Potatoes and rice are meat-free, nondairy sources of protein, an important nutrient your body needs for tissue growth and repair. Meat and dairy products are obvious alternatives for dietary protein, but there are plant-based options besides rice and potatoes. Plant-based diets consisting of fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains may help protect against disease.
Soy
Soy foods are a popular substitute for meat and dairy products. A serving of 1/2 cup of soy nuts has 34 grams of protein. The same size serving of textured vegetable protein has 25 grams, according to the National Soybean Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois. A 1/2 cup of firm tofu has around 20 grams of protein, and tempeh, a soy-based meat substitute used frequently in veggie burgers and stir-fry, has around 16 grams per 1/2 cup.
Legumes
Legumes, a type of vegetable, are good sources of protein, as well as minerals like iron, magnesium and potassium. They are a healthy meat substitute, low in fat and cholesterol-free. Legumes include lentils, peas and beans. One cup of cooked lentils contains around 18 grams of protein, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. The school also states that eating foods like beans and nuts instead of red meat can help prevent heart disease and reduce your risk of developing diabetes.
Grains
Plenty of grains besides rice are high in protein, but perhaps the newest popular grain in the United States is quinoa, an ancient Peruvian seed. Quinoa offers the same cooking versatility as rice but contains all of the essential amino acids; rice only has some. Essential amino acids are the building blocks of protein that your body cannot produce itself. Red hard wheat is also high in protein, containing 15.4 grams of protein per 100 grams of wheat. A 100-gram serving of rye and buckwheat contain approximately 10.3 and 13.3 grams of protein, respectively.
Nuts and Seeds
Although nuts and seeds don't traditionally appear on the plate as a side dish, they are rich sources of protein you can eat instead of potatoes or rice. A single ounce of squash seed kernels has around 8.5 grams of protein; an ounce of roasted pumpkin seeds contains the same amount. If you prefer nuts, eat an ounce of almonds for around 6 grams of protein. One ounce is around 23 almonds. Pistachios offer an equivalent amount of about 6 grams of protein per ounce, which is 49 kernels. Peanuts have slightly more protein than pistachios and almonds at around 6.7 grams of protein per ounce.
References
- Huffington Post: A Cure For Cancer? Eating A Plant-Based Diet
- American Institute for Cancer Research: Foods That Fight Cancer
- The New York Times: Quinoa -- A Protein-Packed Alternative to Grains
- Harvard School of Public Health: The Nutrition Source -- Protein
- MayoClinic.com: Beans and Other Legumes -- Types and Cooking Tips
- Healthalternatives2000.com: Dr. Decuypere's Nutrient Charts -- Nuts, Grains & Seeds Chart
- National Soybean Research Laboratory: Soybean Nutrition
Member Comments