Vegan High Protein Food

More and more people are becoming health conscious. These diet changes usually happen because of a change in one’s religious belief, doctors’ recommendation to relieve certain medical conditions, or you are against animal cruelty. What all this majorly means that if you are a vegan or a vegetarian and you’ve decided to quit animal products and live a greener life, you most definitely, have to find better ways of eating the required nutrients.

Living on a green diet isn’t that hard because plants often have the essential minerals that can make your body stronger and healthier. Most people, especially those who are just starting, often become a bit worried about where and how they can get various plant-based proteins. This is because most people usually associate proteins with animal products such as meat and eggs and forget that plant-based proteins such as beans and other legumes are generally healthier and more beneficial.

Proteins are an essential part of your diet since they help in most body functions such as growth, healing, and body repair, and they also act as enzymes in your body’s biochemical reactions. Making sure your body gets enough proteins ensures that you are strong, healthy, and fit.

So, what are the best vegan high-protein foods?

Soy products
Soy products like tofu, edamame, and tempeh are foods with the richest protein concentration. However, the protein quantity depends on how soy products get prepared. Firm tofu is made of soybean curds and has a protein concentration of ten grams for every half a cup, while edamame beans, the immature soybeans with a sweet, grassy taste, have 8.5 grams to every half cup. They can be steamed and eaten independently, or they can also be added to stews and soups.

Tempeh contains thirty grams for every cup full. Tempeh has a remarkable nutty taste and is made by cooking and slightly fermenting mature soybeans, which are then pressed into a patty. It has adequate amounts of probiotics, magnesium, phosphorus, and B vitamins.
Tofu can be an excellent meat substitute in most dishes since it readily absorbs their flavor.
Apart from soy having the right concentration of proteins, it has adequate calcium and iron levels, which are also great mineral supplements.

Lentils
Lentils are also excellent protein supplements that can be applied to most dishes to give significant protein boosts to meals. They can be added to stews rice or curries dishes to add to the flavor apart from the protein punch.

Lentils have a protein concentration of fifteen grams per cup and can also be a great source of fiber, iron, potassium, and other vital ingredients. Fiber from lentils has also been known to be great for the good bacteria found in your colon, promoting a healthy gut. They also reduce the risk of having a heart attack, diabetes, certain types of cancer, and obesity.

Seitan
Seitan is an excellent protein source among vegetarians. It is made from gluten, which is the main protein in meat, and, unlike most other soy-based mock meals, it has the same look and texture as meat. Seitan has twenty-five grams of protein per one-hundred grams making an excellent plant protein source.

It is also a good source for selenium and contains some phosphorus, iron, and calcium. It can be pan-fried, grilled, and even sauteed, making it a great addition to meals.

However, you should avoid using it if you have celiac disease or you are sensitive to gluten.

Chickpeas and most beans
Chickpeas and various other types of beans, including black, kidney, and pinto, have generous protein amounts per serving. They both contain about 15 grams of protein per 240ml cup, making them a decent plant protein source.

They are also a great source of carbohydrates, folate, magnesium, and other mineral compounds that are great for your body.

Apart from being a great source of protein, beans are also great at reducing belly fat, lowering cholesterol levels in the blood, and even controlling blood sugar levels.

Nutritional yeast
Nutritional yeast is cultured from a deactivated strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Its cheesy flavor made it famous in dishes like mashed potatoes and scrambled tofu.

Nutritional yeast provides your body with fourteen grams of proteins per twenty-eight grams. Besides being rich in protein content, it also has a good fiber content of seven grams per 28 grams.

Fortified nutritional yeast contains zinc, copper, manganese, and magnesium, essential minerals for a healthy body.

Green peas
Green peas have a protein content of nine grams per 240ml cup. Green peas are also rich in fiber content and have other essential minerals like zinc, magnesium, iron, and several other vitamins. However, it would be best if you ate them often so that your body can become accustomed to digesting them. If you don’t do this, you may experience some bloating and other discomforting symptoms.

They are low in fat and cholesterol, making them a great vegetable protein.

Spirulina
Spirulina is a blue-green alga that contains 8 grams of proteins for every two spoonsful. It is rich in iron and vitamins, except manganese and vitamin B-12. It is available in powder form that is added to water, fruit juice, or even smoothies. You can also sprinkle it well over salads to improve the protein content.

Quinoa
This is a complete protein with a high content of protein that contains eight grams of proteins per 240 ml cup. It also has other nutrients and minerals like magnesium, iron, and manganese. It also has high fiber content and can be taken as the main course, sprinkled as salads, or eaten as a main course.

Conclusion Our body makes 11 amino acids, proteins that are essential to our well-being. However, you need to be supplemented with the other nine amino acids to have for you to be healthy. If you are a vegan, you need to consume various plant proteins to fill your daily quota.

If you can’t access these essential proteins, you can try your hand at food supplements. They are a great way of ensuring that you get enough proteins in your system.