10 Plant Based Proteins Perfect for a Vegetarian/Vegan Eating Lifestyle- Guest Post
Whether you are looking to include more plant based meals into your balanced eating lifestyle or you are looking to switch to an exclusively vegetarian/vegan eating lifestyle, it is important to be knowledgeable on plant based proteins and the best way to ensure you are receiving adequate nutrition. This guest blog post by Michael Murdy, the founder of Robust Kitchen has some fantastic information to ensure you are making informed and healthful decisions when it comes to choosing a plant based lifestyle.
Making the switchto a plant-based diet can be one of the most impactful decisions you make foryour health. But making the transition isn’t as simple as replacing animalproducts with fruits and vegetables. In fact, a diet that only includes thesefood groups may lead to some major nutritional deficiencies.
The mostnotorious being…
Protein
Protein is acritical macronutrient of the body. Without it, our bodies would lack theproper building blocks to sustain things like bone, muscle, skin, cartilage andblood health (1).
The recommendeddietary allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.36 grams per pound of bodyweight. (Sousually somewhere between 43 and 72 grams of protein a day).
The good news is,it’s entirely possible to get your daily recommended protein on a vegetariandiet. Contrary to popular belief, it’s actually pretty easy.
Research hasshown that when properly planned, a vegetarian diet can absolutely offeryou all the nutrients you need to live a healthy lifestyle. (2) Gettingyour daily protein while eating a vegetarian diet is completely doable, and it usuallyonly requires some minor dietary changes.
The goal of thisarticle is to expose the plant/animal protein conundrum for what it is, and tooffer you a list of delicious plant-based proteins to ensure you reach optimalnutrition every day.
What isProtein?
Protein is themajor building block of the human body. Where carbs and fats provide the fuel,protein supplies the material.
Think of yourbody as a house…
Where remodels,maintenance, and upgrades are of constant necessity.
Thankfully, youhave an endless supply of workers with an endless supply of energy (carbs and fats).
Unfortunately, theworkers are not given the proper building materials (protein) to fulfill theirjob.
What would theworkers be good for? Would sections of the house begin to deteriorate andsuffer?
You bet theywould.
And the body isno different. Deprive your cells of a critical macromolecule for long enoughand negative symptoms can accumulate pretty quickly.
Digesting Protein
Proteins are long chains of molecules known as amino acids.
When proteins are consumed, they are broken down into theirconstituent amino acids. These smaller molecules are then used as the building blocksfor the body’s miscellaneous proteins.
Although there are 22 amino acids in total, 9 of them areconsidered essential. That means in order to give our body the materials itneeds, we have to get these amino acids through the diet.
Animal Vs Plant Protein
Two of the most practical ways to get protein in your diet is fromanimal and plant-based sources. Although both can supply plenty of protein ontheir own, it’s important to distinguish the differences between the two.
Animal Proteins:
The majority of animal derived foods contain complete proteins.This means that foods such as red meat, eggs, and animal organs can supply you withall 9 essential amino acids.
Protein deficiencies are far less likely to occur with meateaters.
Plant Proteins:
Although there are a few exceptions, the majority of plantproteins are incomplete proteins, and therefore are missing at leastone of the 9 essential amino acids.
This makes life a little harder for those avoiding the meat aisle.The upside is that vegetarians are consuming plant matter which is filled withvitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients.
So don’t be discouraged if you choose to stick to the plant way oflife. Getting the proper protein levels can be done, it just takes a littlemore effort.
10 Plant Based Proteins to Help You Reach Your OptimalDaily Goal
Everyone has their reasons for choosing the vegetarian diet.Whether it be for ethical, religious or nutritional purposes, it can be a veryrewarding lifestyle change.
But just like every diet, a balance must be struck. Protein is farless dense in plant foods and thus more care must be taken to get adequateamounts. Take the time to find your favorite protein-packed plant foods. If youneed a place to start, I’ve labeled 10 delicious plant-based proteins below.
I always recommend tracking your diet for those who are lessfamiliar with the nutrition in their food. Cronometer is a great diet tracking app that gives you your amino acidprofile with each meal input. This can help uncover amino acid deficiencies inyour diet.
