Protein is the building unit of the body.
Sorry, there’s no magic bullet. You gotta eat healthy and live healthy to be healthy and look healthy. End of story.
— Morgan Spurlock
Being a vegan is a lifestyle choice that reflects one’s value system, at the same time, it reduces the food options available. It is necessary to fulfill the requirements of protein in your diet to get complete nourishment.
Researches suggest that the human body is not capable of storing protein, so that makes it a necessary ingredient to be consumed on daily basis. When you are a vegan or a vegetarian – the choices available are not high so you need to consume every food item that will compensate for your body’s protein requirement. Protein plays an important role in the creation and maintenance of the human body.
The RDA( Recommended Dietary Allowance) suggests that a human being needs 0.8 gms of protein per kilogram of his or her body weight.
Harvard Medical School has published ample research on the fact that plant protein may help you live longer.
Here is the online protein requirement calculator. You can refer to this link to get to exact metrics of your daily protein requirement. After comprehensive research, here are 5 superfoods for all my friends who are vegans but don’t want to compromise on their protein intake. Let’s get into it
Nuts and Seeds
Munching on nuts and seeds regularly is the best way to replenish the daily need for protein in your body. They not only taste good but also have high food quality, proving to be a great source of nourishment.
Amongst nuts and seeds — Peanuts, Almonds, Pumpkin Seeds, and Chia Seeds are the reservoirs of protein and various other nutrients. They are packed with heart-friendly nutrients like monosaturated fats and Vitamins making them a superfood.
Tip: Eat your almonds blanched, and dip them in water the night before consumption.
Legumes
Love those legumes, when I was a kid I used to think of legumes as some fancy food item, guess what it’s your everyday lentils and peas. Packed with loads of fiber and protein.
If you consume your legumes every day you’ll feel fuller and stronger. It is packed with all the goodness but with a low glycemic load. Isn’t it amazing? Major lifestyle diseases like obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol will be at bay; if you eat legumes every day. ( HAHA it rhymes 😉 )
Trying to lose weight? Make legumes your best friend.
Are you wondering what makes this lentil so special?
Let me scientifically back it up, legumes are made up of viscous soluble fiber that assists with slowing down the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine.
Along with being low in glycemic content, they contain plenty of potassium, magnesium, folate, and other plant nutrients that are associated with lower blood pressure and improved cardiovascular health.
Chick Pea
Good old chickpea is also a part of the legume family and is a storehouse of protein. If I start counting the number of minerals that a small chickpea AKA “Kabuli Channa” in India has in store, you’ll be surprised beyond measure.
Protein, Folate, Fiber( Both Soluble and Insoluble). Iron, Phosphorous, and Polyunsaturated and Monounsaturated fatty acids — can be derived from a single helping of chickpea.
It can be consumed in the form of salads, and stews, or blend it and make yourself a nutritious burger patty( yum my mouth is watering when I think about the patty :)) or roast it and snack on it. Also, there’s a spread called Hummus( find the recipe hyperlinked) that can be made out of it.
Black Beans
Black Beans also known as black turtle beans are from the legume family, very popular in Latin cuisines. Boil ’em up and get ready for a boost of cholesterol-free, low-fat, protein-rich, and fibrous treat.
One cup of boiled black beans serves as a dose of Calcium( 46 mg), Iron(3.61 mg), Magnesium( 120 mg), Phosphorous( 241 mg), Potassium( 611 mg), Folate( 256 mg), Vitamin K( 5.7 mcg). This bunch will help boost your immune system strength massively.
Black Beans are a source of Prebiotics. You’ll be wondering- I’ve heard Probiotics; now what are Prebiotics?
Probiotics are healthy bacteria that are essential for good gut health; Prebiotics are nothing but the food source of Probiotics. See how interesting human anatomy is? It always fascinates me!
Soy
I’m sure you would have heard about the recent popularization of “Plant-Based Meat”. Guess which vegan-friendly food option made it possible to produce plant-based meat — it’s Soy.
If being vegan is one of your recent lifestyle choices and you’re missing meat, plant-based meat can satiate your desire.
Soy is available for consumption in 3 forms-
- Green Soybeans– Also known as edamame, they can be consumed directly after steaming. 1 cup of green soybean is a source of 18.4 gm of protein, pretty good, isn’t it?
- Yellow Soybeans– It’s the main source of producing soy milk, tofu, tempeh, and tamari. All of these are the by-products of Soy, for daily consumption.
- Black Soybeans- This is mainly a part of Asian cuisine.
Grains
Did you know the daily grains that you consume are a super high source of protein? There are loads of grains that provide holistic nutrition to the human body. Ditch refined wheat flour and give yourself a treat to various available grain options.
Oats and Buckwheat are the leaders of the pack of grains with the highest protein content.
1 cup of oats has 24.6 gms of Protein
1 cup of Buckwheat has 22.5 gms of Protein
Buckwheat is a good option for folks who are Gluten Intolerant.
The best is to keep a “BALANCED DIET” rich in all the nutrients. I have tried different types of fads in the food industry like- Keto Diet, different types of protein powders, etc. However, the best results come from a BALANCED DIET! Establish a good relationship with food and consider it a source of nourishment rather than taste.
Tip:
Here’s an interesting tip for you — if you’re craving a burger, choose a multigrain bread topped with sesame seeds, make a chickpea patty, add a dollop of black beans and some raw veggies enjoy a protein booster burger without any guilt :D.
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