Think You Can’t Get Great Vegetarian Protein? Think Again

Whether you’re a total vegetarian or just like to switch things up in your meal planning, you’ll want to make sure that your vegetarian days still get you the protein you need to keep your energy high. It’s true that many vegetarian sources of protein are not complete proteins in the way that animal proteins are, however it’s more important to cover all the basis of the amino acids that make up a complete protein over the course of a day as opposed to in a single meal. Here are some great sources of protein to incorporate into your diet that are totally vegetarian.

Quinoa

Quinoa has 8 grams of protein per cooked cup. It’s also a good source of fiber and iron. Use quinoa where you would normal go for rice, or even substitute it into recipes to make things like cookies and muffins with it. Quinoa is a great alternative to oatmeal or as a layered grain in a breakfast bowl, in pancakes, mixed into guacamole, as a coating for homemade baked chicken fingers, mixed into veggie burger mix, as a soup add-in, or even sprinkled onto a salad. If you’re pressed for time during the week try making up a big batch and then keeping it refrigerated throughout the week. You can pull out one serving at a time and throw it in the microwave or even eat it cold, especially if you are using it as a salad topping.

Hempseed

Hempseed has 10 grams of protein per two tablespoon serving. Hempseeds are a vegan source of omega-3 fatty acids that we usually get from fish, and they have some of all nine essential amino acids that make up great protein sources. They are also a good source of magnesium, iron, zinc, and calcium. To incorporate hempseeds into your diet, try sprinkling them on top of salads or yogurt, putting them in smoothies, mixing them into sandwich spreads, or top off some oatmeal. To get the health benefits you should not be cooking your hemp seeds, so don’t add them to your baked goods. And to clear things up although hemp seeds are in the same family they are not going to get you high or or do anything besides increase your health.

Buckwheat

Buckwheat is actually not a wheat product so don’t mind the name. The plant is a relative of rhubarb and the seeds can be ground up to make a gluten free flour alternative. Buckwheat has 6 grams of protein per cup cooked, and some studies have shown that it has the ability to keep your blood sugar in check and improve overall circulation. Buckwheat is quite high in manganese, fiber, copper and magnesium, and it also contains some iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and selenium.

You can basically substitute in buckwheat anywhere that would you would use normal flour or mixes like waffles, pancakes, baked snack bars, burgers, pies, soups, etc. Soba noodles are noodles that have been made with buckwheat which also provides a great option when you’re avoiding gluten or highly processed carbs.