Top Plant Based Proteins for Your Body

When you’re trying to lose weight and you want to eat a diet that has plenty of proteins, you can get the recommended daily amount by adding delicious plant proteins to your meal plan.

Plus, when you eat plant-based proteins, you gain a lot in nutrition and health benefits. One of the things that plants can do for you is they lower your cholesterol levels thanks to their fiber content and they can also help prevent many different diseases as well as help those who are currently diagnosed with conditions such as diabetes.

Lentils

Whether or not you’re someone who eats meat for protein, your body can use the additional health boost you gain from eating lentils. While it might seem surprising that these are packed with protein, they are.

In fact, you can gain as much protein from eating a cup of lentils that have been cooked as you can from eating cooked beef. You’ll gain an amazing 18 grams of protein for your daily intake amount.

Not to mention that lentils are a superfood when it comes to the amount of iron they can provide for your body. You need iron for your body to be able to make red blood cells.

Without enough, you can feel fatigued. By consuming just one cup of lentils, you get almost 40% of the iron that you need every day. Because the makeup of lentils is a complex carbohydrate rather than mainly a simple carbohydrate, you’ll end up feeling fuller longer than if you were to eat other foods with a similar carbohydrate amount.

Plus, lentils are packed with fiber, which helps keep your digestive health in good shape. When trying to lose weight, some people look at the high carb level in lentils and then shy away from them.

But you shouldn’t worry because despite this higher carbohydrate level in the food, it’s not known to cause your blood glucose to rise. Lentils come in a variety of colors with brown lentils being the ones that you see most often.

The color of the brown with the lentil will depend on the type. So you can get some that are lighter brown while others will be very dark. These are often put into dishes such as soups.

Green lentils can taste a little like green bell peppers or nuts, depending on the color. These kinds of lentils are often served in salad dishes because they can stay firm even after they’re cooked.

There are red lentils that come in a variety of colors. This variety, though, doesn’t hold onto their firmness after they’re cooked. This is one of the reasons that they’re most often used in meal planning by adding them to soups or side dishes. These lentils have a sweeter taste than the other varieties.

Edamame

If you’ve never tried edamame, then you’ve been missing out. Though the name sounds a little strange, it’s a great plant-based food that can provide a lot of protein for you as you’re trying to lose weight.

Don’t let the name fool you. It just means that it’s green soybeans. There are different ways that you can eat them or prepare them and all of them are delicious.

This bean packs quite a nutritional punch. When you get a serving size of them, they have an amazing 9 grams of fiber, which help make you feel full so that you’re not on the hunt for junk food during the afternoon slump.

If you’re thinking that because they’re a type of bean, they must be loaded with fat, then think again. A serving size of the edamame has less than 3 grams of fat. They’re low in calories, too.

But it’s the amount of protein you get in a serving size that’s the real weight loss boost. By eating this food, you can add 11 grams of protein to your diet. Not only will you get good fiber and protein benefits, but you’ll also be eating a food that nature has packed with vitamins.

Plus, it also has a lot of iron, which your body needs in order to help you on your weight loss journey. This food grows in the pod. The beans inside the pod are very soft.

When you pick or buy them, they can be eaten directly out of the pod - which is the way that a lot of people like to snack on this food. You can purchase these beans already hulled for added convenience.

Besides snacking on the beans straight from the hull, you can add them to various dishes as long as you remove them from the pod since you’re not supposed to eat that part of the food.

One of the ways this food is most often served is in salads. You can cook them by boiling the pods or by steaming them, but they don’t have to be served warm. Most people also cook them with salt for added flavor.

Hemp Seeds

If you haven’t heard of hemp seeds, you’re not alone. Many people are unaware of the nutritional power of this protein packed food. At first glance, they do look a lot like sesame seeds, but the taste is a lot stronger.

They’re usually used as an add on food to a dish or a snack. They’re loaded with the power of omega 3 as well as being high in magnesium. They’re a great addition to meals for anyone who’s trying to lose weight or is looking for better control over their glucose level, since the seeds can be beneficial in that area.

The seeds are usually hulled and they can be placed in foods like salads or yogurts when you want to add more protein. They can also be lightly toasted and eaten much the same way that you’d eat roasted pumpkin seeds.

A serving size of hemp seeds contains around 11 grams of protein. It’s a little higher in fat, so you want to make sure that you’re watching the serving size of this food. The seeds are packed with fiber, though, making this a good protein choice.

Quinoa

Quinoa is a food that has a lot of protein per serving. Plus, it’s also low in fat. When it comes to giving you energy, quinoa is one of the foods that can definitely do that.

