What Type Of Meat Packs The Most Protein?

When the conversation turns to all of the essential vitamins and nutrients that make up a balanced diet, protein is talked about a lot. There's actually a formula you can use to figure out exactly how much protein each individual person should be eating in a day, and it's almost surprisingly straightforward: For every one pound of body weight, you need .36 grams of protein. While there are exceptions to that rule — such as during pregnancy, for example — that's a pretty standard measurement that works because of what protein does in the body.

In a nutshell, proteins contain amino acids, which are used in a variety of ways. They're a crucial energy source, they're needed for maintaining hormone levels, and they fuel the body's natural ability to repair itself, and to make new tissues, like muscles. While we need a variety of these amino acids, the body can't produce nine of them on its own — and that's where meat protein comes in. It contains all of those vital components, and not all meat has the same amount of protein per serving. (And there are even some sources of protein that you'll want to avoid, like mercury-heavy swordfish.)

If you're looking to get the most protein possible in each serving of meat, there are some clear winners. Chicken and turkey are two of the best, high-protein options, although there are some things to keep in mind when looking at protein intake.

Discussing protein content can get tricky, because precise numbers can vary. Let's take chicken. The white breast meat of chicken is often cited as one of the best sources of protein, and sources vary between 25 and 31 grams of protein for a serving size of either 3 or 3.5 ounces. Turkey breast, meanwhile, is another great option with precise numbers varying between 20 and 30 grams per serving. The variation in numbers does make sense: Not every animal is raised on the same diet or has the same genetic makeup.

There's something else to take into consideration here, too, and that's the fact that different preparations of the same meat aren't equal. While a fresh, surprisingly easy butterflied turkey might be incredibly high in protein, you're not going to be getting the same amount from processed and packaged deli meat turkey. Many options you might pick up in the deli have other, less nutritional cuts mixed in as filler, which means that if you want the real deal, you'll need to put in the work at home. Fortunately, making your own deli meats is easier than you might think. 

It's also worth mentioning that the health risks associated with getting too much protein are pretty serious. Regularly going over the recommended amounts have been linked to dehydration, calcium loss, and gastrointestinal distress — including both constipation and diarrhea. It's also been linked to an increased risk of things like heart disease, some types of cancers, and kidney damage. Protein is crucial for the body's overall health and well-being, but it is possible to have too much of a good thing.