9 High Protein Fruits To Include In Your Healthy Diet

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Fruits could be one of the last foods to consider when looking for ways to increase your protein intake. But unknown to many, there are high protein fruits. And including some of these in your diet would offer you many benefits.

Most adults need about 0.8g of protein per kilo of body weight every day, which is about 45g for the average woman and 55g for the average man. (1, 2)

While many meet their daily protein needs from eggs, meat, poultry, and high-protein vegetables, including some high protein fruits in your daily intake give you a more balanced healthy diet.

High protein fruits that should be part of your diet

Fruits are nutritious and have many health benefits. Adding some to your diet can reduce the risk of various diseases, such as those associated with the heart, stroke, and cancer.

They are also good sources of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C.

Below are some high protein fruits to consider as part of your healthy diet. All the data in the article come from the USDA. Thus they are authentic and reliable.

Goji Berry

Goji berries are delicious high protein fruits with antioxidant and medicinal properties.

Goji berry originates from Asia and according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 100g of the berries contain 14.3g of proteins, making them one of the top fruits with high protein levels.

Studies show that they can help strengthen the lungs, liver, and kidneys, keep eyes in good health, and slow down signs of aging (1).

Aside from protein, goji berries contain many minerals and vitamins, including iron and vitamins A and C. They are also a good source of fiber and calories. (2)

Health benefits

Including goji berries in your diet can give you many benefits.

• Can boost your immune system
  In a 30-day study among 60+ old adults, a daily intake of goji berry juice improved their immune cells and general well-being (3).
• It can promote eye health.
  Ongoing research suggests goji berries can help improve eye health and protect against loss of vision (4).
• Goji berries have good levels of zeaxanthin, an antioxidant that can protect your retinas and lenses and stop them from damaging. (1, 5)

A note of caution:

• Goji berries may interact with certain drugs, including high blood pressure and diabetes medication, and blood thinners.
• It may also trigger an allergic reaction in some individuals with fruit allergies. (6)

You can buy goji berries in dried or powdered form. They go well with cereal, yogurt, cookies, brownies, bread, and similar foods.

You can also find them in various superfood blends and supplements.

Bitter Melon

Bitter melons, also called bitter gourds, are fruits with high fiber content and are low in carbs and calories.

USDA estimates that 100g of bitter melon has 3.6g of protein, making them good high protein fruits to consider for your diet.

Aside from fiber, the reasonably high protein fruits also contain vital minerals and vitamins, including vitamins A and C, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper, and many B vitamins.

The fruit also contains various antioxidants, including zeaxanthin and lutein.

Health benefits

Though studies show inconsistent results, many associate bitter melon with the management of diabetes. (7).

But bitter melon has other health benefits.

• Management of abnormal obesity
  Preliminary studies show that eating bitter melon can help reduce your waistline (8)
• Can improve heart health
  Preliminary research indicates that bitter melon extracts can reduce cholesterol levels, thereby improving heart health. (9)
• Can boost immunity
  A protein called Momordica, which is present in bitter melon, has the potential to boost immunity, according to some studies (10)

Other benefits include

• Helping to maintain the health of eyes and vision
• Preventing damage to some of the body cells

You can boil, steam, or stir-fry bitter melon

Raisins

Dried Raisins are high in sugar but are one of the most popular.

They have high fiber content, and including them in your diet can offer many health benefits.

The USDA data shows 100g of raisins can give you 3.3g of protein.

Though not exceptionally high, the protein levels are much higher than are available in many other fruits. Thus they are one of the high protein fruits that deserve a place in your diet.

Raisins come in different varieties, and the nutritional contents may differ. But all have good levels of fiber, carbs, and calories.

They also contain several vitamins and minerals, including vitamins B6 and C, calcium, iron, and magnesium.

Health benefits

• They have the potential to lower the risk of heart disease (11)
• They can support the development of “good” bacteria in the guts, help to boost metabolism, lower cholesterol, and improve the immune system. (12)
• They can provide a spike in energy levels and help improve athletic performance. (13)
• Some nutrients in raisins can support dental health and protect against gum disease. (14)

You can use raisins for baking, in trail mixes, cereals, salads, and some savory dishes.

Guava

Guava is a sweet tropical fruit that is available in many grocery stores.

It has good fiber content, in addition to other minerals and vitamins. They are a good source of vitamin C and potassium.

The USDA data show 100g of guava can supply you with 2.55g of protein.

Not as high as you will find in many vegetables, but much higher than in many fruits. Guavas are some of the most exciting high protein fruits to add to your diet.

Health benefits

Some of the health benefits include:

• Promoting skin health
• Helping with weight management
• Helping to promote heart health
• can help lower the risk of various diseases, including cancer.

You can eat it raw, dip slices in salty condiments like soy sauce, or add them to salads. You can also use it as a topping for porridge or oats

Prune

Prunes, which are dried plums, are packed with fiber, carbs, potassium, and antioxidants. They are one of the high protein fruits to include in your diet for a healthy lifestyle.

According to the USDA data, 100g of prunes has 2.18g of protein.

Prunes have good levels of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A and K, and B vitamins, calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and magnesium.

