Protein consumption is necessary for everyone, including kids, adults, and pregnant women. Explore how switching to a protein rich veg food can help you achieve your health goals. Also find out the high protein vegetarian diet that may improve your immunity.
As a macronutrient, protein must be eaten in large quantities and should be a part of all meals consumed throughout the day. According to the Recommended Dietary Allowance for Indians, adults are advised to meet the daily requirements of 0.8 g of protein for each kg of body weight.
While eggs are generally known to be one of the best sources of protein, there are a variety of protein rich veg foods for vegetarians too. This way, vegetarians can benefit from this nourishing nutrient that is essential to a healthy life.
Importance of Protein in the Body
-
Growth and Maintenance:
Our body needs protein for the growth and maintenance of tissues. The building blocks of protein are amino acids, which help to build and maintain muscles, bone, skin, blood, and other organs. -
Provides Structure:
Protein provides cells and tissues with stiffness and rigidity and creates a framework for skin, hair, and nails. -
Balances Fluids:
Proteins in the blood help maintain the body’s fluid balance by attracting and retaining water . -
Bolsters Immune Health:
Proteins help form antibodies that fight infection and protect our body from harmful invaders like bacteria and viruses. -
Provides Energy:
It can be broken down to provide energy to the body and thus enable it to carry out its activities.
Thus, protein has many roles to play, making high protein vegetarian meals extremely important for your holistic growth.
Protein rich food for vegetarians
The following is a list of some of the high-protein vegetarian foods:
Milk and milk products:
- A glass of milk contains 6.5 g of protein, making it an easy and protein-rich vegetarian food option. As a liquid, milk is a versatile ingredient and can be used in milkshakes, smoothies, and even delicious curries prepared in an Indian household. When one feels lazy after a long day at work, drinking a glass of milk can instantly boost energy reserves.
- For people who don’t like milk, there are other alternatives like curd and paneer, or you can also opt to flavour the milk with fresh fruits to get rid of its distinct flavour. You could try this Pineapple Dragon Fruit Smoothie for a start!
Tofu:
- Similar to other veg protein foods like cottage cheese or paneer that are prepared from curdling milk, tofu is a soft cheese made from curdling soya milk. Much like the foods mentioned above, tofu is also an excellent protein rich food in veg.
- It is a good source of calcium and iron, and is a source of plant protein, which contains all of the 9 essential amino acids that the body cannot make, and thus must be taken through the diet.
Pulses:
- Lentils like moong dal and urad dal, beans like rajma (kidney beans), soya beans and peas like chickpeas are examples of pulses that serve as the best protein foods for vegetarians. For example, each serving (30g) of soya has 11.34 g of protein, making it a go-to option for muscle-building and repairing tissue.
- Apart from providing protein, pulses are also a good source of complex carbohydrates, fibre, and minerals like iron. Fibre helps provide bulk to stool, thus relieving symptoms of constipation, while iron is required to transport blood across the body.
Cereals/Millets:
- Whole wheat, ragi, bajra, jowar, quinoa, oats, amaranth and many other cereals and millets are good sources of protein and can be added to your high protein vegetarian diet. For example, whole wheat provides 10 g of protein per 100 g and is a good source of dietary fibre too.
- Quinoa, in particular, provides high quality protein and is also a complete protein, which means it can supply all the amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) that our body needs for growth and development.
Takeaway
Making the wise decision to sneak in protein rich veg food options in your vegetarian diet can help you achieve your health goals. A protein rich vegetarian diet can not only help you build more lean muscles, but it will also help you stay satiated for longer, thus leading to potential weight loss. This article is a practical insight into some of the common foodstuffs that are easy to include in the diet and are credited with being high protein vegetarian foods. After all, protein is an essential part of a healthy diet, and one must make a conscious effort to make sure they meet the day’s requirements. Stick to a high protein vegetarian diet plan and see the difference in your overall health.
Are you looking for quick and easy kitchen hacks to make your food healthier?
