Where do you get your protein if you don’t eat meat or fish? How do you stay strong, lean and healthy? Do these questions sound familiar? They are bound to pop up whenever you meet someone who is completely new to the raw or cooked vegan lifestyle. Luckily, we can get all the protein we need from healthy plant-based sources. These are my 6 of the best vegan protein sources.
- Super Seeds
Super food seeds like chia, hemp and quinoa are packed with healthy plant-based protein. Start your day with a big bowl of chia pudding, add a large scoop of hemp protein powder to your breakfast smoothie or favorite shake, and enjoy a generous portion of sprouted or cooked quinoa for lunch or dinner. One cup of quinoa delivers 9 grams of protein, 2 tablespoons of chia contain 5 grams of protein, and 1 tablespoon of hemp provides 6 grams of protein. That makes 20 grams of protein, almost half of the daily-recommended amount for active adult women (46 grams per day) and men (56 grams per day).
- Dark Green Vegetables
Dark green vegetables such as kale, spinach and Swiss chard are loaded with healthy sources of easily digestible protein. 1 cup of broccoli has 4 grams of protein, Romaine lettuce has 8 grams of protein per head and one serving of kale has no less than 11 grams of protein. Add your favorite leafy greens to your green smoothies, include them in a big, juicy salad, prepare yourself a big plate of zucchini squash pasta, or enjoy one or more servings of steamed vegetables like broccoli, green beans, asparagus and sweet peas.
- Algae & Seaweed
Algae and seaweed are both examples of ‘complete protein’. They contain all the essential amino acids (protein building blocks) our body needs to function properly. What’s more, seaweed also helps us to deeply detoxify thanks to its high amounts of important minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium and potassium. Add a scoop of chlorella to your green smoothies (but don’t use it every day because chlorella and spirulina might lower your vitamin B12 levels), sprinkle some dried dulse, nori or kelp onto your salads, or prepare yourself a nutritious dinner with raw vegan sushi rolls and a bowl of Japanese miso soup with kombu (a different type of seaweed).
More tips on how to get adequate amounts of protein on a raw or cooked vegan diet are coming soon. Can you guess what the other 3 top sources of plant-based protein might be?
