Episode 5: 10 Vegetables that are Rich in Protein

Plant based protein can not only come from beans and legumes, but also from nutrient rich vegetables.

There is an age old debate that all plant based eaters get asked … “where do you get your protein?” In this episode, we discuss why that topic is so huge to begin with and why plant based followers can get all their nutrition from plants!

Plant Based Myths

First, before we dive into what vegetables are protein rich, there are a few myths that we need to dive into and discuss!

1. You can’t get enough protein on a plant based diet.

An average healthy adult needs .8 grams of protein per kg of body weight. This means an adult woman needs 46 grams of protein daily, and an adult man 56. Lentils contain 18 grams of protein per cooked cup, and beans contain about 15.

2. You need to food combine to get complete proteins.

The “incomplete protein” myth was promoted and popularized in the 1971 book, Diet for a Small Planet, by Frances Moore Lappé. She went on in later editions to correct this assumption, but the thought prevailed. Read more in this Fork Over Knives post.

3. You need more protein to lose weight.

Does protein need the hype it has received lately from certain diets? “If you consume more than you need for protein synthesis, the macro-nutrient will be broken down and stored for energy synthesis, AKA fat, similarly to how carbohydrates are broken down and stored,” Helen Mullen, registered dietitian and clinical nutrition supervisor at New York-Presbyterian Hospital cited in this article

10 Protein Rich Vegetables

Many vegetables provide you with two grams of protein per cup raw, or per half cup cooked. Any vegetable with two or more grams per serving can be considered a high-protein vegetable. Also to note is that the USDA has said we need to shift to eating more vegetables, fruits and whole grains because we need to increase take of certain nutrients that are of public concern. The nutrients that are of public concern include fiber, potassium and calcium! And you know where you can find all those nutrients….in your vegetables! Find more here.