Top 7 Sources of Plant Protein
Plant-based diets are more popular than ever. Western society is slowly realizing that plant protein is abundant and may even bring health benefits. So here are, in no special order, my top seven plant protein sources.
Plant protein number seven Is tempeh. Tempe is a triple threat. It’s Jam-packed with plant protein, at over 30 grams per cup. It’s a fermented food so it’s a probiotic and it can lower your cholesterol. pretty hard to beat. plus, it’s incredibly versatile You can have it in tacos, bowls, salads, there’s tempeh burgers, tempeh bacon, just endless options. quick fact: protein is easy to find. the recommended dietary allowance or RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowances) for a 170 pound (ca. 77 kg) man is 64 grams a day. not that much. in fact, as Stanford Professor Chris Gardner explains, most Americans get double the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowances) simply by eating enough calories.
plant protein number six Is lentils. lentils are my favourite legume. incredibly cheap, I often buy them at less than a dollar a pound, fast to cook and just a nutritional powerhouse. one cup of lentils has 18 grams of plant protein, 16 grams of fibre and a third of your daily iron. Try this delicious lentil dahl. I love it so much I even took it on the plane with me. quick fact: Many studies have shown people getting more protein from plants tend to live longer lives. Now, these studies can’t prove that the plant protein per se is responsible for their longevity.
The researchers try to rule out confounders like BMI, alcohol intake, smoking, physical activity and diabetes, but there could be other differences in the plant-eaters that account for the benefits. I actually got my PhD doing this type of experiment, measuring life span on different conditions, on different foods, but we used animals like fruit flies. We basically sat there and waited for them to die of natural causes. now imagine doing that with humans. so it’s almost impossible to prove that link beyond all doubt, and we may never know with 100% certainty. But given all the demonstrated health benefits of a plant-rich diet, it’s plausible that they also contribute to long-term health and length of life.
plant protein number five is edamame: Edamame is the fresh unprocessed soybeans. you can buy them fresh or frozen, which is really convenient A cup of edamame has 19 grams of plant protein That’s almost a third of the RDA for the average size man. You can have it as a snack with garlic or as a full meal Try this corn and edamame summer salad or if you’re not a salad guy or gal try this large bowl with mushrooms and broccoli. Are you allergic to soy by any chance? stick around. Plenty of soy-free options coming up. quick fact, We don’t need protein powders Okay, if you’re a bodybuilder, maybe. but the vast majority of us can get all the protein we need from food That’s not to say protein powders are unhealthy. have some if you like. but try not to think of them as a replacement for food. Real food is more complete and less expensive.
Plant protein number four is hummus: It’s as simple as blended chickpeas so you can make it at home quickly if you prefer for a more natural version that also saves money. or you can buy it for the remake. it works as a creamy dressing, as a snack or as a side dish. quick fact: There’s a common idea in our society that plant protein lacks certain amino acids. in reality, all plants have all nine essential amino acids.
The proportions vary between them so eating a variety of different plants ensures you get a proper mix it also, it used to be thought that plant protein was less well absorbed, but the most recent evidence in humans indicates there’s little to no difference between animal and plant protein digestibility. And since we eat protein in excess anyway, any small differences aren’t meaningful in practice. There may be some exceptions, in elderly people with some digestion issues but for most of us, both animal and plant protein provide all the amino acids we need.
Plant protein number three is oatmeal. Although they’re not as concentrated in protein as legumes, for example, all whole grains are great sources of plant protein. a cup of oatmeal has about 10 grams of protein and if you have it with some almonds, flax or chia and any milk you like you can easily hit 20 or 25 grams of protein for breakfast. and loaded with fibre and healthy fats.
Plant protein number two is chia seeds. Now, most of us don’t eat whole cups of chia seeds and that’s okay because they’re so insanely nutrient-dense we don’t need that much. three tablespoons of chia seeds on your oatmeal or in a chia pudding pack five grams of protein, almost 20 per cent of your daily calcium needs and half your iron. not to mention, a soluble fibre which lowers cholesterol and feeds your micro biome and omega-3 healthy fats What else do we want from food? by the way, hemp seeds are incredible too, with more than twice the protein as chia.
These seeds are just out of control. quick fact, it’s not all or nothing. in the longevity studies, we saw earlier, even shifting just three per cent of calories from animal to plant protein was associated with a drop in mortality. Similar findings have been reported for heart disease and many other conditions so if you want to eat 100 plants, by all means, go for it, but if you’d rather not, even small changes have been linked to benefits.
Plant protein number one is just a reminder that greens have protein too and it really adds up. kale, broccoli and asparagus are just some examples of protein-rich greens so load up.
Regards
TMS