Health benefits

• Can help prevent constipation due to the presence of pectin, a soluble fiber. (15)
• Can reduce the risk of bone fractures and osteoporosis (16) and improve bone health.
• Can support weight loss and weight management. The high fiber content can keep you full for longer when eaten as a snack, reducing your food intake.
• Can promote and improve heart health. It is a good source of potassium which can help manage blood pressure. (17)
• It can help stop premature aging due to the presence of antioxidants which can help slow down cell damage (18)

You can eat prunes as a snack, or add them to cereals, trail mixes, yogurt, or baking.

Avocado

To some nutritional experts, avocado is a superfood with many health benefits.

Avocados are a good source of fiber and are high in calories and healthy fats.

The USDA data states that 100g of avocado has 2g of protein. Though not as high as in high-protein vegetables, it is much higher than in many other fruits. Thus we consider avocados as high protein fruits worth including in your balanced diet to help meet your daily protein requirements.

Aside from fiber, calories, and carbs, avocados contain other vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, E, and K, potassium, and magnesium.

Health benefits

• Avocadoes can help with the management of diabetes (19)
• Eating avocados can help reduce cholesterol levels, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease (20)
• Avocado seed extract can help reduce the risk of some cancers (21)
• The healthy fat in avocados can keep you full for longer and help reduce your food intake. Thus it can help with weight loss and weight management.

You can add the high protein fruits to a sandwich, wrap, or omlete

Jackfruit

Jackfruit is quite popular with vegetarians as its appearance and texture look like pulled meat when cooked. Thus many vegetarians regard it as a good substitute for meat.

Jackfruit is one of the high protein fruits to consider for your diet, especially if you like vegetarian meals.

Data from the USDA shows 100g of jackfruit contains 1.72g of protein.

While not as high as the protein levels in poultry and other high protein foods, adding jackfruit to your diet can help you reach the recommended daily protein requirement.

The fruit contains high calories, most of which come from carbs, reasonable levels of fiber, and several minerals and vitamins, including vitamins A and C, potassium, magnesium, copper, and manganese.

Health benefits

Including jackfruit in your meal plan can give you many health benefits, including

• Eating jackfruit can help improve the health of the heart. With no saturated fat and good fiber levels, it can help reduce cholesterol levels, while its potassium content can help regulate blood pressure, lowering the risk of stroke.
• It can help boost your immune system, repair damaged cells, and help the body to take in other nutrients like iron due to the presence of vitamin C in the fruit.
• The presence of magnesium in the fruit can help you to sleep better (22)
• It can help support bone health and reduce the risk of bone fractures due to the reasonable levels of manganese in the fruit (23)
• Eating fruits like jackfruit instead of meat can help reduce the amount of saturated fat you eat. That can help regulate insulin sensitivity, especially for those with Type II diabetes (24)

You can use jackfruit as a base for vegetarian meals like barbecue sandwiches, salads, and tacos.

Pomegranate

Like many fruits, pomegranate has low sodium and fat content but contains fiber.

It is also a good source of minerals and vitamins, including vitamins C, K, and B6, copper, folate, thiamin, and potassium.

Data from USDA indicates you will get 1.67g of protein per 100g of pomegranate, making it one of the high protein fruits to consider for your diet plan to help meet your daily protein needs.

Health benefits

Pomegranate is a lower-calorie, low-fat fruit with many health benefits.

• It can help build bones, cartilage, and blood vessels due to the high levels of vitamin C.
• It can help delay the onset of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. (26)
• The presence of antioxidants in pomegranate can help repair damaged cells (27)
• The antioxidants can also help build and strengthen your muscles and help with their recovery after a strenuous workout. It can also help you to perform better when exercising.
• Good levels of fiber in the fruit can help reduce food intake by promoting satiety, help improve the functioning of the digestive system, and help reduce blood cholesterol levels.
• It can help lower blood pressure making it beneficial to those at risk of hypertension (28)

You can add pomegranate to cocktails, salads, meat, yogurt, and rice-based entrees, or eat it as a snack.

Apricot

Apricots are antioxidant-rich fruits with many health benefits worth including in your meal plan.

According to USDA, 100g of apricots should give you 1.4g of protein, which can help meet your daily protein needs.

Apricots are low-calorie fruits but can contain high sugar levels. But they are a good source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C and A, calcium, potassium, iron, folate, magnesium, and phosphorus.

Health benefits

Some of the many health benefits you get from apricots include

• It can help support heart health due to the soluble fiber in the fruit. Soluble fiber can help improve the functioning of the digestive system and help lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol.
  The availability of potassium in the fruit can help reduce blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health. (29)
• Combining dried apricot with other nuts in a trail mix can help control blood sugar levels (30)
• It contains beta-carotene, a form of vitamin A, with the ability to protect eyesight, especially in the elderly (31)
• It contains the flavonoid quercetin, which can help delay the onset or prevent such diseases as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Huntington’s (32)
• It may help protect you from cell damage and prevent cancer (33)

You can eat apricots as a snack or add them to hot cereal or yogurt.

Final words from LiveLIfe

They may not be the best sources, but high protein fruits can help you to meet your required daily protein intake.

They can benefit those who rely more on plant-based sources of protein or those looking to boost their vitamin and mineral intake.

Add these high protein fruits to your daily food intake for a balanced diet.