High Protein Foods for Vegetarians

Most people are of the belief that only meat-based foods are good sources of proteins. But this is not the case. There are numerous vegetables and greens that are very good sources of proteins to our body. So all you vegetarians need not worry, and for those who eat meat too, knowing how much proteins and nutrients vegetables provide, will be very useful.

It goes without saying that along with the other important nutrients that different foods provide us, proteins are also required in sufficient quantities for the proper growth and maintenance of our body functions. Protein rich diets are very much popular amongst bodybuilding enthusiasts, as proteins help in a huge way in muscle-building. As mentioned earlier, many people hold a misconception that a vegetarian diet does not provide enough proteins, or there are not many foods in the vegetarian diet that have lots of proteins in them! People strongly believe that it is only the non-vegetarian foods such as meat, fish and eggs, that have ample proteins in them. I agree to the latter sentence partly. However, with regards to the former, I would say that the list of high protein foods for vegetarians given below is a contradiction to it! There are many vegetarian foods that are rich in protein content, and you can completely rely upon them to fulfill the protein needs of your body! Some of the popular vegetarian protein foods are whole grains, legumes, beans, spinach, etc. To get a better idea, here is a table with the details of each vegetable that is an excellent source of protein for us.

List of High Protein Foods for Vegetarians

Food Item	Form	Quantity	Protein Content
Asparagus	boiled, cooked, drained	60 - 62 grams / 4 spears	1.55 grams
Artichokes	boiled, cooked, drained, without salt	120 - 122 grams / 1 cup	4.18 grams
Avocados	raw from California	28 grams / 1 cup	0.60 grams
Alfalfa Seeds	raw and sprouted form	33 - 35 grams / 1 cup	1.32 grams
Baked Beans	canned	254 - 255 grams / 1 cup	12.17 grams
Broccoli	raw	88 - 90 grams / 1 cup	2.62 grams
Beets	cooked, boiled, drained	170 - 172 grams / 1 cup	2.86 grams
Bulgur	cooked	182 - 184 grams / 1 cup	5.61 grams
Cabbage	raw	70 - 72 grams / 1 cup	1.01 grams
Carrots	raw	10 - 12 grams / 1 medium carrot	0.08 grams
Cauliflower	raw	100 - 102 grams / 1 cup	1.98 grams
Celery	raw	120 - 122 grams / 1 cup	0.90 grams
Cucumber	raw and peeled	119 -120 grams / 1 cup	0.68 grams
Dandelion Greens	cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	105 - 107 grams / 1 cup	2.10 grams
Endive	raw	50 - 52 grams / 1 cup	0.63 grams
Garlic	raw	3 grams / 1 clove	0.19 grams
Lettuce	raw	56 - 57 grams / 1 cup	0.73 grams
Lentils	mature seeds, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	198 - 200 grams / 1 cup	17.86 grams
Mushrooms	raw	70 - 72 grams / 1 cup	2.03 grams
Mustard Greens	cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	140 - 142 grams / 1 cup	3.16 grams
Noodles	chow mein, Chinese	45 - 46 grams / 1 cup	3.77 grams
Okra	cooked, boiled, drained, without salt	160 - 162 grams / 1 cup	2.99 grams
Olives	ripe, canned	22 - 23 grams / 5 large olives	0.18 grams
Onions	raw	110 - 112 grams / 1 whole onion	1.28 grams
Oat Bran	raw	94 - 95 grams / 1 cup	16.26 grams
Pumpkin	without salt, canned	245 - 247 grams / 1 cup	2.70 grams
Peppers	green, raw, sweet	149 - 150 grams / 1 pepper	1.33 grams
Peppers	red, raw, sweet	119 - 120 grams / 1 pepper	1.06 grams
Potato Pancakes	homemade	76 - 77 grams / 1 pancake	4.68 grams
Quinoa	cooked	1 cup	11.00 grams
Radishes	raw	4.5 - 4.6 grams / 1 radish	0.03 grams
Spaghetti	cooked, whole wheat	140 - 142 / 1 cup	7.46 grams
Spaghetti	enriched, cooked, without salt	140 - 142 grams / 1 cup	6.68 grams
Spinach	raw	30 - 32 grams / 1 cup	0.86 grams
Sweet Potato	canned	255 - 256 grams / 1 cup	4.21 grams
Tomatoes	sun-dried	2 - 3 grams / 1 piece	0.28 grams
Tempeh	-	225 - 226 grams	31.00 grams
Tofu	firm, made with magnesium chloride and calcium sulfate	120 - 122 grams / 1 piece	7.86 grams
Whole Wheat Bread	-	2 slices	5.00 grams
Watermelon	raw	286 - 288 grams / 1 wedge	1.77 grams
Wheat Flour	whole-grain	125 - 127 grams / 1 cup	16.44 grams

Even though meat, chicken and fish are very beneficial for our body, there is no harm in being a vegetarian too. Apart from the aforementioned food items, there are many other food items which are equally high in protein content. Most of the above listed food items are safe for every individual. However, if you have allergies towards any of these food stuffs, you should always consult your doctor and get appropriate alternatives prescribed for your specific case. The intake of nutritious food that keeps us healthy should be on the top of our priority list, as far as eating habits are concerned.