If you are a vegan and want to build up your protein intake here is a guide to grains, beans, nuts, and veggies that will help. Remember to seek out local and organic whenever possible.
Grains and beans are a truly remarkable way to add protein to a meat and dairy free diet. Quinoa (pictured in a field above) has nine grams of protein. Tempeh is a vegan food that has 41 grams of protein in a cup. Sometimes it is made from cultured organic soybeans, water, organic barley, organic brown rice, and organic millet, like this lightlife tempeh. Here are more grain facts:
- Quinoa (shown growing in the image above) has 9 grams of protein
- Bulgur, cooked into cup has 6
- Brown rice, cooked into a cup has 5
Sunflower seeds make great additions to salads. 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds (pictured below) has six grams of protein.
Nuts are another high protein snack. A full cup of shelled peanuts has 40 grams of protein, so you are in luck if you’re fond of peanut butter.
Here are more nut facts:
- Almond butter has five grams of protein or more in 2 Tbsp.
- 1/4 cup whole almonds equals eight grams of protein
- 1/4 cup cashews has five grams of protein
Beans like soybeans (when cooked) in a cup have a whopping 29 grams of protein, with lentils trailing near on the bean chart at 18 grams of protein per cooked cup. Here are more bean stats:
- Black beans, 1 cup cooked = 15 grams of protein
- Kidney beans, 1 cup cooked = 13
- Chickpeas, 1 cup cooked has 12
- Pinto beans, 1 cup cooked has 12
- Black-eyed peas, cup cooked has 11
Here are a few more tasty vegetables that rank high on the protein list:
- Broccoli, cooked 1 cup has four protein grams
- Spinach when cooked to one cup contains five grams of protein
- A potato has four protein grams
Try tossing tofu (4 ounces firm has 11 grams of protein) and spinach or broccoli in a hot or cold dish with garlic and soy sauce for added flavor.
What are your favorite ways to get protein from food?
Lucille Chi
Lucy Chi loves good green design, ethical fashion, environmental art and education, renewables, holistic healing and more. She has been dedicating her energies toward finding and drawing attention to all the ways in which products, companies, and industries are moving toward creating a more sustainable world on the global scale, as well as the way individuals are moving toward living sustainably, and healing at the personal level. Sustainability studies: PresidioMBA.org & B.S. Cornell University, College of Human Ecology, Dept. of Textiles and Fiber Science. Contact: lucillechi (at) gmail.com
4 Responses to Vegan and Vegetarian Protein Builders
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[...] about these mighty legumes. The thing is, beans are a pretty amazing food, whether you’re vegan or not! They’re full of protein, fiber, vitamins, and [...]
Hi, I have an important question regarding a vegan diet. I suffer from 2 things. Gout (meat & certain veggies & dried beans, peas etc. contain purines) and #2 I also suffer with painful gas which requires the use of things like Beano for gas relief.
I would like other suggestions for protein substitute aside from the things that I have mentioned. My diet would really lack a lot of good nutrients. Thanks
I’d like to know the protein content in many other vegetables like: kale, chard, green beans, carrots,celery, lettuce (all kinds), yams, tomatoes, cabbage, beets and their greens, etc. Thanks
love your site….thanks for showing how many miligrams are in certain foods….will keep in my favorites for reference……..