Protein Intake and Vegetarian Options

Protein Intake and Vegetarian Options

 “Protein comes from the Greek word “protos”, meaning first element. Proteins are essential elements for growth and repair, good functioning and structure of living cells. Hormones, such as insulin, control blood sugar levels; enzymes, such as amylases, lipases, proteases are crucial for digestion of foods; antibodies help us fight infections; muscle proteins allow contraction, etc. So, indeed proteins are essential to life!”*

There are 20 different amino acids that can form a protein, and nine that the body cannot produce on its own. These are called essential amino acids; we need to eat them because we can’t make them ourselves. In order to be considered “complete,” a protein must contain all nine of these essential amino acids in roughly equal amounts. An egg is a perfect complete protein.

For those who don’t prefer to eat animal protein you have plenty of options to choose from. Even with all these option no one option is complete, so to get all the essential amino acids you need to eat a variety of these proteins. You don’t need to consume them all in every dish but get an adequate amount, between your meals and snack, throughout the day.

For General Health Benefits you should consume 50% of body weight in grams per day. If you weight 150lbs (68kg) you need 75grams of protein a day to keep your body healthy and strong.

To Burn Fat Faster you need to consume a little more, 70-75% of your body weight in grams per day (150 lbs x 70-75%=105-112.5grams)

To pack on muscle you need to consume your body weight in grams per day. (This is for the bodybuilders and professional athletes.)

With all that said…I’ve compiled a list to help you attain the proper balance and intake of proteins.

Amaranth 1cup 7 gr

Artichokes 1/2-cup 4gr

Black beans 1/2 cup 8 gr

Black eye peas 1/2-cup 8gr

Broccoli 1 cup cooked has 4-5 grams

Buckwheat 1 cup cooked had 6 grams

Chia seeds 2tbls 5gr

Chickpeas 1/2 cup 6-8gr

Couscous 1 cup cooked has 6 grams

Edamame 8.4 grams of protein per half cup

Fares 1/2 cup cooked has 4 grams 

Green peas 1-cup 8gr

Hemp Seeds 3 Tbls 10 gr

Lentils 1/2-cup 9gr

Nondairy options:

         Almond, hemp, and rice milk    contain about 1 gram per cup.

Rice 1 cup cooked had 5g 

Nuts have 19-28 grams per oz

         Almonds 23 gram an per oz

         Cashew 28

         Mixed nuts 28

Poppy seeds at 5.4 grams per quarter cup

Pumpkin seeds 1/4 cup 8gr

Quinoa 1cup cooked has 8 grams

Seitan 36 grams per half cup

Sesame seeds 5.4 grams per quarter cup

Spinach 1cup 5gr

Spinach 2 cups raw contain 2.1 grams of protein

Sunflower seed kernels have 7.3 grams per quarter cup

Tempeh and tofu contain about 15 and 20 grams per half cup.

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (the type used in baking or making hot chocolate from scratch) contains about 1 gram of protein per tablespoon.

Amino Acid Chart

*Source: http://www.eufic.org/article/en/nutrition/protein/artid/proteins/