Have you decided to give up meat and are now worried as to from where to get protein from other sources? Do not worry; you can still consume enough protein! According to research, having a vegetarian diet can be very rewarding. However, people preferring such diet are found to fall short of protein. This is because most protein comes from non-vegetarian sources, especially meat. But this does not mean that there are no sources of protein in the vegetarian diet list. Fortunately, there are vegetarian sources of protein, which are able to meet your protein needs in case you have decided to give up meat. Most foods, including nuts, cereals, and vegetables possess the building block nutrient. These groups contain varied amino acids that are necessary for your body.
Legumes
This group includes dried peas, lentils, and beans. The highest amount of protein is found in soyabean, which is 29g. Apart from soybeans, the various types of beans and lentils have similar nutrient material that has amino acids. Taking the average, around 15g of protein is available per cup of these beans and lentils along with fiber and iron. Therefore, replacing meat by adding beans and lentils is really an ideal way to obtain adequate protein amount. You can consider adding pulses to salads, burritos, soups, and pastas. Alternatively, you can also have them through sandwiches!
Nuts
These are filled with good amounts of protein, antioxidants, fiber, and healthy fatty acids. Several nuts are a vital source of protein due to which they become essential to have. It is just the matter of picking the nut you like! Almonds, peanuts, cashews, almonds, pine nuts, and pistachios are those nuts that are known for their high protein amount. On the other hand, hazelnuts and chestnuts are known to have low protein content. You can simply have them grated, ground, roasted, or raw when adding them to stews, soups, cakes, pastries, and salads. However, do not over consume them because they are high in calories due to healthy fats contained by them. On an average, the protein content in nuts tends to vary between 9g to 5g.
Seeds
Not many people are aware that seeds are also a good source of protein. In fact, seeds are another ideal powerhouse to offer some protein as well as other nutrients. Being rich in phyto chemicals and healthy unsaturated fats, seeds are often a preferred choice of doctors for preventing cancer and heart disease. Did you know that just a 1/4th cup of pumpkin seeds can give you 8.5g of protein? You can have seeds either just like that as snacks or by adding them to salads, pastas, and sandwiches. You can add ground sesame seeds to boiled veggies. Similarly, you can also use flaxseeds and sunflower seeds in your diet. The protein amount in seeds varies from 6g to 15g, of which the latter is present in hemp seeds.
Grains
Most people always tend to focus on wheat when it comes to choosing grains due to which other grains are usually overlooked. This is the reason very few people know that there a few grains that are rich in protein and can be consumed in diet for obtaining protein as well as carbohydrates. Among all grains, quinoa is considered equal to an animal source of protein due to which it is a great alternative to white rice. Other grains to consider for having adequate amount of protein are amaranth, oats, barley, spelt, and brown rice. As a tip, always go for whole-grain varieties to enjoy a more nutritious lunch, snack, or dinner.
Bio: Deborah Miguel is a church and community person. She is much inspired by Elizabeth Rehnke whom she met in her first workshop that was dedicated to balanced diet and nutrition.
Categories: Uncategorized | Permalink