Benefits Of Protein For Women + High Protein Meal Plan

The benefits of protein are impressive, especially for women and hormone health. It offers numerous benefits, including weight loss, increased muscle mass, and boosted energy. Today, we’re discussing how increasing your protein intake can improve your overall health, alleviate menopause symptoms, the recommended amount of protein, and the best sources of protein.

My high-protein recipes are a great starting point for inspiration. Additionally, I share a sample daily menu to help you achieve a daily protein goal of 100g or more.  Continue reading to learn more about this vital macronutrient and grab your free high-protein grocery list!

Everyone is talking about protein, but my experience started long before it was trendy. In fact, I wrote a post about my menopause journey and how increasing my protein was one of the things that had a profound effect on how I felt and my weight. 

Like so many other women going through menopause and perimenopause, my first symptom of menopause was weight gain. Healthy eating, walking, and working out were not yielding results, but as soon as I started incorporating 100+ grams of protein into my daily diet, the numbers on the scale began to decrease rapidly. That was nearly two years ago, and the weight has not returned. In fact, the only time my weight starts to creep up is when I’m not getting enough protein. I gave my body what it needed, and it responded quickly, bringing me to my next point.

Health and wellness are not one-size-fits-all. What works for me may not work for you. This isn’t medical advice. I’m sharing my journey with protein and how it helped me feel my best, in hopes that it will help you. Be sure to scroll all the way to the end for your free high-protein grocery list PDF!

Benefits Of Protein For Women

Let’s understand why it’s necessary. Protein is a vital macronutrient essential for maintaining overall health. The body needs protein to build muscle, repair tissue, boost metabolism, control appetite, and more.

You don’t have to be a menopausal woman to appreciate this post. The benefits of a high-protein diet apply to everyone. Athletes, bodybuilders, anyone struggling with their weight, older adults, people recovering from illness or injury, pregnant and breastfeeding women, vegetarians, and vegans can benefit from increasing their protein intake.

Lastly, I have numerous high-protein recipes on the site. Some of my favorites are my cottage cheese bowls, homemade Italian chicken sausage, and high-protein chicken salad recipes!

Benefits Of Eating Protein

• Protein Builds Muscle Mass. Protein is the building block of muscle growth and repair. As women age, they tend to lose muscle mass, particularly after menopause. Incorporating protein, along with strength training, can help.
• Eating Protein Keeps You Full. Protein triggers hunger-related hormones that signal your brain that you’re full while decreasing the hormone that stimulates hunger. It also takes longer to digest carbohydrates, slowing gastric emptying. This means that food stays in your stomach longer, prolonging the feeling of fullness. Below is a list of my go-to high-protein foods.
• Protein Gives You Energy. Carbohydrates can give you an instant surge of energy, but they can also give you a “crash” where you’ll feel tired and hungry. Protein helps stabilize blood sugar by slowing digestion, leading to more steady, sustained energy.
• Eating Protein Burns Fat. Digesting protein requires more energy than carbohydrates or fats. During digestion, protein burns 20 to 30% of its calories compared to 5 to 10% for carbohydrates and 0 to 3% for fats. Eating more protein literally means you’re burning more calories.

How Much Protein Do You Really Need?

• Many online tools can help you calculate your needs, but the recommended amount for basic survival is 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight. The recommended amount of protein for muscle gain, which is my goal during perimenopause and beyond, is 0.73–1.0 grams of protein per pound of body weight. I aim for one gram of protein per pound of body weight, which is straightforward math. Below, you’ll find a simple food plan for consuming 100 grams of protein per day, along with some protein-rich food ideas.

What Are The Best Sources Of Protein?

The best protein sources are the ones you will actually eat! Read that again.

We won’t know the benefits of protein if we aren’t actually getting it, and I have found that the easier it is, the more likely we are to stick to it. I’m sharing my favorites below—the foods I always have on hand. I focus on easy protein sources that are either ready-to-eat or require minimal effort.

On The Go Protein Options

Here are some of my favorite high-protein snacks. Sometimes, you need something you can grab and run out the door!

