Protein

Why Chicken Quality Matters

Chicken is one of the most common protein sources, but not all chicken is the same. If you’re eating a lot of it, you want to make sure it’s clean, consistent, and comes from a good source.

A simple tip is to buy a whole bird and break it down yourself. It works out cheaper per kilo, you get consistency in quality, and you can use every part — breast, thighs, wings, and even bones for stock.

When choosing chicken:

Best choice: Organic free-range. Highest welfare, slower grown, and no nasties.

Next best: Free-range or high-welfare birds. Slower grown with better flavour and nutrition.

Avoid: Cheap indoor cage-reared birds. Fast grown, poor welfare, and more likely to contain the stuff you don’t want in your body.

If you can’t always go organic, aim for slow-grown or high-welfare labels, and take a moment to check where the bird comes from. Supporting farms with good practices means better food for you and better lives for the animals.

Choosing Quality Beef

Beef can be one of the best protein sources for strength, recovery, and flavour — but like chicken, the quality really matters.

Whenever possible, look for grass-fed and organic. Grass-fed beef usually has a better nutrient profile (more omega-3s, better fats, richer flavour) and organic means no unnecessary hormones or chemicals in the feed.

If organic isn’t an option, choose local, high-welfare, or slow-grown beef and take time to know your butcher or the farm. Shorter supply chains often mean higher quality and more transparency.

Cheaper, intensively farmed beef is usually grain-fed, grown fast, and may carry more fat of the less healthy kind. If you’re eating beef regularly as part of your protein intake, that’s not what you want running through your system.

Choosing Quality Sheep Meat: Lamb, Hogget & Mutton

Sheep meat comes in three main types — lamb, hogget, and mutton — and all of them provide excellent protein. The difference lies in age, flavour, nutrition, and welfare.

Lamb comes from sheep under a year old. It’s tender, mild in flavour, and high in protein, iron, and B vitamins. The drawback is that lamb comes from younger animals raised and slaughtered quickly, often indoors if you choose cheap supermarket cuts.

Hogget is from sheep between 1–2 years old. It’s a great middle ground: more depth of flavour than lamb, still tender enough for a variety of dishes, and usually from animals that have spent more time outdoors on pasture. From a welfare perspective, hogget is often a better choice than lamb, with a more natural life and slower growth. Nutritionally, it offers slightly higher levels of minerals like iron and zinc.

Mutton is from sheep over 2 years old. Darker, richer, and full of flavour, mutton is highly nutritious with more iron and omega-3s thanks to the extra time on pasture. It’s best slow-cooked to bring out its depth. Because these animals have lived longer, often outdoors, mutton is strongly linked with high-welfare and regenerative farming systems.

From both a welfare and nutrition standpoint, hogget and mutton are often the better choices. They support higher-welfare farming, offer deeper flavour, and provide more nutrient density. If you can’t always buy organic, look for slow-grown or high-welfare labels, and ask your butcher about the farm’s practices.

How often should you eat sheep meat?
Treat lamb, hogget, or mutton as part of your red meat allowance — around 2–3 meals per week total, including beef. Hogget once a week is a strong option, lamb 1–2 times if you enjoy it, and mutton less often, around once or twice a month. Fill the rest of your protein with chicken, fish, eggs, and plant-based sources to keep a healthy balance.

Choosing Quality Game

Game meats like venison, pheasant, partridge, and rabbit can be excellent protein sources. Naturally lean, rich in flavour, and usually higher in certain minerals like iron and zinc, they’re a strong choice if you want variety beyond the usual chicken or beef.

Most game is wild or semi-wild, which means the animals live more natural lives with higher welfare standards. This also translates into a cleaner nutrient profile: lower in fat, higher in omega-3s, and free from the hormones and additives found in intensively farmed meat.

Because game animals are typically slower growing and more active, the meat is darker and stronger in flavour. It may be less familiar to cook with, but it’s well worth learning a few dishes. Venison steaks, rabbit casseroles, or pheasant roasted whole can all be straightforward and highly nutritious meals.

How often should you eat game?
Think of game as an occasional addition — one meal a week or a couple of times a month. It’s lean, nutrient-rich, and offers diversity in your protein intake. If you can source it locally and in season, it’s often more sustainable and cost-effective too.

Eggs are one of the most complete and affordable protein sources you can eat. They contain all the essential amino acids your body needs, plus a wide range of vitamins and minerals including B12, vitamin D, selenium, and choline — important for energy, recovery, and brain health.

When buying eggs, quality makes a big difference. Organic and free-range eggs come from hens with access to better diets and outdoor space, which usually means richer yolks, better flavour, and a stronger nutrient profile. At the other end of the scale, caged or barn-laid eggs are from birds raised in crowded, indoor conditions, often on lower-quality feed — not something you want to rely on if eggs are a big part of your diet.

Eggs are versatile, quick to cook, and pair well with almost any meal, making them an easy way to consistently hit your protein target.

