How to Get More Protein in Your Diet Without Eating Meat

Whether you are a vegetarian or just want to reduce the amount of meat in your diet, here are some helpful suggestions for getting more protein into your diet.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Eat plenty of whole grains such as oats and quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah). Both are available in your local health food store. Quinoa is a good alternative to refined grains such as white rice or pasta. You can make quinoa by boiling 2 cups of water with 1 cup of quinoa. Then, simmer for about 15 minutes. It is easy to make different varieties by adding herbs or vegetables.

2. Go Nuts! Almonds, brazil nuts and walnuts are particularly good sources of protein. Just 12 almonds contain 3g of protein.

3. Don’t forget about Seeds. Both nuts and seeds make an easy afternoon snack when your energy levels are low. Sesame seeds, sunflower and pumpkin seeds are all good choices. If you are thinking about having a baby, the zinc content in pumpkin seeds also makes them especially good for both male and female fertility.

4. Try Free Range Organic Eggs. One medium size eggs contains 6g of protein. Scrambled, baked, poached, boiled, eggs can be served just about any way you like but steer clear of fried eggs.

5. Choose Pulses like Chickpeas, Lentils or Beans. You can substitute chickpeas or lentils for pasta in soups. Chickpeas and beans are also great in salads.

6. Dairy Products, especially low fat choices such as cottage cheese, cheddar cheese or yogurt are also a good option.

7. Surprisingly, fruits and vegetables all contain varying amounts of protein. A can of sweet corn contains 5g of protein, 1 cup of frozen peas contain an incredible 8gm of protein, which is 3g more than a 1 cup of cooked spinach.

Resources

• USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard References

[Quickstar]

on 12/28/2008 Eating this way has also aided in my weight loss, but I have left a lot of the dairy out or slowed down on it as well as the meat. Very good resource you have provided. 5*

[frenchwriter]

on 11/23/2008 Bonjour Patricia. I really enjoyed reading about your article on proteins and quinoa. Really excellent information and bravo as we say in French for great tips. Really helpful to me. God bless you. I am practically vegan by now...no more eggs and no more cheese...just plains nuts. Five stars. Very well written and outlined.

[slphilbrick]

on 10/18/2008 Good info for those cutting back on meat but not on protein !! 5*

[iamageniuster]

on 10/18/2008 Great tips. 5 stars! Thanks for sharing.

[Alisiane]

on 10/17/2008 Good ideas- some of these I didn't know about. I'm not a vegetarian, but I do understand that it's beneficial to lay off the meat sometimes and this is a good way to ensure protein is still being taken in.