• Righteous Felon Meat Sticks – the best, period!
• Protein Bars – I love TRUBAR. They’re high in protein and fiber.
• Nuts. I snack on almonds, walnuts, or cashews every day. 
• Cheese. I cut my favorite cheeses into cubes for quick snacks!

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Clean Protein Powder

Protein powder is one of the easiest options for easy, high-protein meals. It receives a lot of criticism, and I don’t understand why. It’s a quick and easy way to reach your protein goals. You can add it to smoothies and yogurt bowls, make your own protein drinks for on-the-go, mix it into oatmeal, and even add it to baked goods like muffins and pancakes. Some have a long list of questionable ingredients, and it took me a long time to find one that tasted great with clean ingredients. This is my favorite brand, and they have several different flavors. In fact, I hated protein powder until I found this one. 

Greek Yogurt

Protein isn’t the only benefit of Greek yogurt. It’s a fantastic source of probiotics, provided you purchase a high-quality product. I eat Greek yogurt almost every day. A six-ounce serving offers between 15 and 18 grams of protein. Many people are surprised to learn that regular yogurt has very little protein. Choose Greek yogurt or skyr for the highest protein content, and read the labels carefully to ensure you’re getting the most protein, as amounts can vary significantly from brand to brand. Greek yogurt can be used in yogurt parfaits, smoothies, sauces, dressings, and baking, like the two-ingredient bagels and flatbread. 

Cottage Cheese

Next is everyone’s favorite ingredient, including mine. Cottage cheese is an excellent source of protein, and I eat it daily. I love it so much that I’ve dedicated a whole blog post to my favorite savory cottage cheese bowls and another one to how to cook with it. Just 1/2 cup provides 14 grams of protein! It’s savory, creamy, and delicious. I use it to make comelets and cottage cheese toast, and add it to my egg bites. You can also use it in chicken salad, dressings, breakfast bowls, sauces, and pasta salad. My favorite way to eat it is alongside scrambled eggs with bagel seasoning on top. I use cottage cheese in many recipes as a lazy way to get protein.

Canned Meat

Canned meats, such as tuna, salmon, sardines, and anchovies, are, indeed, excellent sources of protein. Furthermore, they offer convenient and long-lasting meal options. This brand of tuna is our go-to, and we use it to make tuna salad with endless variations. My high-protein tuna pasta salad is hugely popular both on the blog and on Pinterest. Tuna casserole, fried rice with tuna, and tuna pasta with olives and tomatoes are some of our other favorites. The protein amount will vary from brand to brand, but most tuna gives you around 20 grams per 3 ounces.

Beans For Protein

Not only are beans a great source of protein, but they’re also high in fiber and nutrients. They’re incredibly versatile. You can eat them raw in salads or cooked in soups, one-pan meals, and casseroles. I always have a variety of beans, like cannellini beans, kidney beans, and lentils, in my pantry. My Italian cannellini bean salad takes ten minutes to make and is DE-lish!

Cheese

Cheese is an excellent source of protein, and with endless choices, you won’t get bored! Parmesan cheese is my all-time favorite. Just one ounce provides 10 grams of protein! Whether eaten as a snack, sprinkled over tacos, or melted into lasagna, cheese is, in fact, an excellent choice for adding extra protein. Here are some popular varieties and their protein amounts.

• Parmesan: 1 oz = 10 grams of protein
• Cheddar: 1 oz = 7 grams of protein
• Gouda: 1 oz = 7 grams of protein
• Mozzarella: 1 oz = 7 grams of protein
• Provolone: 1 oz = 7 grams of protein
• Blue Cheese: 1 oz = 6 grams of protein
• Feta: 1 oz = 4 grams of protein
• Ricotta: 1/2 cup = 4 grams of protein

Peas and Edamame

I’m never without a bag of peas or edamame in my freezer. They are both fantastic protein sources—one cup of peas provides 8 grams of protein, and one cup of edamame provides 17 grams. They’re also high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. You can eat them on their own as a snack, add them to salads, or incorporate them into soups, curries, rice bowls, and cottage cheese dishes. We love them in this shrimp rice bowl, and my husband’s favorite is the orzo pasta salad.