How often should you eat eggs?
For most people, one or two eggs a day is a healthy baseline. That’s around 7–14 eggs per week, which gives you a reliable protein boost without overdoing it. If you train hard and want more, you can go higher, but make sure you’re balancing them with other protein sources like fish, chicken, or lean meat.

Grains aren’t usually the first thing people think of for protein, but certain types can make a solid contribution to your intake — especially when combined with other foods. They bring fibre, slow-release carbs, and key minerals alongside protein, which makes them valuable for both energy and recovery.

Some of the best high-protein grains include:

Quinoa – A complete protein (contains all essential amino acids), with around 8g of protein per cooked cup.

Amaranth – Another complete plant protein, slightly nutty, with 9g of protein per cooked cup.

Teff – Rich in iron and calcium, with about 10g protein per uncooked cup.

Oats – Everyday and affordable, with about 6g protein per half cup.

Buckwheat – Gluten-free, high in magnesium and fibre, with 6g per cooked cup.

Because the protein content of grains is lower than meat, fish, or eggs, they work best as part of a balanced plate. Pairing them with beans, lentils, or dairy fills in the gaps and gives you a more complete amino acid profile.

How often should you eat high-protein grains?
Use them as a base 2–3 times a week in place of pasta or white rice. A quinoa salad with chicken, oats for breakfast with yoghurt, or buckwheat with roasted veg are simple ways to upgrade your meals while adding extra protein.

Supplements like whey, casein, hemp, and pea protein can be useful when you’re short on time or struggling to hit your daily protein target through food alone. They’re not a replacement for real food, but they can fill the gaps.

Whey protein – Fast-digesting, great post-workout to support recovery and muscle growth. Comes from dairy, so choose a high-quality whey with minimal additives or sweeteners.

Casein protein – Slow-digesting, often taken in the evening to drip-feed amino acids overnight. Ideal if you want to reduce muscle breakdown between meals.

Hemp protein – A plant-based option, rich in omega-3s and fibre. The protein content is slightly lower than whey, but it’s clean, sustainable, and well tolerated.

Pea protein – Another popular plant-based option, higher in protein than hemp and often combined with rice protein to make it “complete.”

When choosing a supplement, look for products with as few ingredients as possible — ideally just the protein source itself. Avoid powders loaded with artificial flavours, gums, or fillers.

How often should you use protein supplements?
1-2 scoops per day is plenty for most people, especially after training or as a quick breakfast option. Rely on whole foods first, and use supplements as a top-up rather than your main source of protein.

Choosing Quality Duck

Duck is a richer-tasting poultry that provides high-quality protein along with a higher fat content compared to chicken or turkey. Most of the fat sits under the skin, which you can trim or render down depending on your goals. Nutritionally, duck offers good levels of iron, zinc, and B vitamins, making it more similar to red meat than lean poultry.

When buying duck, aim for free-range or organic where possible. These birds are generally slower grown, with better welfare and flavour. Cheap, intensively reared duck tends to be fattier and lower in nutrient quality. Because duck is more energy-dense, it’s a good option for variety rather than an everyday protein.

How often should you eat duck?
Enjoy it once every week or two as a change from chicken or beef. It works well for recovery meals after heavier training sessions but is best balanced with leaner proteins on other days.

Choosing Quality Pork

Pork can be a very versatile protein source, from lean cuts like tenderloin and loin chops through to fattier cuts such as belly and shoulder. Lean pork is comparable to chicken in protein content, while the fattier cuts provide more energy but also more saturated fat. Pork is also a good source of thiamine (vitamin B1), which supports energy metabolism.

For quality, look for outdoor-bred, RSPCA Assured, or organic pork. These options usually mean higher welfare and better-tasting meat. Avoid highly processed pork products like cheap sausages and bacon if you’re eating pork regularly, as these often contain additives, excess salt, and lower-quality meat.

How often should you eat pork?
Lean pork can be eaten 1–2 times per week in place of chicken or beef. Save fattier cuts and processed products for occasional meals, not as a daily staple.

Seeds, nuts, and pulses are valuable plant-based protein sources that also bring fibre, healthy fats, and a wide range of vitamins and minerals. They’re not as protein-dense as meat, fish, or eggs, but when used regularly they make a strong addition to a balanced diet.

Seeds – Pumpkin, sunflower, chia, and flaxseeds are rich in protein and healthy fats. They’re easy to sprinkle onto meals or blend into shakes.

Nuts – Almonds, cashews, walnuts, and peanuts provide a mix of protein and energy. Because of their high calorie and fat content, they’re best used in controlled portions.

Pulses – Lentils, beans, and chickpeas are versatile, affordable, and a good source of plant protein. When paired with grains like rice or quinoa, they form a complete amino acid profile.

Nutritionally, these foods support heart health, digestion, and steady energy. They also provide variety if you want to reduce reliance on meat or add more plant-based meals into your week.

How often should you eat them?
Aim to include seeds or nuts most days in small portions, and pulses 2–3 times per week as a main protein source or side dish. Used in rotation with high-quality animal proteins, they help create a diet that’s balanced, sustainable, and nutrient-rich.