High protein vegetables are a fantastic way to incorporate protein with each meal and not feel like you are turning into a complete carnivore. Protein is vital to any health and fitness goal as it helps your body with a number of important functions and helps maintain and grow muscle mass. The ability to increase your protein content on a weekly basis without opting for meat will greatly improve your chance at muscle regeneration whilst being a bit more friendly on the gut.
When most people think of protein, they think of meat-based options or shakes. If you are not a big meat eater, do not think that you have to change your ways to see success. There are definitely other options available to ensure you can keep protein intake high. It is important that we look to have protein with each of our meals to ensure a good balance across carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Not enough protein with each meal means that you are not only giving your body limited chance to repair, but you are also more likely to have a carbohydrate dominant intake which in-turn can mean an increase in the likelihood of weight gain!
Everyone could do with an increase in their vegetable intake, and incorporating these high protein vegetables into your daily intake gives you the best of both worlds. Read on for our best options to incorporate in to your daily intake.
Edamame
These delicious treats are soy beans in a pod. A great snack on their own and the perfect way to start a meal,they have about 11 grams of protein per cup. Try this recipe for a great snack. They are found at most supermarkets in the frozen section. Simply thrown them in the microwave or on the steamer and you will have a meal ready in minutes!
Peas
I know it might sound hard to believe but if you eat roughly 3/4 cup of these favourites, you will consume 5 grams of protein. It might not sound like much, but added with a few more ingredients and you are on to a winner. Try this recipe for an interesting take on this favourite. Another option that is readily available in the frozen section, it is always great to have a bag of frozen peas at the ready.
Spinach
Loaded with vitamin C, folic acid, and other B vitamins, spinach provides a substantial amount of protein when cooked. Add it to a lunch salad or wilt it for breakfast and your protein numbers quickly add up. Spinach is a universal ingredient. You can have it fresh in a salad, wilted for breakfast, baked in a frittata and even blended in a smoothie. The options are endless for this wonder-food.
Brussels Sprouts
Getting a bad rap forever, these old school favourites are quickly coming back in to fashion. Like many other greens, these high protein vegetables are a great source of potassium, vitamin A, vitamin K, and fibre. Rid yourself of the demons of over-boiled Brussels sprouts from your childhood and reacquaint yourself with with this delicious recipe.
Button Mushrooms
Also known as white mushrooms, a cup of these contain three grams of protein. Technically, mushrooms are a fungi, and not a vegetable but we won’t complain if you increase them in your weekly plan. Try these sautéed mushrooms as a compliment to your main meal. These are equally universal. You can have them raw in a salad (not my personal favourite), sautéed as a garnish to a main meal, cooked with some light cream in to a delicious mushroom sauce or even thrown in a frittata. The world is your oyster with mushrooms.
Kale
Fun fact. Prior to 2012, Pizza Hut was the worlds biggest purchaser of Kale…as a decoration! Since then it has become the favourite superfood. Why? Because kale delivers on protein and much more. One cup of cooked kale has about three grams, which isn’t earth shattering, but in a salad with some other ingredients on this list certainly adds up.
Lima Beans
With 11.58 grams of protein per cooked cup, this is one of those high protein vegetables that packs a punch. This little legume is loaded with nutrients with plenty of potassium, fibre, and iron. While some people aren’t the biggest fans of the taste, recipes like this help paint a better picture. Add them to a salad and you will have extra flavour immediately.
Lentils
When it comes to legumes, lentils are among the winners. They contain about 18 grams of protein per cup when cooked and they are great for watching calorie intake. Lentils are also a great source of dietary fibre and contain a high amount of folate, thiamine, phosphorus, and iron. Toss them into a cold salad, use them in a soup, or even mould them into a protein-packed meat-free patty!
Black Beans
Black beans are a readily available, inexpensive legume packed protein. They can be enjoyed in many different ways as a tasty part of a nutritious eating plan. While black beans are high in carbohydrates, they are in the form of resistant starch and fibre, which are digested slowly and can provide health benefits. Enjoy black beans in all kinds of dishes, from burritos to brownies.
Chickpeas
With 14.53 grams of protein per cup chickpeas are a proven winner. Incredibly versatile and the main ingredient in hummus, they have a subtle nutty flavour that works well in a variety of recipes. Simply roasting them for a snack is as simple as it gets. Do you have a favourite chickpea recipe?
Mung Bean Sprouts
Mung beans have 2.5 grams of protein for each cooked cup. They are high protein vegetables that you can definitely add to your weekly intake. Packed with other nutrients such as lecithin and zinc, a lot of products incorporate mung beans and can be used to swap out carb alternatives (mung bean fettuccine).
Sweet Corn
1 ear (raw) of corn contains 4.6 grams of protein! This incredible vegetable can be cooked in the oven, on the bbq, in the microwave and added to just about any dish. Incorporate it into your weekly food plan and don’t look back. It can be used as the base in most starchy foods (cornbread for example) and if you are willing to experiment with it you can replace a lot of those bad starches pretty quickly!
Asparagus
In the vegetable world, asparagus is considered protein rich with 2.4 grams per 100 gram serving. Whilst it is not the highest number going around, it is a great addition to an already protein-rich meal to boost the numbers a little higher. As the number 1 plant source of Vitamin K it also has great sources of potassium and antioxidants. Try this recipe for a new twist.
Soy Beans
With more protein than any other bean variety, cooked soybeans have about 28 grams per cup, roughly the amount of protein that can be found in 150 grams of chicken. More important, soybeans are one of only two complete plant proteins, the other one being quinoa. Thai soy bean in cabbage cups? Yes please!
Broccoli
Looking for fat-free protein gains? You might want to check out the green veggie that looks like a miniature tree. Often thought of as simply a side dish to accompany beef or chicken, one cup of chopped broccoli has 2.6 grams of protein all on its own and goes great in a salad. Broccoli is also a good source of folate, another important vitamin that has been shown to decrease the risk of certain types of cancer.
In summary
Whilst there will never be a true substitute to the protein levels that come in meats, you can top up your daily intake with the above high protein vegetables and in-turn, reduce your overall meat consumption.
If you look to add these extra options to your weekly food, you will also increase your fibre levels which your body will thank you for greatly. So get out there, jump to the supermarket and load up on these wonder foods!
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