Previous Article: Choosing Healthier Proteins for Your Diet
The main thing to remember about proteins is that you don’t need to get ALL of your essential amino acids from one source. As long as you are getting them daily from your food then you are fine. Plant based diets contain such a wide variety of amino acids that you are all but guaranteed to get all 9 essential amino acids throughout the day.
Here are our choices for top 10 sources of vegetable, legume, fruit & grain proteins.
Top 10 Sources of Vegetable Protein
- Asparagus – 3 grams/cup (6% daily value)
- Brussels Sprouts – 3 grams/cup (6% daily value)
- Kale – 2.9 grams/cup (5% daily value)
- Broccoli – 2.6 grams/cup (5% daily value)
- Kohlrabi – 2.3 grams/cup (4% daily value)
- Beet – 2.2 grams/cup (4% daily value)
- Cauliflower – 2 grams/cup (4% daily value)
- Okra – 1.9 grams/cup (3% daily value)
- Parsley – 1.8 grams/cup (3% daily value)
- Squash – 1.8 grams/cup (3% daily value)
Top 10 Sources of Protein from Legumes
- Lentil – 50 grams/cup (100% daily value)
- Mung Bean Raw – 49 grams/cup (98% daily value)
- White Bean Raw – 47 grams/cup (94% daily value)
- Navy Bean Raw – 46 grams/cup (92% daily value)
- Black Bean – 42 grams/cup (84% daily value)
- Pinto Bean Raw – 41 grams/cup (82% daily value)
- Chickpea – 39 grams/cup (78% daily value)
- Fava Bean Raw – 39 grams/cup (78% daily value)
- Lima Bean Raw – 38 grams/cup (76% daily value)
- Peanut – 38 grams/cup (76% daily value)
Top 10 Sources of Protein from Fruit
- Apricots (dehydrated) – 6 grams/cup (12% daily value).
- Dried zante currants – 6 grams/cup (12% daily value).
- Passion Fruit – 5 grams/cup (10% daily value).
- Golden Raisin – 4.9 grams/cup (9% daily value).
- Fig (dried) – 4.9 grams/cup (9% daily value).
- Apricot (dried) – 4.4 grams/cup (8% daily value).
- Guavas – 4.2 grams/cup (8% daily value).
- Goji Berry (dried) – 4 grams/cup (8% daily value).
- Prune – 3.8 grams/cup (7% daily value).
- Date – 3.6 grams/cup (7% daily value).
Top 10 Sources of Protein from Grains
- Flaxseed – 31 grams/cup (62% daily value).
- Red Wheat – 30 grams/cup (60% daily value).
- Oat – 26 grams/cup (52% daily value).
- Spelt Raw – 25 grams/cup (50% daily value).
- Quinoa Uncooked – 24 grams/cup (48% daily value).
- Barley Hulled – 23 grams/cup (46% daily value).
- Buckwheat – 23 grams/cup (46% daily value).
- Corn – 16 grams/cup (32% daily value).
- Brown Rice Long-Grain Raw – 15 grams/cup (30% daily value).
- Brown Rice Medium-Grain Raw – 14 grams/cup (28% daily value).
Let’s compare this to the protein content found in meat:
- Chicken (1 cup diced) – 35 grams protein (70% daily value)
- Duck (1 cup diced) – 27 grams protein (54% daily value)
- Turkey (3 oz) – 27 grams protein (54% daily value)
- Tuna (3 oz) – 26 grams protein (46% daily value)
- Beef (3 oz) – 22 grams protein (44% daily value)
- Lamb (3 oz) – 21 grams protein (42% daily value)
- Pork Shoulder (3 oz) – 20 grams protein (40% daily value)
- Salmon (3 oz) – 19 grams protein (38% daily value)
- Cod (3 oz) – 15 grams protein (30% daily value)
- Egg (1 Large) – 6 grams protein (12% daily value)