Get Your Protein, Nufiwa-Style
You might be surprised at how much protein is in some of our everyday vegetables and whole grains…not to mention many well-known plant proteins like nuts and legumes.
Many nufiwa foods not only deliver lots of protein, they are high in nutrients, fiber and water and are low or free of the saturated fats and carcinogens that could possibly shorten your life.
Here are just a few protein-rich nufiwa superstars:
- Nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews, walnuts, nut butters)
- Seeds (sunflower, chia, flax, pepitas)
- Legumes (lentils, garbanzo beans, black beans, edamame)
- Whole grains (quinoa, amaranth, wheat, buckwheat, oats, spelt, wild rice)
- Vegetables (sprouts, green peas, kale, spinach, broccoli, collard greens, mushrooms, arugula, Brussel sprouts, artichokes, tomatoes)
Let me share a couple of nufiwa meals that are surprisingly high in protein:
- Spinach salad with mushrooms
- Whole wheat toast
- Quinoa bowl with kale, cauliflower, broccoli, green peas
- Bowl of oatmeal
- Whole wheat spaghetti with tomato sauce
Often we look at a salad and think we need to add an animal protein to complete the meal, but we can get a great protein boost by simply including green plants, whole grains, and legumes.
One important note: a wide variety of plant proteins is necessary in order to get the full range of amino acids your body needs for muscle growth. There is no one plant protein that supplies all amino acids (like meat does), so vegans or vegetarians need to eat a specific combination of plant protein sources or take supplementary vitamins in order to get the right amount. Talk to a registered dietitian if you don't eat meat and aren’t sure that you are getting enough of what your body needs.
I find that for me it’s just easier to include some meat in my diet, but realize that you don’t need that much meat to get what your body needs. I eat fish and/or chicken roughly once or twice a week, red meat roughly once a month, and the rest of my protein intake comes from plants.