(The free version of the app provides you with everything you need.)
Here are the 10 plant based proteins to help you get the absolutemost out of your vegetarian diet.
1)Quinoa
Finding a complete, plant-basedprotein is a surprisingly difficult task. Fortunately, there is a delicious seedthat fits the bill perfectly…
Quinoa!
Quinoa is the ultimate proteinprovider. When in doubt, implement some quinoa into your diet to ensure thatyou’re getting some form of every essential amino acid. One gram of cookedquinoa gives you a whopping eight grams of protein. (3)
Quinoa also contains a goodamount of vitamin E which works as a powerful antioxidant in the body. Antioxidantscan help neutralize damaging free radicals and promote healthy immune function.(4)
Quinoa Recipe: Quinoa and Roasted Red Pepper Chili
2)Peanuts and PeanutButter
Peanuts are the perfect on-the-go proteinproviders. Filled with high quality fats and protein, peanuts can supply youwith everything you need to feel nourished and satiated. Peanuts provide roughly25g of protein per 100 grams, and so can easily help you reach your dailyprotein goals (5).
Peanut butter is also a greatsource of high-quality protein. Try and avoid brands that contain partiallyhydrogenated oils. These peanut butters can be heavy in artificial trans fatswhich are known to increase chances of heart disease and stroke (6).
But before you go reachingfor that two year old peanut butter, do a peanut butter quality test to make sure it’s still worth eating.
3)Tofu
Although quite bland, Tofu isa great source of protein. It also has the ability to bring texture to a dishlike not many other plant foods can.
Tofu is another plant-basedunicorn that supplies you with all 9 essential amino acids. It also contributesa healthy portion of the amino acid methionine, which can be particularlydifficult to get on a vegetarian diet.
Related Post: Zesty Tofu Scramble
4)Black, Kidney, or PintoBeans
The veggie burrito is usuallya staple in any vegetarian’s diet!
Fill a tortilla with yourfavorite ingredients as well as your preferred beans to create a savory,protein filled meal. Beans are great sources of protein and calcium. This canbe especially helpful for those who are lactose intolerant and can’t get theircalcium from milk sources (7).
Black beans: 15.2g proteinper cup (7)
Kidney Beans: 16.2g proteinper cup (8)
Pinto Beans: 15.4g per cup (8)
Related Post: Hatch Chili Bean and Rice Bowl
5)Hemp seeds
Hemp seeds are the origin ofthe well-known psychedelic plant, Cannabis. Don’t be alarmed though. THC isreduced to negligible amounts before legal sale.
At 9.2g of protein per ounce,hemp seeds can make a great addition to salads, smoothies, and burritos (9).
Hemp seeds are also a greatsource of magnesium which is high on the list of deficiencies in the U.S. One ounceprovides you with 75% of your daily RDA (9).
6)Green Peas
There’s a reason our grandmasput peas in everything. They’re chalk full of polyphenol antioxidants. Thesespecial compounds have been known to help rid the body of unwanted freeradicals (10). Greenpeas also contain a pretty remarkable amount of protein and can make a niceaddition to salads, soups, and burritos.
At 8 grams per cup, greenpeas are surprisingly protein-dense (11).
Green peas also contain ahealthy dose of vitamin A. Half a cup can get you 34% of your RDA (11).
7)Almonds
Almonds are another perfecton-the-go protein source. These little pods are full of healthy fats, vitaminE, and protein to help keep you full and satiated (12). Almondscontain a remarkable 30.5g of protein per cup (dry roasted, salted) (13).
These “pseudo-nuts” are alsohigh in calcium which can be helpful in Maintaining proper bone Health.
Almonds are another food Iwould highly recommend keeping close-by. You can buy in bulk without worryingabout them going bad anytime soon. You’ll be surprised to see how often this snackcomes in handy.
8)Edamame
Edamameis an immature soy bean most commonly utilized in Asian dishes. Although it isvery similar to the soy bean, it tends to be sweeter and therefore moreapproachable.
Edamameprovides approximately 17 grams of protein per cup (14).
