A couple of weeks ago I started going to a strengthening class using weights and I have been advised to eat more protein, however I don’t want to eat more meat so I’ve been looking at where else I can get some extra protein Ito my diet.
Lentils
Lentils offer you 18g of protein per cooked cup, which is pretty impressive. What’s more, they might already be on your plate considering how easy they are to work with, you can add them to soups, salads and even curries. Experiment with different varieties and try to sneak more of them into your everyday food preparations.
Tofu
Bean curd, also commonly known as tofu, is another powerful protein source, probably the most loved one among vegetarians, giving you around 8g of protein in just 100g serving. What’s best is the fact that tofu is also very versatile, you can add it to a lot of different food preparations and it’ll take your meals up a notch!
Beans
Most varieties of beans, particularly black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans and chickpeas contain high amounts of protein, as much as 15g in a cup of cooked beans. Plus, most of these also contain many other important minerals like folate, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, iron and even fibre! In fact, some studies have also revealed that a diet rich in lentils and beans can help control blood sugar and blood pressure levels as well.
Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt offers you 23g of protein per cup, making it one of the best protein choices for vegetarians. You can add it to your smoothies, add it to your rice dishes or even add some chopped fresh fruit over it and have it as your dessert, you just can’t go wrong with it! Add some chia seeds to it and you’ll get a protein punch for your body, since chia seeds offer 3g of protein per tablespoon!
Peas
Offering 9g of protein in a cup’s worth of serving, green peas are another superstar protein source on this list. Including more of these in your daily meals can also help you get a lot of fibre, which will keep your digestive system happy.
Quinoa
For every cooked cup, quinoa gives you 8-9g of protein. Quinoa is also known to contain all 9 essential amino acids which makes it the ideal complete protein source. In addition, it turns out to be a good source of complex carbs, manganese, phosphorous, iron and magnesium.
Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is another great choice to add to your diet if you’re looking for good protein sources. It offers you 14g of protein in just half a cup, and you can experiment a lot with it as well, since it is so easy to work with.
Eggs
Eggs are so versatile to eat on their own or added to meals. The average egg contains 6-7 grams of protein.
Kefir
100ml of Lifeway Kefir contains 3.2g of natural protein, calcium (one serving of Lifeway Kefir provides 30% of your daily calcium needs), potassium and vitamin D. It can aid digestion and increase immunity. Kefir also contains Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) which is a popular ingredient in skin care products. If all of that, isn’t enough of a reason to try it, Lifeway Kefir also contains tryptophan, the amino acid that helps raise the levels of serotonin in your brain.
How do you get your protein? Have you any tips?x
As a veggie, I needed to read this! Had not heard of Kefir nor the high protein contents of greek yoghurt. Thank you, very useful post.
I tried quorn nuggets last night and was blown away by them!
I had no idea that Greek yoghurt contains so much protein! Thank you for the tip
I’ve been eating less and less meat over the past 6 months so this is great thanks
This is really useful thank you. I have stopped eating meat and worry about my protein intake. Kaz
I eat quite a few of these products, so I think I’d be OK for protein if I were ever to give up meat 🙂
Louise x
This is really useful information! I have wondered how vegetarians would get the right amount of protein in their diet. I definitely think I’d struggle if I were to give up meat though!
I often wonder where people that don’t eat meat get their protein – thanks for the tips
I did not know about peas, greek yoghurt or cottage cheese. I’m a vegetarian too so this is a mega useful post – thanks so much!