Proteins with no catch

Every common commercial meat seems to have some sort of catch to it, preventing you from eating too much of it.

-Beef is high in fat, so comes out higher in calories and can be harder to place into your daily calories for how little protein it provides in comparison

-Ham is very high in salt

-Fish has mercury content, so you are limited there

The only meat that seemingly has no catch is chicken. I love chicken and eat a breast almost every day, but I would be lying if I said it wasn't getting a bit boring. But the low calorie/high protein nature of chicken just makes it too good to ignore.

What are some other good protein sources that don't have any 'catches'?
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Replies

  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    edited October 2014
    Lean beef.

    Pork is not only ham and bacon.

    High mercury only a concern with long living fish. Even then its only a problem if you eat it too often or are pregnant.

    There is shellfish, wild game (elk, buffalo, deer)

    Other poultry (turkey, duck)

    Rabbit is great also if you can find it.

    Plus tons of vegetarian sources.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    There are lean cuts of beef. You can even buy lean hamburger (97%). People assume ground turkey is leaner than beef....read labels. Ground turkey can be leaner but that's not always the case.

    There are also lean cuts of pork that aren't cured (sodium).

    Is there a medical reason you need to watch saturated fats and sodium? Saturated fat is not the demon it was once thought to be. Dietary fat doesn't make you fat and it's nutritionally necessary.

    I like cottage cheese and Greek yogurt. You can go low sodium cottage cheese if needed. Greek often comes in 2% and fat free.

    Eggs ....or egg whites if you need to watch saturated fat.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    edited October 2014
    Go back and re-read your first line...

    "too much of it"

    That's the key.

    1 serving a day is rarely going to be a problem for a normal, healthy person. Add in the fact that you won't likely be eating 1 serving a day every day for any extended period of time and the "risk" drops even further.


    But to your question... if you're worried about fat, sodium, etc, then I'm not sure there is a "no-catch" protein. Protein powders, maybe, but I'm sure there's some study somewhere that will claim some issue with that, too.
  • dgroulx
    dgroulx Posts: 159 Member
    Try ground buffalo. Tasty and low in fat. Pork chops are good and so are pork stews. Nothing like a good vindaloo.
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
    jacksonpt wrote: »
    Go back and re-read your first line...

    "too much of it"

    That's the key.

    1 serving a day is rarely going to be a problem for a normal, healthy person. Add in the fact that you won't likely be eating 1 serving a day every day for any extended period of time and the "risk" drops even further.


    But to your question... if you're worried about fat, sodium, etc, then I'm not sure there is a "no-catch" protein. Protein powders, maybe, but I'm sure there's some study somewhere that will claim some issue with that, too.

    Exactly.
    There is no 'catch' unless you eat it like it's going out of style, and even then, it's debatable what exactly will happen.
    Meh.

    To spread your risk, and thereby minimize risk, eat in moderation, all of the above listed proteins and re-frame what the 'catch' is.

  • nicsflyingcircus
    nicsflyingcircus Posts: 2,365 Member
    I eat red meat (85% lean ground beef, ribeye, strip steak, etc), pork (bacon, tenderloin, chops, ham), chicken (pretty much any of it, except the organs, white meat, dark meat, skin on or off), fish (tuna, tilapia, snapper, whatever, you get the idea). I'll eat turkey at thanksgiving, dark meat all the way!

    It's about picking and choosing and making what you want fit your calories and macros. Today I will eat(or have already eaten) bacon, eggs and *gasp* steak. Course I will also eat (or have already eaten) mushrooms, spinach, yellow beans and cauliflower!

    Try not to over-think everything. :D
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    Tilapia fish is low in mercury (i have heard) because it doesnt take long to raise them. I think the perfect proteins are beans and eggs, personally, but that could be just a taste preference.
  • You can de-salt your bacon you know:

    http://www.kitchenbutterfly.com/how-to/de-salt-bacon/

  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    You can find a 'catch' about any food, if you look hard enough. Chicken can have salmonella.
  • TechNerd42
    TechNerd42 Posts: 225 Member
    Wild Pacific Salmon are low mercury and you can eat as much as you want. I eat about a can a day (some days I go with something else, but most days it's easiest.) Apparently mercury is higher in Atlantic farmed fish.
  • desweds
    desweds Posts: 126 Member
    Shrimp. Scallops. Shrimp and Scallops.

    Did I mention I love shrimp?
  • EzRemake wrote: »
    ...

    What are some other good protein sources that don't have any 'catches'?

    Shrimp and scallops are very low in fat/high in protein. Canned tuna, too but you have to watch out for salt/mercury. Also, most chicken breasts (unless you specifically buy 'natural') are usually plumped with brine before sold - it increases the price and your sodium intake.

  • 50sFit
    50sFit Posts: 712 Member
    edited October 2014
    Every food has a catch when you eat too much. Even too much water can kill you.
    SOLUTION: eat enough but not too much.
  • desweds
    desweds Posts: 126 Member
    You can de-salt your bacon you know:

    http://www.kitchenbutterfly.com/how-to/de-salt-bacon/

    Noooooooooooooooo!
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I eat red meat (85% lean ground beef, ribeye, strip steak, etc), pork (bacon, tenderloin, chops, ham), chicken (pretty much any of it, except the organs, white meat, dark meat, skin on or off), fish (tuna, tilapia, snapper, whatever, you get the idea). I'll eat turkey at thanksgiving, dark meat all the way!

    It's about picking and choosing and making what you want fit your calories and macros. Today I will eat(or have already eaten) bacon, eggs and *gasp* steak. Course I will also eat (or have already eaten) mushrooms, spinach, yellow beans and cauliflower!

    Try not to over-think everything. :D

    I agree with this (except I also like chicken livers). Lamb, venison, goat, duck, etc., are also options.

    My favorite lower calorie protein source is low fat dairy, though, since it's so easy to add to any meal.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,951 Member
    EzRemake wrote: »
    What are some other good protein sources that don't have any 'catches'?
    Pork.
    Lamb.
    Lean Beef
    Bison.
    Deer.
    Oceanic Fish low on the food chain.
    Reptiles.
    Chicken.
    Wild Duck.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
    Bison, if you can get it! Very low fat.
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
    Greek Yogurt I like 2 percent plain fage
  • claraoswold
    claraoswold Posts: 89 Member
    edited October 2014
    Lean beef
    Venison
    Buffalo

    Also if you make your own cheese you'll have some leftover whey. I hear it's good for you but I have no clue how to prepare or consume it.