Eatone cup of edamame and you’ll also get your full RDA (Recommended DietaryAllowance) of folate (14). Folateis essential for proper cell growth and replication (15).
9)Ezekiel Bread
It’s easy to go overboard onsalads and quinoa with a plant-based diet. Make sure and switch it up with agood sandwich once in a while. Put some of your favorite ingredients betweentwo protein-filled pieces of Ezekiel bread and watch how your taste buds react.
Ezekiel bread contains 4 g ofprotein per slice and can help you make the final push for your daily proteingoal (16).
10)Spirulina
Sometimes making a nicehomemade meal just isn’t in the cards. So fire up the blender and throw somefruit and spirulina in there to give you some protein on the go (17).
One ounce of spirulina containsroughly 16g of protein. It’s also very high in copper, iron and riboflavin,which are all critical molecules for proper thyroid metabolism. (17, 18, 19, 20)
Plant BasedProtein Powders
Nothing compares to gettingnutrients through whole foods.
But when you’re struggling tomeet your RDAs, protein powders can definitely help bridge the gap. It shouldbe noted…
Not all plant-based proteinpowders are created equal.
Here are some guidelines tohelp you find a high quality, plant-based protein powder…
- Try and stay away from fillers.These can include sugars, vegetable oils, artificial flavors, and thickeners.
- Look at the amino acid compositionon the back. See if the amino acids present will help fill a hole in your diet.You can only know this through tracking your diet. Again, I recommend Cronometer(it’s free and shows you your amino acid intake)
- If it does not show an amino acidcomposition chart, it usually indicates a company that isn’t transparent abouttheir ingredients.
- If you’re gluten free, make sure thepackage explicitly states, “Gluten Free”.
- Try and go with a non-GMO brand. Thereis still a lot we don’t know about the effects of GMOs on health. It’s alwaysbetter to stick to the more natural alternative.
FrequentlyAsked Questions
Here are somecommon questions regarding plant-based proteins…
Is Whey aPlant Based Protein?
Whey is ananimal-based protein. Whey is extracted from the milk of animals to make wheyprotein isolate.
Is Soy a PlantBased Protein?
Yes, soy comesfrom soybeans which come from a plant.
What are the 9Essential Amino Acids?
- Histidine
- Isoleucine
- Leucine
- Lysine
- Methionine
- Phenylalanine
- Threonine
- Tryptophan
- Valine
What is theBest Plant-Based Protein Powder?
The best vegetarianprotein powder is …
- A complete protein (has all 9 essential amino acids)
- One that has no artificialsweeteners or fillers
- One that abides by the criteria ofyour diet
- One that tastes good
Find a protein powder thatabides by the first 3 rules above. Then look online for reviews to tell you howpeople have responded to the flavor.
Conclusion
Thisis by no means an exhaustive list of plant-based proteins. It’s just a goodreference point for newbies looking for ways to implement protein into theirvegetarian diet.
Nomatter how you go about it, dialing in your plant-based diet will take sometime. The real fun comes in trying to make meals that are worth eating a secondtime. You’ll find yourself finding better and better ways to implement proteindense foods into your recipes.
Ihope this article was both educational and practical. If you have any questionsor comments, make sure and leave a comment below!
Anextra thank you to Michael for writing such a fantastic guest post! I wouldlove to hear everyone’s thoughts, feedback or questions! Additionally, if youare looking for additional nutrition support please visit my website https://denversdancingdietitan.comtoday for more information about scheduling an appointment!
Wishingyou a happy, healthy holiday season!
–Ricci-Lee Hotz, MS, RDN
Denver’s Dancing Dietitian
A Taste of Health, LLC
“Improving Quality of life one bite at a time”
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Works Cited:
- https://www.webmd.com/men/features/benefits-protein#1
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27886704
- https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168917/nutrients
- https://www.nature.com/articles/278737a0
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-3010.2005.00472.x
- https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/fats/trans-fat
- https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/legumes-and-legume-products/4284/2
- https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/legumes-and-legume-products/4430/2
- https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/custom/1352377/1
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22916813
- https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2520/2