Best Alternative Protein Sources

By: Sarah Holvik, B.Sc. Nutritional Science
 
Alternative sources of protein are not only useful for vegetarians. Everyone can benefit from incorporating these items into their healthy eating regime. Replace some of your regular meat dishes with the following sources of protein and enjoy increased health benefits such as heart and digestive health, along with adding variety to your every day meals.
 
1.      Legumes – A great way to add legumes to your meals is in salads. Add some chickpeas to your garden salad or make a mixed bean salad to accompany a meal. It is also a great idea to add legumes to Soups (lentils and split pea) and Chili (garbanzo beans, Kidney beans and navy beans.) 
 
2.      Nuts – Along with legumes, nuts are also a great and healthy addition to a salad. Add some walnuts to a spinach salad to add texture. Eating peanut butter on multigrain toast or almond butter on apples is a great way to start the day. Enjoy raw almonds for a healthy afternoon snack.
 
3.      Seeds – Sunflower and Pumpkins Seeds make for a healthy afternoon snack. Seeds (sunflower, pumpkin and sesame) are also nice when added to salads or breakfast cereals.  Choose multigrain breads with seeds in them for a more wholesome sandwich.
 
4.      Hempseed – Hempseeds are one of the most complete edible and useable proteins on the planet. Hemp seed can be eaten on its own or sprinkled on cereals. It is also available in the form of hemp oil, hemp milk and hemp flour at local whole foods grocery stores.
 
5.      Whole Grains – More protein will be added to your daily diet if you replace grains with whole grains. Start substituting refined carbs for wholes - try using whole grain pastas, whole grain rice such as brown and wild rice, and whole grain breads such as rye or multigrain varieties to your daily meals.  Not only are whole grains a good source of protein, they also promote digestive health due to their fiber content.
 
6.      Yeast - Food yeasts are extremely nutritious additions to most menus. It is a great idea to add food yeast to soups, gravies, breads, casseroles, and dips.  Sprinkle some on your popcorn, garlic bread or stir fry. Nutritional yeast also contains Vitamin B12, so it's a great food to add to the vegetarian diet, especially if you are a vegan, to ensure you meet your Vitamin B12 requirement. 
 
7.      Algae – Freshwater algae, such as chlorella and spirulina are a significant source of protein. These green super-foods are packed full of antioxidants and are complete proteins, which means they contain all of the essential amino acids needed for a healthy body.  Find these in your local whole food store and take them as a supplement or in health smoothies. 
 
8.      Eggs – Eggs are very nutrient dense and contain high levels of essential proteins, fats and vitmins.  In addition, eggs contain choline, an essential compound for mental functioning and memory, and selenium, a powerful antioxidant mineral that supports a healthy immune system.  Eggs are great on their own, in salads, or cooked with rice. 
 
9.   Vegetables – Vegetables are another source of dietary protein.  Broccoli, asparagus and potatoes contain protein, but also supply vital nutrients and minerals essential to our health. Leave the skin on your potatos to retain more of the nutrients, and roast them with olive oil and rosemary for a great side dish to any meal. 
 
10.      Soybeans - Soy products are also a very good source of protein, however they pose a concern for certain soy sensitive individuals who develop allergies to soy products.  Research to date shows that traditional preparation soy preparations, such as fermented tofu, fermented miso, and fermented soy sauce are the healthiest choices.
 
Vancouver Nutritionist Sarah Holvik is the owner of nutrition consulting company Manna Health Group. She welcomes
questions at sarah@activelivingprogram.com.