, 3.38 and buckwheat, 5.96.

Fruits and vegetables. You read that right! Vegetables have protein, too. Peas (cooked from frozen) contain 8.24 grams per cup. A large russet potato has nearly 8 grams. Spinach, cooked, contains 5.3 grams per cup (plus loads of iron, folic acid and more). An ear of sweet corn packs in four grams. Fruits high in protein per cup include guava, with 4.2 grams; apricots, 2.2; kiwi, 2.1; blackberries, 2 and oranges, 1.7.

Fish. This is arguably the best animal protein. It’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids (they help protect against heart disease), vitamin D and selenium. Fish to avoid, or eat less of, include swordfish or king mackerel because they may contain microplastics and mercury from polluted water. A variety of wild-caught fish is a better dietary choice than eating the same type of fish on repeat. Choose cod, salmon, farmed rainbow trout, pole-caught albacore tuna, ocean-caught striped bass and Atlantic tilefish. A can of tuna in oil will give you 33 grams of protein. Four ounces of trout has 30 grams; the same quantity of salmon contains about 24 grams. 

Poultry. Chicken and turkey are low in calories and saturated fat. A three-ounce chicken breast packs in 28 grams of protein. Turkey breast contains just slightly less. Both are solid choices but pay attention to how they’re cooked. Broiling or roasting is healthiest; frying or smothering in creamy sauces is not so much. 

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