Toppings

The nutritional benefits and protein in toppings and garnishes should not be overlooked. A few tablespoons of hemp seeds sprinkled on a salad add 10 grams of protein. Nutritional yeast mixed into your macaroni and cheese adds 8 grams of protein and a significant amount of B vitamins. Parmesan cheese can be snacked on and grated on top of pasta, salads, or soups, and you can even make crackers. One ounce provides 10 grams of protein! Condiments can be made with whipped cottage cheese and yogurt for extra protein. Store-bought high-protein granola sprinkled on top of ice cream or yogurt bowls adds protein and fiber. Toppings aren’t just for looks. They can add flavor, texture, and additional protein!

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What Are Some High-Protein Snacks?

Now that I’ve shared the benefits of protein, let’s explore some easy ways to incorporate it into your diet. Add these to your high-protein grocery list and start incorporating a few options into your daily routine. Below, I’ve provided a sample day of eating to get 100 grams of protein with little effort.

• Greek yogurt
• Cottage cheese cups
• Hard-boiled eggs or egg bites (like Starbucks)
• Roasted chickpeas
• String cheese or cheese cubes
• Protein bars (these are my favorite) and protein shakes
• Mixed nuts and seeds (almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds)
• Nut butter packets (peanut, almond)
• Roasted chickpeas
• Edamame (I always have a bag of shelled edamame in my freezer!)
• Tuna and salmon (canned or portable packets)
• Beef or turkey jerky (or plant-based jerky)
• Hummus with veggie sticks or crackers
• High-protein milk (like Fairlife)
• Overnight oats or chia pudding
• Sugar-free peanut butter powder

15 Sources Of Protein For Vegetarians

• Lentils and chickpeas
• Beans (black beans, kidney beans, etc.)
• Tofu or tempeh
• Edamame (roasted edamame is perfect for portable snacks)
• Quinoa, amaranth, or spelt
• Cottage cheese (typically not made with rennet)
• Oats + oat milk protein powder
• Milk (fortified plant-based)
• Eggs (if lacto-ovo vegetarian)
• Nuts and seeds (almonds, Pumpkin seeds, etc…)
• Nut butter + peanut butter powder
• Green peas + pea protein
• Chia seeds, flaxseeds, or hemp seeds
• Greek yogurt (vegetarian, not vegan)
• Plant-based protein bars

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How Can I Get 100 Grams of Protein a Day?

Here’s an idea of what a full day of high-protein eating might look like with minimal effort, so you can easily reap the benefits.

Breakfast: Greek Yogurt Protein Bowl

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (20 grams of protein
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (22 grams of protein)
• 1/4 cup high-fiber granola (8 grams of protein)
• Total protein = 50 grams
• ** For additional flavor, texture, fiber, and nutrients, add hemp or chia seeds, fruit, and/or almond butter

Snack: Protein Bar

• I love TRUBAR! They average 12 grams of protein and just as much fiber!
• Total protein = 12 grams

Lunch: Tuna Salad

• 1 5.2-ounce can of tuna (22 grams of protein)
• 3 tbsp Greek yogurt (4 grams of protein)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• Serve on 2 pieces of crispbread (3 grams of protein per piece)
• Total protein = 32 grams
• ** Add veggies for volume and fiber.

Snack: Cottage Cheese + Fruit or Veggies

• 1/2 cup cottage cheese (14 grams of protein)
• Total protein = 14 grams
• ** Enjoy with your favorite fruit or veggies.

Dinner: Rotisserie Chicken with Roasted Veggies

• 6 ounces of rotisserie chicken (42 grams of protein)
• Total protein = 42 grams (possibly more, depending on sides)
• ** Serve with any grain and veggies you like.

Daily Total = 150 grams of protein (remove what you don’t need or want)

I hope this post helped you understand the benefits of protein and some easy ways to incorporate it into your diet. Please share your tips and experiences in the comment section below. I’d love to hear!

High Protein Grocery List – FREE Printable PDF

I created this free printable grocery list of high-protein foods, including animal-based, plant-based, and vegan protein options, as well as quick, no-cook protein snack ideas. Click here for your free printable.