Every vegan is familiar with the quizzical questionings of non-vegan friends and family members regarding their unique diet plan;

Where do you get your proteins from?

You will be drained out of your proteins without meat!

You are doing no good by giving yourself a protein-less diet!

And so on and so forth…

But the grain of truth is you can button up all these phony remarks by telling them that you are consuming as much as protein with your vegan meal plan as they do with their meals full of meat, poultry, fish and eggs.

How? Name these top five meatless, plant-based vegan sources which are superabundant with proteins, proteins and proteins!

1.  Soybeans

Soybeans are known to be a great source of protein. Soybeans are not only rich in various amino acids which make up protein, but it also contains vitamins, iron, fiber and folate.

By including tofu, edamame, and tempeh in your diet, you can get a huge amount of essential protein nutrition for your body. These vegan foods are all made of soybeans, containing from 10 to 20 grams of protein per half cup. With a good amount of vitamin B, minerals like phosphorus and magnesium and probiotics, Tempeh is perfect for your diet. Similarly, edamame contains vitamin K, folate and fiber. You can also add seasoning to these foods with herbs, spices and sauces to strengthen the flavor profiles.

2.  Lentils

Lentils are another super vegan protein source. Two servings of lentils can give you nearly 18 to 20 grams of protein. Not only protein, but lentils are fulsome in fiber, folate, magnesium, iron, antioxidants and easily digested carbs too. That’s why they are excellent diet that also aids in minimizing the risks of many health diseases like diabetes, heart problems, obesity and even few types of cancer.

All you need you do is to incorporate lentils in your fresh salads, daal curries, spicy dishes, and hearty soups and you will be providing your body with necessary proteins, fibers and many other healthy plant compounds.

3.  Nuts and Beans

Nut, beans, seeds, and legumes like chickpeas also contain a significant proportion of proteins. Just like lentils and soybeans, nuts and seeds also contain fiber, iron, calcium, magnesium and many vitamins. These plant-based beneficial compounds provide you enough antioxidants, fats and protein required by your body to stay strong and healthy.

You can consume natural nut butter in your breakfast or various beans and legumes in lunch instead of other foods which are full of sugar, oil and excess salt.

4.  Oats and Wild Rice

Love to eat tasty oats? You are already on the right track!

With just half a cup of dry oats, you can infuse your diet with 6 grams of high-quality protein and 4 grams of fiber. Oats are also rich in zinc, magnesium, phosphorus and folate.

Rice is also one of the dishes which we love to consume because they are easy to make and simple to eat. But, try wild rice this time. It will give you 1.5 times more protein than basmati or brown rice. If you consume a cooked cup of wild rice every day, your are giving your body a copious supply of fibers, copper, vitamin B and yes, 7 grams of proteins too.

References

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12349-012-0109-8

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23089999

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25061763