Teenage is the time when the human body undergoes changes rapidly, thus increasing your teen’s energy and nutritional demands. It is beneficial to include high protein foods for teens in their diet to promote healthy body growth and nourish their skin and hair. In addition, the right amount of protein can boost the immune system and keep diseases and infections at bay. Teenagers often get swayed by a fast lifestyle and pick up the wrong food habits. Missing meals and frequently indulging in junk food can cause long-term harm to their body. In this post, we have put together a list of the best protein-rich foods that can meet your teen’s protein needs. So, keep scrolling and choose some for your child
High Protein Foods For Teens
1. Yogurt:
Yogurt doesn’t sound like a good idea? Well, it is an excellent source of protein. A pack of yogurt contains about 11 grams of protein. Bonus: Looking to grab your teen’s attention and tempt her to eat yogurt? Tell her that snacking on Greek yogurt reduces hunger and can help lose weight (1). How To Serve: To make yogurt more tempting, serve it with fresh fruits.
2. Cheese:
You won’t have much trouble getting your teen to try it. Cheese is popular with children and is a good source of protein. An ounce of cheese contains 7 grams of protein. How To Serve: Garnish your teen’s favorite dish with shredded cheese or make a cheese sandwich.
3. Beans:
How do you get your teen to try beans? For one, tell her that one cup of dry beans contains about 16 grams of protein. Use your creativity and make beans a staple in her diet. Bonus: Regular intake of beans reduces the risk of breast cancer by 24% (2). How To Serve: Does your teen have a favorite soup or stew recipe? Just add some beans into the dish. You can also make a healthy, yummy salad using beans.
4. Lentils:
Lentils are among the healthiest foods available in the world. ½ a cup of lentils contains about 9 grams of protein. Bonus: If you are a vegetarian family, lentils are the perfect choice for your teen. Lentils are as good a source of protein as meat (3). How To Serve: Pair lentils with vegetable soup or pasta salad.
5. Peanut butter:
It’s hard to find a teenager who does not love peanut butter. A serving of peanut butter contains 8 grams of protein. Bonus: Peanut butter, apart from tasting heavenly, can also prevent diabetes (4). How To Serve: Nothing can beat the taste and goodness of a peanut butter sandwich. You can also serve peanut butter with an apple as a snack option.
6. Lean meat:
Here is another popular source of protein. Three ounces of lean meat provides 21 grams of protein. Bonus: Lean meat is a great way to keep your teen’s heart healthy (5). How To Serve: Grill the beef and serve with steamed vegetables. You can also serve lean meat with baked potato or whole grain pasta.
7. Fish:
Fish like tuna and salmon is another nutritious source of protein. Fish contains 15 gram to 30 grams of protein. Bonus: If your teen is trying to lose weight, fish will help (6). How To Serve: Use low-fat mayonnaise with fish of your choice and add chopped onions and fresh dill. Use this as a healthy sandwich spread.
8. Chicken:
Chicken is an all time favorite among teens. So, you shouldn’t have much difficulty serving your teen healthy chicken dishes. Chicken contains about 27 grams of protein. Bonus: Is your teen complaining of fatigue, try giving her the essence of chicken to beat it (7). How To Serve: Use shredded chicken as fillings for tacos, burritos or enchiladas.
9. Eggs:
Eggs are tasty and nutritious. An egg contains about 6 grams of protein. The best part about eggs is that they are easy to cook and eat! They are the best protein for teenagers. Bonus: Eggs contain DHA that can help increase your teen’s cognitive abilities (8). How To Serve: Does your teen like salads? Add a hard boiled egg and make the salad extra nutritious. You can also serve scrambled eggs for breakfast.
10. Milk:
Most teens dislike milk with a vengeance. But try and get her to drink a glass of milk every day. A glass of milk contains about 9 grams of protein. Bonus: Regular and moderate intake of milk can help improve bone health and prevent the risk of developing high blood pressure (9). How To Serve: If milk is a no-go for your teen, try smoothies. It is the best way to ensure your teen enjoys the goodness of milk and fruits.
