Protein is an essential nutrient that helps build and maintain muscle mass. While many people eat plenty of protein in their diet, there are some vegetables that are high in protein.
In particular, plant proteins are known to be more digestible and absorbable than animal proteins. This makes them a good choice for those who want to get their daily allowance of protein without eating meat or dairy products.
For vegetarians and vegans, it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough protein in your diet. Here are some of the best sources for vegetarians and vegans:
Broccoli: One cup contains 3 grams of protein as well as vitamins C and K, folate, vitamin A, iron, calcium and potassium. Broccoli can be eaten raw or with dips or used as an ingredient in other recipes such as soups or stir-fries.
Asparagus: One cup contains nearly 2 grams of protein along with vitamins A and K, folate, calcium and iron. Asparagus can be steamed or grilled with olive oil or butter as part of an entrée or added to a salad or soup dish as part of a side dish selection.
Vegetables are an important part of your diet and should make up about half of your plate.
What vegetables have more protein than meat?
As a general rule, green leafy vegetables, legumes and soybeans are good sources of protein. A cup of cooked spinach has 4 grams of protein, while a cup of cooked lentils has 17 grams.
The 20 highest protein veggies
Vegetables are an important part of healthy eating for many reasons, but one reason in particular is that they are a great source of fiber.
Counting calories? Here’s how many calories are in each type of vegetable:
1 cup chopped raw carrots: 52 calories
1 cup chopped raw celery: 23 calories
1 medium tomato (about 5 inches long): 25 calories
Broccoli is one of the 20 highest protein vegetables. One cup has 5.6 grams of protein, which is more than an ounce of steak (5 grams).
The most protein packed vegetables are:
1) Broccoli – 5.6 g per cup
2) Cauliflower – 4.3 g per cup
3) Spinach – 4.0 g per cup
4) Asparagus – 3.9 g per 2 spears
5) Beans, cooked – 3.4 g per 1/2 cup (1/4 lb.)
6) Kale – 3.3 g per 1/2 cup chopped or shredded raw leaves
Vegetables are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat, but they’re also low in protein. In fact, many vegetables have less protein than what’s found in a single serving of meat or fish.
But there are some vegetables that have more protein than others. Here are 20 vegetables that pack more protein than meat, plus the amount of protein per 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of each veggie.
Broccoli: 4 grams per 100 grams (3.5 ounces)
Asparagus: 3 grams per 100 grams (3.5 ounces)
Bean sprouts: 3 grams per 100 grams (3.5 ounces)
Carrots: 2 grams per 100 grams (3.5 ounces)
Cauliflower: 2 grams per 100 grams (3.5 ounces)
Eggplant: 1 gram per 100 grams (3.5 ounces)
Garlic: 1 gram per 100 grams (3.5 ounces)
Green beans: 2 grams per 100 grams (3.5 ounces)
Broccoli, spinach and kale are all great sources of protein. But if you want to know which vegetables have the most protein, here’s a list of 20 vegetables that can help you answer that question.
1. Broccoli
2. Spinach
3. Asparagus
4. Kale
5. Swiss Chard
6. Snow Peas (Mangetout)
7. Avocado (Per 100g)
8. Cauliflower (Per 100g)
9. Brussel Sprouts (Per 100g)
10. Beets (Per 100g)
11. Carrots (Per 100g)
12. Cucumber (Per 100g)
13. Corn on the Cob (Per 100g)
Broccoli, the king of vegetables, is packed with protein. One cup of chopped broccoli contains 5 grams of protein. It also packs in almost 10 grams of fiber, which means it’s a great way to fill up on your daily fiber needs while adding some extra protein to your diet.
The other veggies that top the list include spinach, kale and cauliflower. Other high-protein veggies include asparagus, squash, cucumber and bell peppers.
Here are 20 high-protein vegetables to add to your diet:
1. Broccoli (5 g per 1 cup)
2. Spinach (4 g per 1 cup)
3. Kale (4 g per 1 cup)
4. Asparagus (3 g per 1 cup)
5. Cauliflower (3 g per 1 cup)
Vegetarians and vegans often fall short of their daily protein requirements.
If you’re limiting your intake of animal products, it’s important to eat a wide variety of protein-rich foods so that you get all the essential amino acids.
The following 20 vegetables have more protein than meat:
Broccoli — 7 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Asparagus — 4 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Artichokes — 3 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Eggplant — 2 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
There are many sources of protein, but few of them are as versatile and easy to cook with as vegetables.
Vegetables are also a good source of fiber, which can help with digestion, lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. Here are 20 veggies that pack more protein than meat:
Asparagus (4 grams of protein per cup)
Broccoli (4 grams of protein per cup)
Brussels sprouts (3 grams of protein per half cup)
Cabbage (3 grams of protein per half cup)
Carrot (2 grams of protein per medium carrot)
Cauliflower (3 grams of protein per ½ cup)
Vegetables can be a great source of protein, but some are better than others. The best sources of vegetable protein are legumes and grains, followed by nuts and seeds. Vegetables that grow above the ground, such as broccoli and cauliflower, have more protein than vegetables that grow below ground, like potatoes and carrots.
Here are the 20 highest-protein vegetables:
1. Quinoa (1 cup) – 8g
2. Lentils (1/2 cup) – 8g
3. Artichoke hearts (1/2 cup) – 6g
4. Split peas (1/2 cup) – 6g
5. Broccoli (1 cup) – 5g
6. Cauliflower (1/2 cup) – 4g
7. Carrots (1 medium) – 3g
8. Spinach (1 cup) – 3g
The highest protein vegetables are:
Broccoli – 4 grams per cup, cooked broccoli
Spinach – 3 grams per cup, cooked spinach
Brussels sprouts – 3 grams per cup, cooked Brussels sprouts
Lentils – 18 grams per 1/2 cup cooked lentils
Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) – 15 grams per 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
Pumpkin seeds – 14 grams per 1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
Quinoa – 8 grams per 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa.
1. Broccoli (1 cup)
16 grams of protein per serving
2. Kale (1 cup)
15 grams of protein per serving
3. Bok Choy (1 cup)
15 grams of protein per serving
4. Brussel Sprouts (1 cup)
14 grams of protein per serving
5. Collard Greens (1 cup)
11 grams of protein per serving
6. Cauliflower (1 cup)
11 grams of protein per serving