8 Healthy Ways to Get Protein in Your Diet

Protein is very effective in weight loss because it satisfies your hunger better and for longer than fats or carbohydrates. Protein is important for almost every function in the human body, in addition to being the basic building block of our tissues, enzymes and even our DNA.

Most women should get between 40-60 grams of protein/day depending on age, weight and level of exercise. Instead of opting for a daily steak to satisfy that requirement, which comes with high calories and cholesterol, try to incorporate more healthy meatless protein options.

In fact, all of theses protein sources are vegan!

1. Beans- Beans are a ultimate source of vegan protein. Try a small can of chick peas on your lunch salad.
   
   1 cup of blackbeans= 15 gms of protein
   kidney beans= 13 gms
   chickpeas (garbanzo beans)=12 gms
   pinto beans=12 gms
    
2. Lentils- Lentils are high in protein and low in calories. 1 cup of cooked lentils provides nearly 40% of an average recommended daily value for protein and only 230 calories! Learn more about lentils and find a great recipe here.
    
3. Soy- Tofu, tempeh and soy milk are all soy sources of protein. Instead of ground beef, mix a bit of crumbled tofu into your pasta sauce. Try tempeh in a stir-fry. Edamame, cooked soy beans, are a great snack and a super-food.
    
4. Nuts- Try munching on a handful of almonds in the afternoon to keep yourself from over-eating at dinner.
    
5. Quinoa- This whole grain, much like couscous, provides complete protein, as opposed to most other grains. Learn more about quinoa and find a recipe here.
    
6. Brown Rice- Substitute brown rice for white rice or your starchy sides and you will get about 4.5 grams of protein per serving.
    
7. Spinach- Spinach is a high protein vegetable, providing around 4 grams of protein per cup. Try spinach in salads or mix into your favorite pasta sauces.
    
8. Broccoli- Another high-protein vegetable, broccoli provides around 5 grams of protein per cup. Try roasting with a small amount of olive oil, garlic and another protein-source, walnuts.