Forget puny side salads and tasteless veggies. Vegetables are moving from supporting acts to headliners these days as concerns about animal welfare, health, and the environment grow. There’s a new crop of plant-based protein trailblazers muscling their way into the superfood spotlight.
We’re moving beyond plant-based all-stars like beans, lentils, and tofu and broadening our culinary horizons with a variety of nutrient-jammed, meatless marvels like grains, nuts, and seeds. Plus, you can repurpose old standards, like legumes, in new and unique ways. Let’s look at some rising protein superheroes you can add to your diet and how to enjoy them.
The Science Behind Plant-Based Protein
First, why would you want to add more plant-based protein to your plate? Getting protein from plant-based sources, like higher-protein veggies, grains, and legumes are tied, in some studies, to a lower risk of certain cancers, heart disease, and diabetes. So, you’re doing good things for your health.
Shifting the focus to plant-based eating is easier on the Earth too. Animal agriculture generates more greenhouse gases than growing plants, even when you factor in the energy costs of transportation. Animal agriculture also uses more land and water per gram of protein compared to protein-packed plants. And consuming less meat is beneficial for the welfare of animals.
So, shifting more of your plate to plant sources like beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, and whole grains, is a win for health, sustainability, and ethics. And you don’t have to do a clean sweep of your diet to enjoy their benefits. Small menu changes can add up to big benefits over time, for health, animal welfare, and the environment.
Protein Powerhouses in Unexpected Places
Now, let’s shine the spotlight on unexpected overachievers in the world of plant-based protein. You might know that beans are a protein-wise choice, but what about green peas? Surprisingly, these little green orbs contain up to nine grams of protein per cooked cup. Sneak them into soups, pesto, and rice dishes for added flavor and nutrition. Perk: they also contain flavonoids and carotenoids, powerful antioxidants with anti-inflammatory activity.
Then there’s squash seeds – a single ounce of roasted pumpkin or squash seeds can have 5-7 grams of complete protein. Sprinkle them on salads or blend them into energy bites for a tasty crunch that upgrades an ordinary salad to extraordinary.
Going back to old-school, ancient pseudo-grains like amaranth, quinoa, and teff are gluten-free all-stars. They have up to eight grams per cooked cup. Use them as porridge bases or mix them into baked goods for a nutrition boost. Why not build a healthy grain bowl or stuff your favorite veggies, like bell peppers, with quinoa or amaranth? You’ll upgrade the protein content of a meal but also add gut-friendly fiber.
Let’s not sleep on leafy greens either – cooked spinach, kale, or Swiss chard have around four grams of protein per cooked cup. Blend leafy greens into smoothies or fold them into scrambles.
Maximizing the Nutrients You Get from Plant-Based Protein
Here’s a tip for maximizing the nutritional benefits you get from beans, seeds, and grains – soak, ferment, or sprout them. These plant-based sources of protein contain anti-nutrients that reduce the minerals you absorb when you consume them. Soaking, fermenting, or sprouting reduces the impact of these anti-nutrients, so you can enjoy the full nutritional benefits of these foods.
Also, be aware that your body doesn’t use plant-based protein as efficiently as animal-based protein sources. To compensate, you can increase the amount of total protein in your diet, consume a wider variety of plant-based protein sources, or add animal protein to your plate too.
Combining plant-based protein sources gives a more complete protein package closer to what your body needs. For example, you can pair rice and lentils, or whole-grain bread with hummus, for a more well-founded amino acid profile. Mix it up by enjoying beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and more. This ensures you get adequate total protein and all essential amino acids. With savvy prep work, plants can provide all the essential protein building blocks our bodies require.
Crowd-Pleasing Plant Protein Ideas
Even if you’re not committed to going completely plant-based, you can still enjoy the health benefits of plant-based protein with meat-based dishes. But why not make your plant-based creations so delicious that even meat lovers will enjoy them? Browse recipe sites and Pinterest boards and discover how to make veggie burgers, protein-packed oatmeal bowls, and hearty pasta dishes that are delicious and nutritious, so much so that even meat lovers will bite into them.
How about a savory sweet potato and chickpea smash burger topped with roasted red pepper sauce and crunchy pumpkin seeds? Or you could power up your morning oats by adding a blend of protein-rich hemp hearts, cacao nibs, and almond butter for an energizing start.
Add plant-based protein to a slow cooker and let it roll for an easy weeknight win. Try one-pot quinoa fried rice with broccoli, carrots, edamame, and a tamari-sesame sauce. The combo of quinoa and edamame offers a complete plant-based protein in under 30 minutes. Or go Italian with a simple basil pesto pasta tossed with white beans and fresh peas for a boost of fiber and muscle-friendly protein. Get ready to impress from breakfast to dinner!
Conclusion
Plant protein is healthy, environmentally friendly, and untapped. Take a break from animal foods and create meatless meals that are delicious, nutritious, and planet-friendly in your own kitchen. If you’re pressed for time, choose simple prep methods, and combine plant proteins to maximize the amino acid profile and benefit from the synergy they offer. Think out of the box and don’t default to familiar animal proteins out of habit, taste, or convenience.
What you choose to eat ripples out in countless seen and unseen ways. The collective transition to more plant-centered diets allows you to walk more lightly together. To uplift both human and environmental health as one interdependent community. This is the hidden power of plant-based foods. Enjoy!
References:
- ” Protein Quality of Plant- Versus Animal-Based Proteins.” 07 Aug. 2019, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6723444/.
- “Role of plant protein in nutrition, wellness, and health.” 19 Jul. 2019, academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/77/11/735/5536191.
- “The right plant-based diet for you – Harvard Health.” 30 Mar. 2021, health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-right-plant-based-diet-for-you.
- “The effects of plant-based diets on the body and the brain: a ….” 12 Sept. 2019,.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6742661/.
- Hertzler SR, Lieblein-Boff JC, Weiler M, Allgeier C. Plant Proteins: Assessing Their Nutritional Quality and Effects on Health and Physical Function. Nutrients. 2020 Nov 30;12(12):3704. doi: 10.3390/nu12123704. PMID: 33266120; PMCID: PMC7760812.
- “Evaluation of Protein Adequacy from Plant-Based Dietary Scenarios in ….” 01 Feb. 2024, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022316623727399.
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