10 Foods You Never Knew Had THIS Much Protein!

There are obvious high protein foods and then there are those that you never knew had this much protein. In this video, I am going to show you 10 foods that have a lot more dietary protein than you may have ever expected and fit perfectly in to any bodybuilding diet for those looking to build more muscle.

Now we all know that protein is required to build muscle, but how much exactly? Research is mixed and suggests anywhere between .5 grams and 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight. We like to make the recommendation of .7-1 gram for most people. That said, the traditional choices of chicken, beef, fish, eggs and milk are not only obvious but sometimes not permitted in people’s meal plans depending on their style of eating. These 10 undercover proteins provide amazingly potent alternatives that can either substitute or supplement the high protein diet you are already eating. Let’s break them down one by one.

First up, we have whole wheat pasta. While traditionally labeled a carbohydrate, whole wheat pasta provides 7.5 grams of protein per cup. Now, a cup of pasta really doesn’t take up much room on the plate, so we can likely double that number, bringing the protein content up to 15 grams. For someone trying to build muscle, including this protein source is a great idea.

While whole wheat pasta is an incomplete protein, we can pair it with another to fill in the gaps all the while driving up that protein content. The perfect pairing? Green peas. Peas have 4 grams of protein per .5 cup, which also doesn’t take up much room on the plate. Putting these two together will help to boost any bodybuilding diet that is being used for more muscle growth.

A less sneaky source of protein, but certainly one that is higher in content than you might’ve expected, is parmesan cheese. With 11 grams per ounce, that’s significantly higher than the 6 grams found in cheddar cheese.

Another protein source that you might not have expected to have as much as it does is spinach. That’s right, Popeye’s favorite food is a potent muscle builder, packing 5.5 grams of protein in a cup of cooked spinach. The fact is, if you’re eating to build more muscle, you’ll want to include this leafy green in your diet, too.

We all know that nuts and seeds are a solid source of protein, but did you know that pumpkin seeds have the most? A whopping 8 grams per ounce! Not only that, but pumpkin seeds are one of the most cost effective sources of proteins in comparison to other nuts and seeds.

Dairy is an obvious source of protein, but there is one dairy product that might be higher than you think: cottage cheese. With 30 grams of protein per cup, cottage cheese should find its way into your meal plan as you look to build muscle.

Another food that is traditionally looked at as a carbohydrate but contains a surprising amount of protein in it is quinoa. Not only does it contain 8 grams per cup, but it is also a complete protein. This is an important factor to consider when choosing protein sources as alternatives or supplements to your current protein intake.

A food that is high in protein that you might not have thought of, is edamame. While soy is often debated on its health benefits and drawbacks, it is commonly agreed that natural soy is better than processed soy. Edamame is not only a natural soy product, but it is a complete protein, and packs 21 grams of protein per cup!

If you want to start your day off right with a meal that will help you build muscle, I suggest adding oatmeal to your morning routine. You might not have known that oatmeal contains 8-9 grams of protein per only .5 cup. Add in the fact that you can add further protein sources such as milk, nuts, or even protein powder.

One of the most powerful alternative protein sources is lentils. Lentils contain 18 grams of protein per cup and not only that, but also packs 16 grams of fiber in that same cup. This protein source is not one to be overlooked as it will provide plenty of benefits to any bodybuilding diet.

Last, but certainly not least, is the food source with the most protein on the planet - spirulina. Containing 57 grams of protein per 100 grams, there is no other food that concentrated. Adding it to a shake is quick and and easy way to get the most protein possible.

For more videos on how to eat to build muscle and get ripped all year long, be sure to subscribe to our channel here on YouTube below and turn on your notifications so you never miss a video when it’s published.

[blanco-fdix]

1 -  Pasta 5.8g / 100g 1:10
2 - Peas 5.4g / 100 gr 1:54
3 - Parmesan Reggiano 40g / 100g 2:40
4 - Spinach 3g / 100g 3:47
5 - Pumpkin seeds 30g / 100g, someone says 19g / 100g 4:37
6 - Cottage cheese 13g / 100g 5:36
7 - Quinoa 4.4g / 100g 6:40
8 - Edamame 8g / 100g (can't find any edamame with 21g per cup, usually there is 18g) 7:24
9 - Outmeal 12.5g / 100g (Quaker Oats) 8:16
10 - Lentils 9g / 100g 9:05
11 - Spirulina 57g / 100g 9:37
I would add
Soy flakes 41g / 100g
Hemp 32g / 100g (Cannabis sativa seeds)
Chia seeds 17g / 100g
Chickpeas 8.9g / 100g
Kidney beans 8.7g / 100g

[amirs]

1- pasta : 1:10
2- peas : 1:54
3- parmesan reggiano : 2:40
4- spinach : 3:47
5- pumpkin seeds : 4:37
6- cottage cheese : 5:36
7- quinoa : 6:40
8- edamame : 7:24
9- oatmeal : 8:16
10- lentils : 9:05
BONUS : spirulina : 9:37

[gamerboyali]

1- pasta : 1:10
2- peas : 1:54
3- parmesan reggiano : 2:40
4- spinach : 3:47
5- pumpkin seeds : 4:37
6- cottage cheese : 5:36
7- quinoa : 6:40
8- edamame : 7:24
9- oatmeal : 8:16
10- lentils : 9:05
BONUS : spirulina : 9:37

[MaxDooDat]

Lentils can also be used as sprouts. In fact, they have (by far) the best sprouting success rate of any legume that I have tried. Almost every one of them sprouts. It takes about 4 or 5 days until they are ready once you initially soak them. Start with 1/2 cup of lentils in a 1 quart container and fill it halfway with water. When fully sprouted they will fill out the container. Soak for 2 days at the beginning. Flush them with fresh water once every day until they are fully sprouted. When I begin to see the first sign of leaves forming, I refrigerate them in a closed container to slow their growth. Then flush them once every 2 days as you use them up. They can literally be added to almost any dish; smoothies, salads, stews, soups, etc. I always add them in raw after any meal cooking is done. Whole, natural food that is full of nutrients.

