High protein?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.