FIVE WAYS TO...

GET MORE PROTEIN INTO YOUR DIET (WITHOUT EATING MEAT)

HIGH-PROTEIN diets are everywhere right now. As well as aiding weight loss and helping build lean muscle, protein is important for your health: it can help you to feel more energetic and fuller for longer, as well as supporting bone health and assisting hormone production.

And with the recent rise of vegetarianism and veganism, more of us than ever are looking at alternative ways to stock up on the macronutrient.

Holland & Barrett nutritionist Emily Rollason tells us how get more protein into our diet.

1. Start your day on an egg

“A SINGLE egg contains more than six grams of protein, plus essential amino acids, vitamins A, E and B12. Try combining two boiled eggs with asparagus wrapped in Parma ham for a weekend brunch treat.”

2. Snack on seeds

“TAKE a note out of Victoria Beckham’s book. Her afternoon treat is sunflower seeds doused in liquid aminos (a gluten-free alternative to soy sauce),” says Emily. “Each handful racks up an extra five grams of protein and they are packed with essential fatty acids and micronutrients such as magnesium, which helps regulate blood sugar levels.”

3. Go Greek

“LOW-FAT yoghurts can be packed with artificial sweeteners,” says Emily. “Fill up on Greek yoghurt instead. It’s packed with protein and can be made sweet with berries, or added to savoury dishes to add richness.”

4. Rethink your drink

TRY a high-protein iced coffee to start your morning like Get Nourished (£2.99; Holland and Barrett), which delivers 25g of protein per bottle – around the equivalent of a steak.”

5. Discover ‘nooch’

AS an alternative to cheese, nutritional yeast – or ‘nooch’ – could be exactly what you need. “Use it to stock up on six grams of protein per serving compared to a mere two in Parmesan cheese,” says Emily. “You also might want to try garnishing your next batch of popcorn with ‘nooch’ to give yourself a cheesy, protein-filled boost.”