Non-meat & Protein-rich Foods

The main source of protein in your diet may be various types of meat, which include poultry, eggs, beef, fish and other seafood. Unfortunately, many of these items tend to be high in cholesterol and saturated fat. If you're trying to watch what you eat or you are a vegetarian or vegan, you may need non-meat, protein-rich alternatives. Luckily, there are quite a few of these available to please a variety of palates.

Function of Protein

Protein is an essential component in a healthy and balanced diet, and is responsible for building organs, glands, muscle and skin, as well as helping the body build and repair cells. Protein is especially important during childhood growth and development, adolescence and pregnancy. These complex organic compounds are comprised of amino acids; a complete protein contains the nine essential amino acids histidine, isoleucine, lysine, theronine, tryptophan, valine, phenylalanine, methionine and leucine, while an incomplete protein lacks one or more of these essential compounds.

Legumes

Legumes are an excellent source of protein. In fact, soybeans are the only non-meat source of a complete protein. The American Cancer Society notes that soybeans may be able to lower the risk of breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men, although further research is needed. The U.S Food and Drug Administration also reports that eating 25 g of soy protein a day may reduce your risk of cholesterol and heart disease. One cup of soybeans contains almost 30 g of protein. Additional protein-rich legumes include white beans at 19 g of protein per cup; lentils at 18 g of protein per cup; split peas at 16 g of protein per cup; and pinto beans at 15 g of protein per cup.

Nuts, Whole Grains and Vegetables

Nuts and whole grains are also non-meat alternatives that are abundant in protein. These include peanuts at 7 g of protein per oz.; walnuts at 7 g of protein per oz.; cashews at 4.4 g per oz.; almonds at 5 g per oz.; pistachios at 6 g of protein per oz.; and macadamia nuts at 3 g of protein per oz.. These are the most protein-dense varieties of nuts, although they may not be as high in protein as other non-meat items. Peanut butter, for example, only contains about 7 g of protein. When accompanied with a glass of milk, however, that number shoots up to 28 g.

The most important method in acquiring protein through non-meat means is mixing and matching protein sources. Combining whole grain brown rice with beans, for example, yields a complete protein. Other whole grains rich in protein include whole-wheat bread at 4.5 g of protein per two slices; oats at 13 g per 1 cup; and brown rice at 5.5 g per 1 cup. Mixing whole grains with vegetable proteins also helps yield complete protein sources. These include tomatoes, potatoes, green peppers, corn, lettuce, celery, cucumbers, carrots and broccoli.

Dairy

Dairy may not be a viable option for vegans, but vegetarians and meat eaters can acquire high amounts of protein through cheese, eggs, yogurt and milk. Due to the high fat content of these items, reduced-fat cheese, egg whites, non-fat yogurt and low-fat milk are the most suitable options.

The Bottom Line

There are a plethora of selections available to you for eating non-meat protein sources. Since the objective is to acquire complete proteins, it is imperative to combine a variety of items to meet your daily requirements. This is especially important if you do not eat meat.