Protein-Rich Foods: Vegetarians, Here Are Interesting Ways To Add More Protein To Your Diet

Protein rich foods: There are many reasons to include protein-rich foods in your diet. Protein is a macronutrient which is required by your body on a daily basis. Proteins are also used to make enzymes, hormones and other body chemicals. This nutrient is the building block of cartilage, skin, blood, bones and muscles. The primary function of protein is to build and repair your body. Depending on your physical activity, diet and lifestyle, you need around 1 gm of protein per kg of your body weight.

In this article, we are going to talk about different ways to include protein-rich foods in your diet. Celeb fitness expert Kayla Itsines, in a recent Insta post, recommends that vegetarians and non-meat eaters must add other source of protein to meals and some extra veggies.

It is important to understand that eating protein-rich foods should be a part of an overall balanced diet.

Also read: Vegetarian Protein: Is Soy A Healthy Source Of Protein? Nutritionists Explain

Ways to add protein to your diet

Though it is commonly believed that getting sufficient protein can be tricky for vegetarians, there's a lot that can be done to add protein to your diet even if you are a vegetarian.

Itsines gives the following tips for ensuring that you get enough protein:

1. Add beans or lentils to your meal: Beans and lentils are considered to be healthy protein sources. 100 gms of baked beans can provide you with 6 gms protein, while 100 gms of boiled lentils can give you 9 gm of protein.

2. Use meat alternatives: If some of your favourite recipes are made with meat, you can make swaps with meat alternatives like cottage cheese, jackfruit, tofu and eggs if you are an eggetarian.

Also read: Jackfruit: Magical Health Benefits Of The Fruit And Why Rujuta Diwekar Suggests Eating It

3. Protein-rich snacks: An effective way to add protein to your diet is by having protein-rich snacks. Nuts, seeds, milk, cottage cheese, cheese, yogurt are all rich sources of protein. Snack on these foods to add protein to your diet.

Nuts and seeds are healthy sources of vegetarian protein
Photo Credit: iStock

4. Eat protein with every meal: Lifestyle coach Luke Coutinho says that a healthy way to increase your protein intake is by adding some protein-rich food to every meal. It needn't be a big part of your meal but a portion of it.

Food sources of vegetarian protein

• Cottage cheese
• Tofu
• Lentils
• Chickpeas and most varieties of beans
• Green peas
• Nuts and seeds
• Amaranth
• Quinoa
• Soy milk
• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Artichokes
• Asparagus

Also read: Weight Loss: Homemade Protein Powder/ Protein Bars That Can Keep Your Weight Down

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.