3 Best Sources of Veggie Protein

High cholesterol, heart disease, and obesity are serious health problems associated with eating a high-fat diet. Fatty meats, such as beef and pork, can increase the fat in your blood and raise cholesterol to unhealthy levels, leading to coronary artery disease and heart disease. One way to cut the fat in your diet is to eat less meat. While meat contains a rich source of protein, you can also get sufficient protein from vegetables. Protein is an essential nutrient, but you don’t need to consume a lot of it to be healthy. The recommended daily allowance of protein for most people is about 0.36 grams of protein for every pound of your body weight. For the average adult, this is about 50 grams of protein per day. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.gov), women need about 46 grams and men 56 grams of protein each day. You may be concerned about getting enough protein if you eat less meat to help reduce cholesterol and fat in your diet. With some planning, even vegetarians and vegans can get enough essential protein by eating vegetables and grains.

The avocado is one of the richest vegetable sources of protein. Technically a fruit, avocado contains about 4 grams of protein per cup. Avocado also includes all the essential amino acids to build muscle tissue and make the additional proteins your body needs. Amino acids are crucial for building and repairing muscle tissue and critical to a healthy immune system. When you eat avocados, you get the added benefit of omega-3 fatty acids that are important for a healthy heart. Fresh, raw avocado is the best choice for protein. Eat it raw, sliced on a salad, a sandwich, or lightly sautéed in avocado oil. Try adding some avocado oil to your salad for a delicious, nutritious alternative to high-calorie, high-fat, and bottled dressings.

All legumes are high in protein, and peas are no exception. One cup of peas contains almost 8 grams of protein. Peas are a great option as a side dish, in soups, or eaten raw in salads. You can also blend peas into a dip or pesto, prepare as hummus, or add fresh peas to fruit smoothies. Other beans to add to your diet for protein include kidney beans, pinto beans, and black beans. Two cups of kidney beans contain more than 25 grams of protein or about half of the daily recommended amount of protein for the average adult male. Consume beans alone, as a side dish, or add to soups, stews, and salads. Try adding black beans to whole grain rice. If you buy dry beans, soak them overnight in plain water. Rinse and then cook them until tender.

Soy is a nutritious source of vegetable protein. Many people enjoy soy as a meat substitute and the main ingredient in veggie burgers. Even if you don’t like soy as a meat substitute, you might love edamame. Edamame is simply an immature soybean, still in the pod, like snow peas, except you don’t eat the bean pod. You can eat edamame raw or cooked, boiled, steamed, and hot or cold. Try it cooked and sprinkled with salt as an appetizer, a side dish, or add it to salads and pasta. Roast edamame like chickpeas and serve alone or as a side dish. One-half cup of edamame contains more than 8 grams of protein.

References:

Centers of Disease Control:  Protein

http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/protein.html

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