Vegan and Vegetarian Protein Builders

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?