Vegetables that are high in Proteins
High Protein Vegetables: When you think protein, you probably think meat. And, honestly, you wouldn’t be entirely wrong. Chicken gives you something like 40 grams of protein a cup. No vegetable has nearly as much as much. But vegetables do contain protein and some more than others. Besides, everyone agrees on the nutritional cornerstone recommendation to eat your vegetables.
But if you’re looking to shed a few extra pounds, or maybe just maintain the weight you already are, or cut back on your fat intake, upping the portion of vegetables in the pie chart that is your daily diet can help. Less meat has also been linked to reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. So, try subbing in some protein-rich veggies instead.
Most vegetables are famously low in fat as well as carbs and sugars and high in vitamins and other does-your-body good nutrients. Some, mostly the bright green variety, are also, surprisingly, high in protein. Who would have thought? No need to ingest the fat that invariably accompanies most cuts of meat; a cup of green peas will serve up something like nine grams of protein.
How much protein should you take?
The recommended daily allowance of protein isn’t a straightforward number, I’m afraid. It’s…drum roll… 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Ok, not so bad… but of course that also depends on your height, how active you are, and your sex. Before we have you rummaging around for a calculator and you start crunching the numbers, we’ll give you a few ballpark figures. A medium sized guy who’s not all that active but not a complete office rat might need, say, 55 kilograms of protein a day. An active woman, but not the Olympics kind of active, with the same average build might need 58 kilograms.
No one wants eight cups of peas a day (I mean, maybe somebody does) but one cup is getting you well on your way to what the experts are telling you you need daily. If you follow an omnivorous diet, and you’re solidly average in your exercise and size, one serving of an animal-based protein plus one of a high-protein veg like peas is really all you need.
You can also pull a Popeye and add some spinach to your daily dose. A cup of cooked spinach (the sort of the sailorman himself was eating straight from the can) rings in at five grams of protein per cup. Delicious asparagus has around three grams per cup. Kale, vaunted superfood, has around one gram per cup, in addition to all of its other nutritional charms. You can pick up some at our organic food store at Food Crowd.
If you’re following a vegetarian or a vegan diet, you’re probably always on the lookout for non-animal sources of protein. If plants are your only or main source of protein be aware that they are incomplete: they don’t have the nine amino acids your body needs. So, if you’re cutting all animal products from your diet, make sure you keep your diet very varied and you’re eating across the full spectrum of the rainbow of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains to keep healthy.