Northern Michigan's News LeaderHealthy Living: The Price of Protein

Meat, fish and poultry play a big part in our diet and for most of us, it's a daily part of our dinner routine. But besides being tasty, because of foreign demand, the average meat prices rose 10.4 percent nationwide. And too much of it can impact your health too! This morning, Robyn Haines tells us how to substitute without giving up in Healthy Living.

According to the U.S. government, more than 75 percent of Americans are meat lovers. But with high oil prices and a weak U.S. dollar, export demand for beef and pork hit the roof this year -- making it a tasty, but expensive treat. Luckily, there are other ways for you to get your daily protein without breaking the bank. Beans, peas and lentils are an excellent source of protein that tends to be low fat and contain no cholesterol. These cheap alternatives also have potassium, iron and magnesium, which are essential for good health.  Make breakfast your favorite meal.

Eggs are also full of protein and contain Choline, a nutrient that helps with brain development and memory and Lutein, which helps your vision. Still craving that meat taste? Try buying it whole. Cuts of meat are expensive but when you buy a whole chicken or uncut beef, you can save some cash and have leftovers for the next day.

Boneless pork chops averaged four dollars a pound at retail in March, up almost 15 percent from the same month a year before. Bacon is up 24 percent from a year ago. Boneless sirloin steak is also 15 percent higher, the highest for any month.