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.
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.
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.
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.
Peas
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.
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.
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. Reacquaint yourself with Brussels sprouts 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.
Kale
The favourite superfood of the last few years, 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.
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.
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 incredibly versatile 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.
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.
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