Best and super economical protein sources for vegetarians

Vegetarian diet has always been considered as low on protein and high on carbs. Every now and then diet experts, doctors and meat lovers have taken a stab at the vegetarian way of living as low protein, unhealthy and low energy diet.

The main aim behind this post is to articulate how vegetarian diet can be made protein rich and high energy. Below is the vegetarian sources of protein which are healthy, affordable and very easy to digest

 1.      Textured Soya Protein or Soya chunks: 

Easily available at any super store are chunks made out of soya beans, these can be boiled and used as a protein additive to any dish you are making, containing 50% and 70% soy protein. They have a mild beany flavor. Textured vegetable protein can be found in natural food stores and larger supermarkets, usually in the bulk section.

2.      Lentils and Legumes: 

Lentils, a small but nutritionally mighty member of the legume family, are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. Not only do lentils help lower cholesterol, they are of special benefit in managing blood-sugar disorders since their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal. But this is far from all lentils have to offer. Lentils also provide good to excellent amounts of seven important minerals, our B-vitamins, and protein—all with virtually no fat. The calorie cost of all this nutrition? Just 230 calories for a whole cup of cooked lentils. This tiny nutritional giant fills you up—not out.

3.      Cottage cheese or Paneer : 

Cottage cheese is one of the best and very easily digestible source of protein from milk. This is a staple in Indian vegetarian households due to ease of making and availability. Paneer is prepared by adding food acid, such as lemon juice, vinegar, citric acid or yogurt,[1] to hot milk to separate the curds from the whey. The curds are drained in muslin or cheesecloth and the excess water is pressed out. The resulting paneer is dipped in chilled water for 2–3 hours to improve its texture and appearance. From this point, the preparation of paneer diverges based on its use and regional tradition.

4.      Chick peas: 

Chick peas are another low cost high value protein source, In ancient Indian culture chick peas were considered such high source of protein and energy that war horses were fed on chick peas for muscle buildup and strength.  

So next time you meet any meat eater who is bragging about his protein intake make sure you give it back with all this knowledge. Many more options on vegetarian protein sources can be found here

Stay healthy and love vegetarian food.