Veganism is both the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A follower of either the diet or the philosophy is a vegan.
Consuming protein is essential for health, as it helps in regulating our bodily functions. However, the majority of us are getting protein from animal sources. This creates a stigma that vegans and vegetarians never have enough protein in their diet, but this is entirely untrue. Many plant-based foods contain good amounts of protein. Here are five plant protein sources to try:
Legumes
Beans and legumes are super filling and have high amounts of protein. In addition, they are inexpensive and can be incorporated into many tasty dishes. Some legumes that have the highest amount of protein are edamame and lentils. Edamame has 63% of your daily protein value with only one cup, and lentils have 36%.
Tofu
Tofu is a well-known meat replacement for vegans and vegetarians. With one cup, raw firm tofu contains about 10 grams of protein. What’s excellent about tofu is that it is lower in calories than most meats and dairy products. This means that you can eat a lot more of it on top of getting protein, leaving you feeling full and satisfied.
Plant-Based Milk
Non-dairy milk has become immensely popular in recent years. Whether soy or almond, just one cup can contain about 7-9 grams of protein. Aside from protein, plant-based milk also has enough calcium as animal milk and is an easy, tasty replacement.
Greens
Believe it or not, many vegetables contain reasonable amounts of protein, especially greens. Although the list of vegetables with protein is endless, some that can be good sources are green peas and spinach. One cup of green peas contains about 8 grams of protein, and one cup of spinach has roughly 5 grams of protein. It may not seem like much at first glance, but these are very low-calorie foods, so you will surely get your protein by eating a sufficient amount.
Seeds
Seeds are a great option to optimize your protein. What differentiates seeds from other protein sources like tofu or tempeh is that they can easily be incorporated into any sweet or savoury meal. They can add a nice element to any meal, as they can add good crunch and texture with just a subtle flavour.
It can be easily sprinkled or topped and is very easy to sneak into any dish. Seeds such as pumpkin, hemp, chia, and sesame are just a few seeds that contain good protein. For example, hemp seeds have about 4 grams of protein in about a tablespoon, while chia seeds have about 5 grams for every two tablespoons.
