When you decide to
lower your meat consumption it is always good to add other protein sources to
your diet. The average man needs 56
grams of protein per day and the average women needs 46 grams. Even more if you are physically active.
One of the best
proteins to add is the very versatile legume.
My favorite legume is black beans and I eat them quite a bit. I use them in soups and chili as well as
other dishes like stuffed bell peppers, burritos and tacos, salads, rice bowls,
etc. Recently I made black bean burgers
and much to my surprise and amazement they were delicious! One cup of beans equals 14 grams of protein
or more.
Eggs are another
source of protein we eat quite a bit. We
are very fortunate to have our own supply of healthy and nutritious farm fresh
eggs in our own backyard. And quite honestly
there is no comparison to the quality of a farm fresh egg over a commercially
produced one. I use eggs a lot in baked
goods, but also omelets and quiches as well as breakfast burritos and fried
rice dishes. Hard boiled eggs make it
into sandwiches and salads or get eaten as snacks. Another very versatile source of protein. One large egg has 6 grams of protein.
I'm not a tofu or
soy eater, but once again another versatile source of protein. Soy milk has 8 grams of protein in a one cup
serving. A lot of Asian foods,
especially soups use tofu which has a whopping 20 grams of protein per cup.
Nuts and seeds are
another delicious way to add protein to your diet. A one ounce serving of nuts or seeds averages
about 6 grams of protein. Not too shabby
and they make for a healthy and nutritious snack. Add some to salads or baked goods to boost
the nutrition factor up a notch.
Plant proteins are
one source you may have never really thought of but yes, plants do have
protein. Rice for instance packs 6 grams
of protein in a one ounce serving.
Lentils have 9 grams! Oatmeal has
5 grams. Vegetables such as potatoes,
spinach, avocados, broccoli and brussel sprouts are also good sources of protein.
Protein
powders. There are a lot of them out
there and I personally don't know enough about them right now to say whether or
not they are a good idea. Right now I
choose to get my protein from the foods I consume. But if anyone knows of any pros or cons about
protein powders please share in the comments.
Meat remains the
largest source of dietary protein, but if you are looking to cut back on your
meat consumption, for whatever reason, you have plenty of other options out
there. Do your homework and check out
these options for yourself. Good foods
that are really good for you!
Thanks for sharing..
ReplyDeleteYou are quite welcome :)
DeleteRecipe for the black bean burgers?
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear you NOT praise the mighty lentil. They always taste mushy or gritty to me, no matter how I cook them.
Lentils are not really my favorite either. And yes, the black bean burgers turned out great so recipe is coming! :)
DeleteDo you find that the beans give you gas? I love beans but man, they don't like me anymore. ;)
ReplyDeleteI don't but if so I'd definitely use Beano or something like that to give me the extra enzymes I needed. I really feel the other garbage in our foods we eat, especially additives and preservatives interfere with our body's ability to break these things down on our own.
Delete