You get a lot of protein for every serving. You can eat a full cup of quinoa and get a little more than 8 grams of protein. Because it’s a seed, most people think that it must be loaded with fat, but that’s not correct.

This food contains just over 3 grams of fat versus the higher fat content that you’d find in a meat product. Quinoa is rich in vitamins and minerals - including iron, magnesium, vitamin B and fiber.

The fiber content of this food is higher than most other plant-based proteins. You’ll want to pay attention to your serving size, which is one cup, when eating quinoa because it’s one of the higher carbohydrate foods.

It’s gluten free and some people use the food just like they would rice when making meals with it. In fact, this food is often used in exchange for meals where some type of grain is called for.

It’s one of the most widely chosen foods when dieting because it has all of the amino acids that your body needs. It is considered a superfood. You can choose from black, red or white quinoa and the food contains what’s known as flavonoids, which is an antioxidant known to help fight against inflammation, viral illnesses and certain cancers.

It’s also known to boost your metabolism, and because it’s such a good source of protein, it will help you feel full longer, which can curb your appetite for snacking as well as overeating during meal times.

This food can be added to casseroles so that you get the protein benefit. But it can also be made into pancakes or into meatless burgers. It’s a very versatile dish.

Peas

There are some plant foods that will give you as many health benefits as they do grams of protein. Peas are one of those foods. While you might think of peas as just another plant food, it really is a wonderful food to use for both protein and to help boost your weight loss efforts.

While they’re loaded with all sorts of health benefits for you, they’re not high in fat or calories. Which makes them one of the best plant-based proteins that you can use when you’re planning out your meals.

Peas have natural nutrients that are known to keep some cancers from occurring. They have the ability to keep your immune system healthy - plus, they help give you plenty of energy thanks to the protein count.

This plant-based food is rich in the B vitamins as well as vitamin K, which can work to keep your bones strong and healthy. They’re also loaded with antioxidants, which means they can help you fight off illnesses.

They’re rich in flavonoids and carotenoids as well. If you’re looking for an anti-aging plant food in addition to a food that helps with weight loss, then that’s exactly what you’ve found in peas.

Because peas are so high in fiber, they help keep your glucose levels on an even keel. In turn, that helps keep diabetes at bay. Since the amount of antioxidants in peas is also high, besides eating them for their protein content, peas are great to eat to keep your heart healthy.

Peas contain properties that are known to lower your bad cholesterol level while boosting your good one. Since peas have plenty of fiber, like other plant-based proteins, they can keep your digestive system working the way it should.

You can add peas to a salad, soup or other dishes, but you can also eat dried peas as a snack. A serving size of this plant contains 8 grams of protein. It’s another versatile option.

Sun-Dried Tomatoes

One of the most often overlooked plants to eat when you want to use protein in weight loss is a sun-dried tomato. It’s so packed with vitamins and minerals as well as a healthy serving of protein that it’s a plant you can’t afford to overlook.

When you dry tomatoes or buy them that way in the store, you’ll notice that they taste sweeter. That’s only because the water content is now gone and doesn’t indicate additional natural sugar content.

This plant food has over 6 grams of fiber and close to 8 grams of protein. It’s a food that’s very low in fat, so it’s a good choice when you’re trying to lose weight. The vitamin and minerals you get in sun-dried tomatoes include iron, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium.

Plus, they’re rich in vitamin K, which is needed for bone health. You can use sun-dried tomatoes in a variety of foods including pizza, sandwiches, or salads. It brings many otherwise dull dishes to life.

Chia Seeds

If you’ve ever seen those Chia Pets, then you’ve seen the sprouts of the Chia seed. These seeds are filled with benefits for you when it comes to protein and weight loss.

They contain the omega 3 fatty acids and have the power to give you almost 20% of your total calcium requirements. Plus, they contain fiber and are loaded with antioxidants to boost your immunity.

Though they may look tiny, the Chia seeds make up for their size with the amount of protein they can provide just by eating a small amount. If you consume just one ounce of these seeds, you’re going to get an amazing 5 grams of protein.

So you can see how you can add these seeds to your diet and easily raise your protein intake. With just that one ounce of seeds, you’re also getting 10 grams of fiber.

This amount of fiber in such a little serving size to add to your diet curbs your appetite, helps prevent constipation and gives you energy. The fat content of a serving size is about 8 grams.

Because these seeds are unprocessed, your body can more easily use the nutrients - unlike with some other types of seeds. You can sprinkle the seeds into a main dish, into a cup of yogurt or in your oatmeal and easily get a boost in the amount of protein that you eat.

Using plant-based proteins rather than other types of protein options helps you cut calories as well as fat content, which is one of the reasons that people make this switch.