Life
6 Vegetables That Contain Protein To Spruce Up Your Meatless Mondays
Whether you’re a vegetarian or someone who just doesn’t like the taste of cheeseburgers, you’ve probably been told countless times to make sure you’re getting enough protein in your diet.
“[Protein is] involved in an abundant amount of functions in our body, including making strong hair and nails, muscles, bones, ligaments and tissues,” says Beth Warren, RD. “Protein also helps boost your immune system to help fight getting sick.”
Just because you’re not going to town on a plate of chicken wings or feel like eating a turkey sandwich for lunch today doesn’t mean you have to skip out on protein. While animal products have the highest amount of protein per serving, there are plenty of other sources for the nutrient, including an assortment of vegetables.
Next time you need some ideas for Meatless Monday or just want to load your dinner up with a plant-based protein, try eating some of these vegetables, which contain a good amount of protein.
Spinach
“In one cup of spinach, you’ll get five grams of protein,” says Warren. The leafy green contains a lot of fiber, calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, folate, and vitamins E, A and K.
Peas
“A cup of green peas provides about nine grams of protein and nine grams of fiber, making them a filling a satisfying snack or addition to your meal,” says Warren. In addition, these green veggies contain potassium, iron, zinc, folate, B vitamins, vitamin A and K.
Baked Potato
A medium potato has about three grams of protein and tons of fiber and potassium.
Broccoli
In the same family as spinach, broccoli is a dark leafy green vegetable that contains a good amount of protein. A half cup of broccoli contains 2.6 grams.
Brussels Sprouts
Each half cup contains two grams of protein, along with potassium and vitamin K.
Corn
A half cup of corn kernels has two grams of protein, in addition to beta-carotene, vitamin B6, and niacin.
