I had an interaction with a friend recently that I decided to use as inspiration for a blog. She shared with me that she had heard a lot of buzz about plant protein and how it was important for good health. However, when she went to the grocery store to buy plant protein products, she could not find any that seemed appetizing to her. She looked at ground meat substitutes, ‘chicken-less’ nuggets, and soy-based cheese and sausage. She shared that these products were expensive, had a whole lot of ingredients, and she did not think her family would like them. How was she supposed to get plant protein? I can relate to this challenge. I grew up eating mostly animal products for protein and learning to incorporate plant proteins took some time.
I told her that eating plant protein does not need to include products intended to be substitutes. Rather, you can choose plant foods that contain protein without attempting to taste like an animal product. Here are a few ways I use plant proteins that do not involve purchasing specialized foods.
- Beans and lentils are delicious in tacos and soups. They contain protein and can be combined with animal products such as ground turkey when you introduce them to yourself or your family. Sometimes, combining beans with meat at first helps people get used to the new texture and flavor in a dish they enjoy.
- Nuts, nut butters, and seeds can be eaten as a snack or added to salads or oatmeal.
- Edamame beans are delicious in stir fry and are often available frozen for maximum convenience.
Plant proteins come with a lot of benefits. I appreciate that many plant proteins are shelf-stable and require little to no cooking. Canned beans, nuts, seeds, and frozen edamame are wonderful convenience foods. Plant proteins also tend to contain fiber. Adults should aim for 25-30 grams of fiber per day, and it is easier to hit that goal when some of your protein is coming from plants. Next week, Justine will share some of her family’s favorite recipes featuring plant proteins. If plant proteins are new to you, I hope you’ll give some a try this month!
