Meeting your protein needs is easy to do with a balanced, healthy diet. Several different food groups are excellent sources of protein, so select the one that offers additional benefits and maximize your nutrition. Plant proteins provide all the protein you need and none of the extra fats of animal proteins. Plants also deliver important phytonutrients that are essential for overall good health.
Protein Choices
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy all supply adequate protein for a normal diet. But they sometimes package it with high fat, high cholesterol and environmental contaminants that don't belong in your diet. Eating only egg whites, low-fat dairy, lean poultry and meats, and low-mercury fish is one way to avoid most add-ons that come with some protein sources. But eating plant-based foods allows you to skip all the extra fats, cholesterol and unhealthy extras while meeting protein requirements. Mayo Clinic recommends using soy, lentils, beans and nuts as healthy protein sources. Every plant contains some protein. Eating a wide variety ensures you get all the protein you need.
Soy
Soy, like animal food, is a complete protein. Unlike animal protein, soy has no cholesterol and almost no saturated fat. It is a chameleon food -- soy is ground into flour, processed as tofu, fermented as miso, textured as a meat alternative, boiled as edamame, roasted as soy nuts and powdered as a nutritional supplement and the basis for protein shakes. Soy farming has a low impact on the environment. According to the National Soybean Research Library at the University of Illinois, per acre, soy yields twice the protein of other plant-based proteins, five to 10 times more protein than the land required for dairy cows and 15 times more protein than the grazing land for beef cattle. So you can feel good about your food choices while enjoying a low-fat, heart-healthy complete protein.
Beans, Peas and Lentils
Beans, peas and lentils are legumes that pack a powerful protein punch and follow it up with fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that lower your risks for serious diseases. They have extremely low amounts of fat and are an economical choice for families on a budget. Beans and rice form a complete protein and the basis for many tasty dishes. Add peas to pasta dishes, salads and soups or eat them as the vegetable portion of a conventional meal. Lentils make hearty stews and also may be ground and used as a wheat flour substitute.
Tree Nuts
Nuts give you protein, fiber, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus and manganese. The fat in nuts is unsaturated, so nuts may help lower cholesterol. Walnuts supply omega-3 fatty acids, while almonds are a rich source of vitamin E. Pecans have vitamins A, B, E, folate, calcium, potassium and other minerals, but no cholesterol and no sodium. Nuts provide high-quality protein and are versatile. Consume them as nut butters, nut milks, toppings, ingredients in dinner and baked good recipes, and quick, high-energy snacks.
References
- Harvard School of Public Health: Protein: The Bottom Line: Pay Attention to the Protein Package
- Mayo Clinic; Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork with These Nutrition Guidelines: Protein; February 2011
- University of Illinois National Soybean Research Laboratory: Soy Benefits
- Linus Pauling Institute: Micronutrient Information Center: Legumes
- University of Nebraska Extension; Nuts for Nutrition; Alice Henneman M.S., R.D.
- National Pecan Shellers Association: Health Benefits of Pecans
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