If you have chosen to eat a meatless diet, you may find it difficult to get adequate amounts of protein in your daily menu plan. Since this one particular food group is necessary for muscle growth, strong nails and hair, immunity against colds, energy maintenance and more, you want to make sure your desire to be vegetarian doesn’t do some major health damage in the process.
Here are just a few meatless protein sources that not only taste good but also give your body what it needs to stay healthy and strong:
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Tofu – Substitute tofu for scrambled eggs and fry up with onions, spinach and red pepper for a breakfast that is meatless but still full of protein.
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Edamame (soybeans) and other beans, such as black beans and garbanzo beans – Mix the beans together with some oil and seasonings for a protein packed side salad, or smash garbanzo beans and make your own homemade hummus.
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Nuts and seeds – Create your own trail mix of different nuts and seeds for a snack that gives you enough energy to make it through your day, but doesn’t include meat.
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Whole grains like quinoa and spelt – Quinoa can be mixed with salsa for a tasty side dish and spelt (which is a type of wheat) cooks up much like risotto. Eating whole grains like these can help you satisfy your daily protein requirements.
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Veggie “meats” – There are tons of meatless options from veggie burgers to veggie brats and more. While these make great substitutions when you’re craving meat-like foods, you’ll do better to limit these types of options as they are processed and not the best for you if you eat them too often.
Choosing to be vegetarian should improve your health, not risk it. Make sure you include quality proteins like these so your body gets all the nutrients it needs to help keep you in top physical shape!