[BauNRD]

I just wanted to say thank you. I know it's your Job and you earn money by it, but you did something really amazing to me, that no one ever managed before. While I don't agree with your personal body philosophy for myself, you actually managed to motivate me beyond the point of my initial impulse to become stronger, more flexible and lose a little weight.

I really like how you're not apologetic and even kind of confrontational without the intent to harm anyone. Sugarcoating reality helps no one, right? And coming back to your physique: It's amazing! Showing me on your perfectly ripped body which exercises work which muscles is more than intuitive and while I don't think I'll ever bring up that amount of passion for my physique, I'm really impressed by how you make me think I could get as ripped as you, if I'd put enough work into it.

Looking at close to 15 million well deserved subscribers, you'll probably won't even read my comment, but I like to think that you do and enjoy the feeling of having helped a former couch potato to get his glutes up and train for a stable and strong body. I'd say I'm half way through and I'm starting to really like myself again. I know, I did that, but you helped a lot! And even when I'm finally at the point where I'll mostly train to keep my body in shape rather than to change it, I'll look up what new tips and tricks you got for me. :)

Again, my utmost respect for your life's work, your body and a big thank you!

[photog]

I've recently switched my oatmeal to organic. I always used Quaker oatmeal in the past, but there have been reports that most familiar products made from oats (in the US) contain traces of a chemical that is used to keep the oat plants upright and not falling over so more can be harvested with less losses. Some products that were specifically mentioned in the study were Quaker Oats and Cheerios cereal.

[EmptyHavok]

- whole wheat pasta
- with peas
- grated parmesan reggiano cheese
- spinach (shoutout to Popeye)
- pumpkin seeds (also inexpensive)
- cottage cheese (try adding cinnamon)
- quinoa
- edamame
- oatmeal (can add milk, nuts, powder)
- lentils (also high in fiber)
- spirulina (most concentrated)

[PoipoiFR]

"You might be thinking to yourself: How much is an ounce? Well, it's 1/5th of a 5-ounce bag of seeds"
As a European (or really anyone outside of the USA) watching this: BRUH.

[craerae]

My easy simple diet:
1)5 eggs Omlette w bread (35g)
2) 500ml milk (15g) w 1 scoop whey powder (25g) = Total 40g
3) Chicken Breast, Rice (35g) or tuna can/Bread (40g)
4)and cottage cheese 0 fat. 30g w banana or some fruit

[someonecool]

A lot of people focus on the amount of protein but quality matter too. 'Protein' is actually a number of amino acids, the most important of which, are the 9 essential amino acids are: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Essential amino acids are amino acids that humans cannot make, so we have to get it from food.

Most plant sources are lacking in the amino acid methionine and also lysine.

There is a score called the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS) that measures protein quality, and most plant protein sources have lower DIAAS than animal sources. The DIAAS takes into account the amounts of different amino acids that make up a 'complete' protein.
Chick peas are probably the best sources of plant protein in the terms of DIAAS .
Wheat is actually one of the poorest quality plant sources of protein.

Not my video, but this video goes into protein quality a lot:

[Shiftyy]

A lot of these, including cottage cheese, lentils, peas, and spinach are frequently found within the Indian cuisine. If you guys are looking for ways to cook these options, I’d highly recommend learning various Indian foods that incorporate the protein options.

[onthehighCs]

great list! Broccoli is a protein powerhouse also. 9 grams of protein for just 75 calories. That's 3 servings that also leaves plenty of room on your plate.

[Iamwrongbut]

In my opinion, lentils are the greatest plant based protein on earth. And as a bonus they are ridiculously cheap and easy to cook

[TopStrikerMaverick]

I love how Jeff isn’t too pushy about his supplements at all, talks about them very naturally and not for too long like some you tubers

[shonemarcus]

Cheers to #1 hell of a trainer, healthy life coach. Godspeed my virtual mentor.

[EdwinPohan]

Mung beans is definitely one of the most underrated source of protein. For my fellow South East Asians here, these made into special porridges are one of the best tasting and also nutrition dense food anywhere.

[morishogo]

Hemp seeds contain all 10 essential amino acids and are a rich protein source. This makes hemp seeds and products using hemp seeds a good protein source for people following a vegan diet. Per 100 g, hemp seeds contain more than 30 g of protein

[courtney]

This video became my grocery list. I love this channel and Jeff is a great guy and is changing lives 💪🏼 Thank you this was so helpful!

[yeddy_da_deddy]

1. Wholewheat pasta
2. Peas
3. Cheese, grated parmesean
4. Spinach
5. Pumpkin seeds
6. Full fat cottage cheese
7. Quinoa
8. Soybeans
9. Oatmeal
10. Lentils

[CrouchingGrandpa]

Cups, grams, pounds, ounces and servings.
This is why y'all need the metric system.
Protein content is measured in grams per 100 grams.