My Top 5 Vegan Sources of Protein

Hi Everyone,

Its TOP 5 MONDAY AGAIN!!!! yes I know i had to skip last week because of my trip ( so sorry) but I am sticking to it and here you are!!!!

alright… so if you are Vegan, you have heard the question ” Where do you get your Protein?” probably more than once 🙂

This past weekend… I probably heard this question about 30 times! ( I was at a gathering) it is really great that so many people are so concerned about my protein intake, but sadly I know they’re not asking me the question out of concern but they are pretty much trying to tell me that I am Unhealthy!!!

now… I am not Blaming people for asking this question… since well… once upon of time I thought that Meat was the only source of real protein as well 😉 I wonder where I got that idea from..

When I did answer with my prepared list of Nutritional veggies and Grains that contain protein, I got a follow up comment about … yes but that is hardly enough protein… or that is not a complete protein… so these comments are what inspired this Blog 🙂

It made me think about How much protein we really need and do we really know the answer to this question?

during my research I found that The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that” men and women obtain 5% of their calories as protein.  This would mean 38 grams of protein for a man burning 3000 calories a day and 29 grams for a woman using 2300 calories a day. ”

This quantity of protein is impossible to avoid when daily calorie needs are met by unrefined starches and vegetables. so according to the World Health organization… which I think is a pretty reliable source!! I don’t need the amount of protein that has been Advertised and talked about all my life!!!

There are of course more than 5 sources of protein from starches and veggies, these are just my TOP 5 Sources of Protein 🙂

1. LENTILS 

Lentils are so awesome…Lentils add 9 grams of protein to your meal per half cup, along with nearly 15 grams of fiber! there is so much you can do with lentils, Lentils in burgers, lentils mashed in burritos!!!  See my LENTIL SOUP recipe on my blog!

2. BLACK BEANS

Black Beans are one of the richest sources of antioxidants and one of the healthiest beans of all beans and legumes. Their dark color indicates their strong antioxidant content and they also have less starch than some other beans. One favorite way to enjoy them is to make black bean burritos! Check out My CARB UP BURRITO recipe, you can switch out the pinto with black for more nutrients 🙂

3. BROCCOLI

This beautiful veggie contains 4 grams of protein in just 1 cup…that same cup also contains 30 percent of your daily calcium needs, along with vitamin C, fiber, and B vitamins for only 30 calories!!! you can put broccoli in your salad, steam it as a side dish or check out my  Cauliflower and Broccoli Spaghetti for a fun way to use them in a dish 🙂

4. HEMP SEEDS/HEART

are a complete protein that are hard NOT to love. Packing 13 grams in just 3 tablespoons, these tiny seeds are easy to add anywhere.. I use them on my salad and of course my smoothies as well 🙂 Check out my BLUEBERRY BLAST SMOOTHIE !

5. NUTRITIONAL YEAST

 Nutritional yeast contains 8 grams of protein in just 2 tablespoons! wow! The cheesy taste of this ingredient is a fun addition to meals as well 🙂 Check out my VEGAN ALFREDO or MAC & NO CHEESE to see how to use this nutritious ingredient 🙂

There you have it.. of course there are other sources or protein, Peas, rice, potatoes, Quinoa and much more!!! I just tried to give you guys a little variety here 😀

Thank you guys so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this post! please give me a thumbs up if you did so that I know you liked these kinds of posts 🙂

as always YOU’RE WELCOME!

Love & Peace

Sources:

Click to access WHO_TRS_935_eng.pdf