Hi guys, hope you have all had a great weekend and are refreshed and ready to take on the week ahead. For today’s topic, let me go back into the topic of healthy food – specifically vegetarian options.
Many people are concerned that a vegetarian diet is not fully balanced and lacks key nutrients provided by meat, such as protein. However, this is not true and there are many vegetarian options that are healthy sources of protein. Read on to find out more!
Cheese and Dairy Products
Not only are these viable vegetarian options full of protein, they are also extremely tasty! There is a huge variety of cheeses in the world, and there is bound to be one that suits your tastes. Gruyere, cheddar, mozzarella and brie are just some examples of the types of cheeses that are easily available at any supermarket or grocery stores.
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| There are plenty of choices of cheese out there (pic from businessinsider.com) |
However, it should be noted that although cheese is high in protein, most of them are also have a high calorie and fat count. If your plan is to take on a vegetarian diet in order to lose weight, it’s best not to consume lots of cheese. The best option for diets and weight loss would be non-fat cottage cheese – it only has 85 calories per serving of 100g (approximately 1 cup), and has 0% fat!
Tofu
Tofu (otherwise known in Malaysia as taufu), is very rich in protein and is another good source for vegetarians or those seeking to shed some weight. With approximately 48g of protein in a 100g serving, tofu provides the amino acids you need in order to maintain a healthy and balanced diet.
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| Don’t underestimate the humble tofu (pic from drinksvelte.com) |
As the recommended daily intake of protein is about 56g for men and 46g for women, tofu makes an excellent choice for those seeking protein. However, do note that due to its bland flavour, it’s usually doused in soya sauce or other flavours that often contain a lot of salt or preservatives. Try eating it with vegetable soup or rice porridge – this should make it tastier without the need for all that added salt.
Dried Beans
There are plenty of these out there. Kidney beans, black beans, and chickpeas are just three examples of dried beans that are easy to prepare and are a rich source of protein. In addition, they are all low in fat, making it a great choice for diets and weight loss regimes as well. Dried beans are easy to prepare and can go with just about any kind of food – rice, salad, and curries to name just three!
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| Dried beans make a wonderful addition to salads (pic from tarbouch-nc.com) |
Beans are a staple in many diets around the world and with good reason. As far as nutrients go, beans are a fantastic all-rounder and provides many of the nutrients your body needs in order to have a balanced diet. In fact, I’ve already written an article about the benefits of chickpeas on this blog. You can read the original post by
clicking here.
However, do note that proteins found in plants are not complete proteins; this is because they lack all the crucial amino acids that are found in meat proteins. To ensure you get all the essential amino acids, be sure to consume whole grain foods such as rice, oats, corn, quinoa and more.
Till next time, stay healthy!
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