6 Tips to add more protein in your day (and digest it well!)

There is tons of hype now around getting sufficient protein, and this hype is definitely valid (but like everything, it requires some customization). READ MORE HERE.

I personally have found adding more protein in my day has helped me naturally lose my postpartum baby weight in a healthy, gradual way while keeping my energy strong and cravings at bay.

However, it’s not just about the amount of protein we consume, but also the quality of the protein, and how well we digest it. Often times if we focus on only consuming tons of animal protein, it can be harder to digest and we might not reap the full benefits. Varying your sources of protein (from both animal and plant sources, and ideally organic) is key to help you get a good variety of nutrients and help you have better digestibilty, too.

I’ve shared my thoughts on how much protein we need, and some examples of how I get my 100 grams+ of protein per day (which when I’m pregnant or breastfeeding is closer to 120-140 grams per day). This will vary per person and lifestyle.

If you suspect you may be getting insufficient protein and find yourself wanting to try increasing your daily protein intake - in a healthy way that supports your digestion - then I suggest you start by applying some of these 6 easy tips.

Here are my 6 tips to help you increase your protein in a way that can also be easy to digest and help boost your metabolism and energy.

  1. INCLUDE PROTEIN IN YOUR DRINKS. Add a scoop of unflavored collagen peptides to your coffee or matcha. This not only adds protein, but it also makes your latte creamier and delicious, and even more important, adding collagen to your coffee/matcha helps support your hormonal health as it helps to decrease any spike in your cortisol or blood sugar from the caffeine.

  2. INCLUDE PROTEIN IN YOUR SNACKS. Make sure your snacks are high protein. Some of my favorite options include:

    1. Two hard boiled eggs with turkey slices (or smoked salmon or cottage cheese)

    2. Turkey slices filled with hummus and microgreens

    3. High protein seed crackers with avocado and 1 egg (or seed crackers with hummus)

    4. Easy wild-caught salmon or tuna salad (1/2 can should be enough for snack) and I love to make it with with some diced celery, sunflower seeds and 1/2 date chopped mixed in

    5. Greek yogurt with almond butter and a few berries (if dairy-free, add collagen or unflavored protein to your vegan yogurt)

  3. ADD PROTEIN TO YOUR DESSERTS. Try using protein powder (vanilla or chocolate) as part of the base of whatever dessert you’re making. I actually omit sweeteners in my desserts (I limit amount of honey or maple syrup or dates) and instead I sweeten with protein powder. I also love using tofu or cottage cheese for a thick and creamy chocolate mousse, or for other no-bake fudge desserts (check out instagram for inspiration!) and I always use both nut butters, seeds, and again protein powder.

  4. MAKE BONE BROTH YOUR BEST FRIEND. Use bone broth to cook grains, beans/legumes, and always as a base for any vegetable soup. This adds protein, collagen and extra nutrients, and is amazing for your gut health.

  5. INCLUDE A PROTEIN SMOOTHIE IN YOUR DAY, as it’s such an easy-to-digest option that provides wonderful opportuniies to add in extra protein and superfoods. Apart from adding a full serving of vegan protein powder, I also like to include spirulina (or microgreens) for some extra protein, as well as a small serving of seeds and nut butters.

  6. DOUBLE UP ON VEGETARIAN PROTEIN SOURCES. When having a vegetarian meal in general, use 2 sources of protein. For ex.

    1. If having eggs, include 2-3 eggs with veggies, plus 1) 2-4 tablespoons cheese, such as cottage cheese or parmesan that are higher in protein (nutritional yeast or vegan parm if you’re dairy-free), 2) 2-4 tablespoons of beans, lentils or chicpeas, 3) 2-4 ounces of turkey or bacon or salmon;

    2. If having a vegan soup, add some seeds and nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese (and if you’re not vegetarian per se, use some bone broth) and maybe accompany it with slice of high protein “keto” bread and cheese;

    3. If having a warm veggie bowl, add seeds, legumes (beans or lentils or chickpeas, or hummus!) and microgreens.

    4. If having avocado toast: add a sprinkle of hemp seeds, 2 eggs or smoked salmon, and microgreens.

    5. If having a vegetarian stir-fry or curry or lasagna, add some organic tofu or tempeh. Also adding a sprinkle of seeds, nutritional yeast and/or microgreeens at the end is a great way to add another small boost of protein.

Also, I definitely suggest experimenting with digestive enzymes with meals that are very protein-heavy (especially if it’s a meal rich in animal protein, or combining two different proteins, which can be harder to digest).

These are the six easy ways that I have learned to up my protein intake without having to eat more than 4 to 6 ounces of animal protein at a time (as more than 7 ounces is usually too heavy for my digestion).

Remember, you are what you eat and furthermore, you are what you DIGEST. So including a wide variety of protein sources and making sure you are properly digesting your nutrients is just as important as including enough grams of protein. Applying my tips will help you get more protein AND absorb it well, to reap all the wonderful benefits!

Love and Protein,

Mariana