Plant-based diets are more popular than ever. Western society is slowly realizing that plant protein is abundant
and may even bring health benefits
So here are, in no special order, my top seven plant protein sources. Plant protein number seven
Is tempeh. Tempeh is a triple threat. It's
Jam-packed with plant protein, at over 30 grams per cup. It's a fermented food
so it's a probiotic and it can lower your cholesterol. pretty hard to beat. plus it's incredibly versatile
You can have it in tacos, bowls, salads, there's tempeh burgers, tempeh bacon,
just endless options. quick fact: protein is easy to find. the recommended dietary allowance or RDA for a
170 pound man is 64 grams a day. not that much. in fact, as Stanford Professor
Chris Gardner explains, most Americans get double the RDA
simply by eating enough calories. plant protein number six
Is lentils. lentils are my favorite legume. incredibly cheap, I often buy them at less than a dollar a pound,.
fast to cook and just a nutritional
powerhouse. one cup of lentils has 18 grams of plant protein, 16 grams of fiber and a third of your daily iron. try
this delicious lentil dahl. I love it so much I even took it on the plane with me. quick fact:
Many studies have shown people getting more protein from plants tend to live longer lives. Now,
These studies can't prove that the plant protein per se is responsible for their longevity
The researchers try to rule out confounders like BMI, alcohol intake, smoking, physical activity and diabetes
But there could be other differences in the plant-eaters
that account for the benefits. I actually got my PhD doing this type of experiment, measuring life span on different conditions, on different foods
but we used animals like fruit flies. We basically sat there and waited for them to die of natural causes. now imagine doing that
with humans. so it's almost impossible to prove that link beyond all doubt, and we may never know with 100% certainty
But given all the demonstrated health benefits of a plant-rich diet, it's plausible that they also contribute to long-term health
and length of life. plant protein number five is edamame
Edamame are the fresh unprocessed soy beans. you can buy them fresh or frozen, which is really convenient
A cup of edamame has 19 grams of plant protein
That's almost a third of the RDA for the average size man
You can have it as a snack with garlic or as a full meal
Try this corn and edamame summer salad
Or if you're not a salad guy or gal try this buddha bowl with mushrooms and broccolini
Are you allergic to soy by any chance? stick around. plenty of soy-free options coming up. quick fact,
We don't need protein powders
Okay, if you're a bodybuilder, maybe. but vast majority of us can get all the protein we need from food
That's not to say protein powders are unhealthy. have some if you like. but try not to think of them as a replacement for food
Real food is more complete and less expensive. plant protein number four is hummus
It's as simple as blended chickpeas so you can make it at home quickly
if you prefer for a more natural version that also saves money. or you can buy it pre-made. it works as a creamy dressing,
as a snack or as a side dish. quick fact:
There's a common idea in our society that plant protein
lacks certain amino acids. in reality, all plants have all nine essential amino acids. the proportions vary between them
so eating a variety of different plants ensures you get a proper mix. also,
it used to be thought that plant protein was less well absorbed, but the most recent evidence in humans indicates
there's little to no difference between animal and plant protein digestibility
And since we eat protein in excess anyway, any small differences aren't meaningful in practice
There may be some exceptions, in elderly people with some digestion issues
but for most of us both animal and plant protein provide all the amino acids we need. plant protein number three
is oatmeal. although they're not as concentrated in protein as legumes,
for example,
all whole grains are great sources of plant protein. a cup of oatmeal has about 10 grams of protein and
if you have it with some almonds, flax or chia and any milk you like you can easily hit
20 or 25 grams of protein for breakfast. and loaded with fiber and healthy fats, which brings us to plant protein number two:
chia seeds. now, most of us don't eat whole cups of chia seeds and that's okay because they're so
insanely nutrient dense
we don't need that much. three tablespoons of chia seeds on your oatmeal or in a chia pudding packs five grams of protein, almost
20 percent of your daily calcium needs and half your iron. not to mention, soluble fiber which lowers cholesterol and feeds your
microbiome and omega-3 healthy fats
What else do we want from a food? by the way, hemp seeds are incredible too, with more than twice the protein as chia
These seeds are just out of control. quick fact, it's not all or nothing. in the longevity studies
we saw earlier, even shifting just three percent of calories from animal to plant protein was associated with a drop in mortality
Similar findings have been reported for heart disease and many other conditions
so if you want to eat 100 plants, by all means go for it, but if you'd rather not,
even small changes have been linked to benefits. and plant protein
number one is just a reminder that greens have protein too and it really adds up. kale, broccoli and asparagus are just some examples
of protein-rich greens so load up. Did I miss your favorite source of plant protein?
This list is totally interactive so just write it below. Here's more info on complete proteins and where to find them
And here's what I eat in a whole day so you can see this variety thing in action