Beans, pulses, fish, eggs & meat

Protein is found in a wide range of foods such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, seeds and pulses such as chickpeas, beans and lentils.

These foods are all good sources of protein, vitamins and minerals including iron. They provide us with important nutrients for building and repairing muscles and tissues in our body. Protein can also be used as a source of energy.

We should aim to eat 2–3 portions a day and 2 portions of fish, 1 of which is oily fish, per week.

Healthy choices of protein

For meat, try to choose leaner meats such as chicken, turkey or goat. Trim any visible fat off of meat and go for skinless chicken to reduce the fat content.

The other animal sources of protein can be found in eggs and dairy products such as paneer and yoghurt. It's important to remember that dairy products can be high in fat and sugar so stick to lower fat and sugar options where possible.

White fish is a good source of protein and is low in fat. Oily fish such as salmon, tuna steaks or mackerel is important in the diet as it provides our body with omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for our health. 

Plant based foods such as lentils, beans, chickpeas and seeds are naturally very low in fat and high in protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. 

You can use these to bulk out dishes and replace some of the meat in dishes such as curries or stews. 

What should we limit?

We should try and cut down on our intake of red and processed meat like bacon, ham and sausages. They can contain a lot of saturated fat and salt, both of which we want to reduce in our diet. Reducing your meat intake and replacing it with plant based sources of protein such as lentils, beans and chickpeas is also a good way to keep food costs down as they tend to be much cheaper than meat.