Best Non-Animal Protein Sources

Protein is essential to human health. We need it from birth to grow big and strong, maintain a healthy immune system and metabolism, contract the muscles, and transmit both nerve impulses and hormones in the body.

Protein also acts as an energy source when fat and carbohydrate stores have been depleted and the body requires energy. Making up about 75 percent of body weight, protein is found everywhere in the body including the muscles, bones, skin, and hair.

Research indicates that humans perform best on 40 to 65 grams of protein a day and generally people think of meat and dairy foods as their main protein sources.

But what about vegetarians and vegans?

As it turns out there are plenty of protein options for those who follow a plant-based diet, many of which are even more nutritious than animal sources of protein, which contain lots of heart-unhealthy saturated fats.

Protein can be found in non-meat foods such as beans, nuts, seeds, soy products such as tofu and tempeh, whole grains such as wheat, rice and oats, hemp seed oil, and dairy products.

Protein food sources that contain all essential amino acids are known as "complete" proteins while foods that contain most but not all of the amino acids are called "incomplete" proteins.

While health experts used to think that all amino acids must be consumed at the same time to receive the benefits of complete proteins recent research has indicated that incomplete proteins can actually store themselves in the body for days until they can join with other incomplete proteins.

It is important to note that only complete proteins are listed on food labels when the product may contain a number of incomplete proteins. Though vegetable sources of protein are often incomplete the sheer volume of protein-based plant foods most vegetarians and vegans consume on a daily basis more than makes up for this fact.

Tofu and tempeh are the first stops on our journey into the world of veg-friendly proteins. Tofu, which is made from the soybean, is perhaps the best-known source of vegetable protein. Four ounces of tofu serves you with nine grams of protein.

Tempeh is made by fermenting soybeans and contains 41 grams of protein in one cup. It contains higher amounts of protein as the entire soybean is used in the fermenting process. It is also easier to digest and has higher nutritional value than tofu.

Like tofu, seitan is virtually flavorless with a firm, chewy texture, but absorbs the taste of marinades and sauces used to cook it. Often referred to as the "wheat meat" or "mock meat", seitan is made from the gluten portion of wheat. It is frequently used as faux meat in the veggie dishes served in Japanese and Chinese restaurants. There are 30 grams of protein in a four ounce serving of seitan.

Perhaps the best source of non-animal protein is the hemp seed. Used to make hemp seed oil and hemp milk, among other products, the protein content in hemp oil is an astounding 34.6 percent, which is much higher than the protein content found in other seeds, fish, poultry, dairy products or meat! The protein content in hemp seeds becomes even greater once the shell is removed.

Hemp protein also contains all of the essential amino acids in "more nutritionally significant amounts" and at a ratio closer to "complete" protein sources, such as eggs, meat, and milk, than all other oil seeds with the exception of soy.

Hemp protein is highly digestible as it is made up of two globular proteins that have structures not unlike the proteins made in human blood. It is free of the anti-nutrients found in soy products that complicate protein uptake, is high in antioxidants, essential fatty acids, chlorophyll, minerals, and vitamins C and E.

Other excellent non-animal sources of protein include lentils, as one cup of lentils contains 18 grams of protein. Sprouted lentils are complete in all the essential amino acids. Other legume protein sources include kidney beans, lima beans, garbanzo beans, soybeans, navy beans and split peas.

Grain protein sources include barley, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, rye, wheat, wheat germ, and wild rice.

Protein in nuts and seeds includes cashews, filberts, almonds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and black walnuts.

Choosing to consume non-animal sources of protein has many positive effects including being environmentally friendly as well as costing a lot less money on a cost per pound basis than meat sources of protein.

Diets that do not include animal protein are generally considered healthier as they do not contain as much animal fat and cholesterol. Vegetarian and vegan diets loaded with vegetables, fruits and whole grains contribute towards decreasing your risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, atherosclerosis, certain types of cancer, or becoming obese.

Though meat is a favorite of most people, there are far more sources of protein, which are both very nutritious and environmentally-friendly, than many realize.