High protein?

tabbiyoung13
tabbiyoung13 Posts: 3 Member
edited December 19 in Health and Weight Loss
How do I get in my protein without affing a lot of cholesterol and sodium. Seems like peanut butter, seafood, and chicken is high in sodium and cholesterol. I went over in my cholesterol yesterday for having just 2 eggs with breakfast 😶
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Replies

  • LadySaton
    LadySaton Posts: 500 Member
    tabbiyoung13 wrote: »
    How do I get in my protein without affing a lot of cholesterol and sodium. Seems like peanut butter, seafood, and chicken is high in sodium and cholesterol. I went over in my cholesterol yesterday for having just 2 eggs with breakfast 😶
    I frequently cook egg whites in the microwave as part of my breakfast, normally just sprinkled with a bit if garlic salt. I buy them in big cartons and I think the cholesterol is in the yolk.

    I buy a paleo pancake mix and add a half cup of whey protein to the mix before I cook them. Each pancake only has about 14 grams of protein in 140 calories (I make pretty big pancakes lol), but I don’t think that’s bad considering sometimes I would just about tear my house down for a pancake.

    Fage 0% yogurt has over 20g protein per one cup serving if I remember right. I normally mash a ripe banana in it or add a tablespoon of my favorite strawberry jam.

    Cottage cheese (low fat or fat free) is another option I use for added protein.

    Obviously, various meats are an option. You’ll need to cook fresh though if you want to avoid excess sodium! If you look at canned meats, the sodium content is crazy. I’m not sure about their cholesterol levels, because I don’t worry about cholesterol.

    I also use my snacks as protein fillers. I really love dried cheese snacks (not for you if you want low sodium though). I only get about 10g of protein per serving with those, but I really enjoy them so I consider the protein a bonus. You may be able to find sources of protein like that, small bits in things you enjoy. They can add up. Most days I am able to reach my personal goal of 100g of protein without much effort.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    My peanut butter says 0 cholesterol, which is what I expected from a plant based food. Nuts and beans would also be protein sources that also include the fibers that help your body control cholesterol levels.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    OP, it's also possible you are choosing bad entries in the database. Most are user entered, so maybe you are picking entries that someone created as more like a recipe, so the numbers include other ingredients not mentioned in the title.
  • Fatty_Nuff
    Fatty_Nuff Posts: 273 Member
    Chicken is not high in sodium. Unless it is coming out of a can. If you are concerned about the cholesterol in eggs, there are some very good egg replacement products. Or use one whole egg to every two or three egg whites.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I think the entries you're looking at are bad...seafood and chicken are neither high in cholesterol or sodium unless you're eating it out of a can or it's processed like lunch meat or smoked salmon or something.
  • tabbiyoung13
    tabbiyoung13 Posts: 3 Member
    No I add EVERYTHING manualy and make sure it all matches the nutr. Facts on the package. So when I want shrimp and crab on a salad, this thing flags me and tells me I'm WAYYYY over my cholesterol and sodium. I realized it's imitation crab after I bought it lol
    I don't have a medical problem but I hold water weight pretty bad and soon trying to stay away from a lot of sodium
  • tabbiyoung13
    tabbiyoung13 Posts: 3 Member
    Like for lunch I wanted shrimp, crab, spinach, and an avocado... With just that it put me over on a lot
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,591 Member
    The thread linked below is an excellent one, for questions like yours. It links to a spreadsheet that lists many, many foods by protein efficiency: Most protein for fewest calories (so relatively less fat, including cholesterol). Find foods you enjoy that are high on the list, check to make sure they're low sodium, and eat more of those, less of something else that isn't as helpful in meeting your goals.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also

    How much water (or equivalent fluids) are you consuming? Sodium/hydration balance (taken in context of other micronutrients, for some) is related to water retention. I'm not suggesting you should drink crazy-big amounts of water (which is wrong in the opposite direction), but suggesting you check to see that you're getting enough, to the point where your urine is a pale straw color or lighter, for example.

    Please don't try to game your body to eliminate water retention. Water weight fluctuations (up/down a few pounds) are part of how a healthy body functions. If you feel your water retention is excessive, or it keeps building up to the point of swelling, see your doctor. Otherwise, recognize that water weight is not fat gain, that its fluctuations are literally a sign of good health and proper body function, and don't stress about it.
  • azzeazsaleh5429
    azzeazsaleh5429 Posts: 77 Member
    This might be worth reading about cholesterol: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/02/10/feds-poised-to-withdraw-longstanding-warnings-about-dietary-cholesterol/?fbclid=IwAR25FPgWu7QcsjfuZIQGJIqiIXW1OSrKwVE2yue8fLT7F6VRcv-jozPoEos&noredirect=on&utm_term=.094f8f62635b
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    edited January 2019
    kimny72 wrote: »
    tabbiyoung13 wrote: »
    How do I get in my protein without affing a lot of cholesterol and sodium. Seems like peanut butter, seafood, and chicken is high in sodium and cholesterol. I went over in my cholesterol yesterday for having just 2 eggs with breakfast 😶

    I don't think of seafood and chicken as being high in cholesterol or sodium? To avoid sodium, cook from scratch. To avoid cholesterol, you can lean toward plant proteins like beans and lentils.

    But unless you have a medical condition, most people don't have to worry too much about cholesterol, and they are even starting to back off on sodium as well.

    I guess shrimp is high in cholesterol, but I don't either, and agreed that most people don't have to worry about dietary cholesterol or sodium from whole foods like plain meats. I guess some are injected with saline, that would add sodium.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    What are you considering "high" in sodium? If the bulk of your diet is from minimally processed foods, your sodium level should be able to stay within the normal range fairly easily.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    The country did not actually do low fat.
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  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    tabbiyoung13 wrote: »
    How do I get in my protein without affing a lot of cholesterol and sodium. Seems like peanut butter, seafood, and chicken is high in sodium and cholesterol. I went over in my cholesterol yesterday for having just 2 eggs with breakfast 😶

    There is absolutely no cholesterol in peanut butter, unless you've found some brand that adds lard. You can buy peanut butter that is just ground peanuts, no added salt. Of course, the real problem is that peanut butter is more of a fat source than a protein source.

    Chicken breast and other lean meats are not particularly high in cholesterol, and if you buy raw cuts from the market, you can control how much salt gets added (there's not much sodium in the raw poultry or meat). Just don't buy brined. Fish is another option.
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