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| Black beans are a good source of protein. |
I have a lot of friends who push themselves hard and want to
know more about some of the vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and so forth that
can offer them a good source of protein to help to support them in their day to
day routines. I also have some friends
who are interested in the idea of incorporating more meat-free options in their
diets. Whether you are a meat eater, who
wants to boost your protein in a healthy way, or if you are a vegetarian or
vegan with the same goal, here is a list of 10 high protein sources.
1.
Beans.
In particular, raw soybeans have 68 grams of protein per cup. They are also considered to be a complete plant
protein. Other legumes and beans are generally
high in protein including black beans (39 grams per cup) and lentils (18 grams
per cup).
2.
Seeds. Sunflower seeds, for instance, have 29
grams of protein per cup. Pumpkin seeds have
9 grams per ounce (that would be 39 grams per cup!). Flaxseed is also high in protein (1.9 grams
per tablespoon) and chia seeds (4.7 grams per ounce).
3.
Corn.
Yes, corn. Corn has 16 grams of
protein per cup.
4.
Quinoa.
This can be substituted for rice along the side of any dish. Quinoa has 8.1
grams of protein per cup (versus brown rice’s 5 grams), and it is a complete
plant protein. Still, combining rice
with beans can be a great source of protein.
5.
Mushrooms.
Portobello mushrooms have up to 5 grams of protein per cup. White mushrooms have about 3 grams per cup,
and there are 2.26 grams in a cup of shitake mushrooms.
6.
Brussels sprouts have 3 grams of protein per
cup. Not bad for these tiny cabbages!
7.
Greens. Kale
has 2.9 grams of protein per cup, and spinach has 0.9 grams per cup. It doesn’t sound like spinach has a lot but
calorie-wise, if you consider that 100 calories of beef can give you 10 grams
of protein and 100 calories of spinach can give you 12 grams of protein, you
may look at it differently. Then again,
maybe you wouldn’t. You would have to
eat a whole lot of spinach to eat 100 calories! It is still a very healthy alternative to
greasy French fries and offers minerals and vitamins as well as protein to
support your health.
8.
Broccoli contains about 2.6 grams of protein per
cup. It has more protein per calorie
than steak, but of course, you would have to eat a great deal of broccoli to get
as much protein as you would probably get out of a serving of steak. At any
rate, it is a good vegetable to include for its protein and its overall nutritive
content.
9.
Sprouts.
Alfalfa sprouts and bean sprouts can be included on a salad of sandwich,
for instance, to add a little bit of a refreshing crunch. They also carry some fiber, minerals and
vitamins and about 1.3 grams of protein per cup.
10.
Artichokes.
Yes, an artichoke has about 4.2 grams of protein. It also has a lot of
vitamins and minerals for you!
*Always check with your primary
healthcare physician prior to vastly changing your diet, and check with him/her
to be sure that there are no contraindications.
It should also be noted that I am an herbalist, not a
nutritionist/dietitian and cannot make suggestions as to changes in personal
diet plans. Please consult your personal
nutritionist/dietitian for further information.
Yes, Jones’ Acre Homestead is offering a CSA this season! We will be offering beans, corn, greens,
Brussels sprouts, asparagus and many, many more veggies, fruits, herbs and
fresh eggs to boot! Message us on Facebook for more information!
Coles, T. (2013, July
13). Food fight: Quinoa vs. Brown rice. Retrieved February 14, 2017, from
Canada Living,
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/07/12/brown-rice-vs-quinoa_n_3587555.html
Russell, T. (2010, July
7). GREEN SMOOTHIES. Retrieved February 14, 2017, from Nutrition,
http://www.incrediblesmoothies.com/raw-food-diet/raw-nutrition/is-spinach-really-a-rich-source-of-protein/
U.S. Department of
agriculture. (2017, February 14). Retrieved February 14, 2017, from
https://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome
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