Increase Your Protein Intake and #CrunchClean

Most Americans have absolutely no trouble eating enough protein.  It doesn’t take more than a visit to your local chain restaurant to see how infatuated we are with protein loaded dishes.  But even in our protein powered society it is possible to be on the deficient side.

There are many reasons you might need to increase your protein intake. If you are pregnant, if you have certain food sensitivities or allergies, or if you follow a diet reduces or cuts out meat or animal products you’re going to have to work a lot harder to make sure you’re getting an adequate amount of protein in your diet.

So what is an adequate amount of protein?

Adult women should aim for 46 grams of protein per day.  Adult men need about 56 grams.

If you’re working out and trying to gain muscle mass you’re going to need to aim a bit higher than 46 or 56 grams per day.  How much higher is dependent on a lot of factors: your current weight and level of fitness, body type, etc.  I’m not a fitness or health expert, but I know from experience how difficult it can be when you’re on the go all day to eat the right kinds of foods, in the right quantities.

If you’re not sure how much protein you’re currently getting, or if you think you need to increase your protein intake, check out this great infographic on Top Protein Rich Foods.

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Recently, The Husband happened upon a new protein bar–Quest Protein Bars.  Intrigued that it had no added sugar he picked up a few for work.  His office is super busy, and he often works 12 hour days without a proper break. And this after his regular morning workout.  He often comes home famished.

He initially bought 3 bars to try out…one week later we hopped on Amazon and ordered a case.  They were THAT good!

The very night we ordered the case of protein bars I received an email from Quest asking if I’d like to try out their new Quest Protein Chips–part of me was like, “Oh, cool! Super convenient protein for The Hubs to take to work!” another part of me was like, “Am I being watched???”.

The Quest Protein Chips arrived just as The Husband finished the last of his case of Quest Protein bars (seriously, the timing of all this is very suspicious 🙂 )

Quest Protein Chips are the world’s first snack chip that is high in protein, low in carbs, and is gluten free! Quest Protein Chips come in three varieties – Sea Salt, Barbeque, and Sour Cream & Cheddar – in a personal-sized, 1-1/8 oz. (32 gram) bag, with other flavors and sizes to come. Quest Protein Chips are available on the Quest website (www.questnutrition.com ) and will be launching at retail in November.

While I didn’t really care for the chips (I’m a bit of a picky eater. I’m not a fan of protein bars or protein shakes either), The Husband really likes them.  The Cheddar and Sour Cream are his favorite flavor. It is nice that he can grab a bag for a quick snack in between clients, or for something to tide him over til dinner at the end of a long work day.

Quest Protein chips are made of milk protein, whey protein, and potatoes.  They are gluten free and soy free.  The 1 1/8 oz bag has a whopping 21 grams of protein!

Join the conversation by following the hashtag #CrunchClean and @QuestNutrition on twitter to talk about and learn how to increase your protein intake in a clean, healthy way!