Amlan Shekhar Baruah
Top five vegetarian sources of protein for muscle building
It is a big misconception among many people that a vegetarian diet contains insufficient protein and that there are not enough vegetarian sources of protein, and thus vegetarians cannot build muscle as easily as meat eaters. In reality, a healthy, natural and well-balanced vegetarian diet contains more than sufficient protein for humans and vegetarians actually have a wider range of choices for sources of protein compared to non-vegetarians. Therefore, in this article, we state the top 5 vegetarian sources of protein for building muscle and strength.
Spinach: Do you want to have big and strong arms like Popeye? Then you need to eat his favourite food – spinach. Spinach is one of the healthiest and most protein-rich vegetables. Not only is spinach an excellent source of protein, but it is also a great source of multiple vitamins including vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin K, minerals including iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium and potassium, anti-oxidants including lutein, zeaxanthin and beta carotene, and fibre. With all these nutrients, spinach can help you in building strong muscles and bones, maintaining healthy blood and proper blood flow, maintaining healthy skin, preventing hair loss, maintaining good eyesight, improving digestion, and also preventing several diseases and allergies. Due to all of these benefits along with others, spinach is regarded as a superfood and one of the best foods for vegetarians.
Rajma (Kidney beans): Rajma is undoubtedly one of the favourite foods of Indians, especially among vegetarians. It is one of the best sources of protein among vegetables. Along with that, rajma is a great source of complex carbohydrates, which will provide you with sufficient energy for working out and staying active throughout the day. It is also an excellent source of fibre, which helps to prevent colon cancer and other gastrointestinal diseases and keeps your gut healthy. The high amount of complex carbohydrates and fibre in rajma helps in monitoring blood sugar levels and preventing heart disease. Rajma is also highly rich in various antioxidants, which help in countering chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease and have anti-ageing properties.
Peanuts/ Peanut butter: Peanut butter is undoubtedly one of the favourite foods among bodybuilders, athletes and fitness enthusiasts. It is one of the richest sources of plant protein and one of the healthiest snacks. Along with that, peanuts are a good source of unsaturated fats, which are called healthy fats in contrast to unhealthy saturated fats. When taken in moderation, these fats can help prevent heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases. Peanuts are also a good source of insoluble fibre, which helps against constipation. There is not much difference between peanuts and peanut butter in regards to their nutritional content. In the case of peanut butter, it is better to buy natural peanut butter which does not contain added sugar, preservatives, and other artificial or unhealthy substances.
Guava: The list of top vegetarian sources of protein would be incomplete without the mention of any fruit. Fruits are very essential to any fitness enthusiast because they help in recovering after workouts and keeping the mind and body fresh, energetic and lively. So comes guava, which is one of the healthiest and most protein-rich fruits. It is rich in both soluble and insoluble fibres, which help in preventing diarrhoea, constipation and other digestive problems and also improve blood sugar levels. It is an excellent source of vitamin C, which helps in strengthening your immune system and keeps your skin healthy and young. It contains high levels of potassium, which helps in lowering high blood pressure. Guava is also one of the fruits with the highest amount of antioxidants. Along with these, guava is rich in various other vitamins and minerals which provide lots of other benefits. Due to all of these benefits, guava is considered as a super fruit.
Urad dal (Black gram): Dal (split pulses) is one of the most important staple foods of India and other South Asian countries, and is one of the best vegetarian sources of protein. Although all dals are terrific sources of plant protein, urad dal is usually said to have the highest amount of protein among all dals. Ayurveda, the ancient system of medicine of India, regards urad dal not only as an excellent food item but also as a powerful medicine which can be used to treat a wide range of ailments and diseases. Urad dal is abundantly rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. It can keep your heart, stomach, kidney, liver, skin, hair and nervous system healthy, treat various diseases and problems related to them, heal wounds, and treat pains and inflammations. A distinguishing property of urad dal when compared to other dals is that it contains about 10 times more phosphorus than all other dals. Its high content of phosphorus and calcium will make your bones stronger and healthier. It is very rich in iron, which keeps your blood healthy. Along with these, urad dal is also one of the best foods for improving reproductive and sexual health of both men and women.
Although there is a wide variety of vegetarian sources of protein, here we have mentioned the top five sources which do not only contain high protein content for building muscle but also come with plenty of other benefits for the body. In conclusion, you can have a fit and muscular body, without contributing to the suffering and death of living beings.
