Your cart0
  • No products in the cart.

Subtotal: $0.00

View Cart Checkout

Caliber Fitness
Caliber Fitness
Personal Touch, Personal Training
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Personal Training
  • CORPORATE WELLNESS
  • Shop
    • Online Personal Training
    • Checkout
    • My Account
    • Cart
  • Supplements
  • Contact Us
Menu back  
 
December 14, 2015Contributor Post, Healthy Eating Tips, Healthy Living, Protein, VegetarianBy Julie Upton

There are plenty of reasons to eat lower on the food chain, but you don’t need to sacrifice your protein intake. Nutritionist Julie Upton, MS, RD, of Appetite For Health is here to help with recommendations of high-protein foods minus the meat.

More than half of all Americans are trying to pump up the protein in their diets, according to the NPD Group, but recent headlines based on a World Health Organization report that classified processed meats as “carcinogens,” like tobacco and asbestos, have many protein-seekers looking for more meat-free protein alternatives.

The World Health Organization’s report, published in The Lancet Oncology, included more than 800 previously published studies about diet and cancer and concluded that processed and red meats, like beef, bacon, and deli meats, increase risk for colorectal cancer and possibly prostate and pancreatic cancers. They wrote that for every two-ounce portion of processed meat eaten daily, you could increase your risk for colorectal cancer by 18 percent.

While you don’t need to give up processed meats or red meat entirely, there are no downsides to cutting down on the amount you eat. What’s more, the American Cancer Society recommends eating more plant-based foods and minimizing animal-based products to reduce the risk for cancer.

How Much Protein Do You Need?

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is .36 grams per pound of pound weight (47 grams for a 130-pound woman), but The American College of Sports Medicine recommends much more. They recommend that endurance athletes obtain .6 grams protein per pound and strength athletes about .75 grams per pound.

As an active “flexitarian,” some of the ways I ensure that I get the protein I need to build and maintain muscle mass is with Greek yogurt, beans, nuts, and soy. I also use some of the protein-enhanced options in the supermarket like legume-based Tolerant pasta, which has more protein per ounce than beef, and pea-protein-infused breakfast cereals that have more protein per serving than an egg. I try to make sure my snacks include nuts, like pistachios, which a new study in the British Journal of Nutrition shows has more protein, six grams per ounce, than most other nuts, and they are considered a “complete” protein with all nine essential amino acids.

Here are some of the best plant-based proteins to enjoy in place of red and processed meats and how I get ample quality protein in my diet without eating meat.

Meat-Free Choice Grams of Protein/
Serving*
Split Peas 24 grams per 1/2 cup
Greek Yogurt (plain) 20-22 grams per cup
Tolerant Lentil or Black Bean Pasta 21-22 grams per 3 ounces
Cottage Cheese 13 grams per 1/2 cup
Lentils 9 grams per 1/2 cup
Chickpeas 20 grams per 1/2 cup
Protein-Enhanced Cereal (i.e., Great Grains Protein Blend, Kashi Go Lean, Cascadian Farm Protein Granola) 8-10 grams per cup
Beans (Navy, Pinto, Black, etc.) 7-10 grams per 1/2 cup
Whole Grains (Quinoa, Kamut, Barley, Oats, Buckwheat, Wild Rice) 7-10 grams per cup
Seeds (Hemp, Chia, Pumpkin, etc.) 5-9 grams per ounce (about 1/4 cup)
Firm Tofu 9 grams per 3 ounces
Nut Butters (Peanut, Almond, etc.) 6-8 grams per 2 tablespoons
Soy Milk 8 grams per cup
Pistachios 6 grams per ounce (49 kernels)
Eggs 6 grams per large egg

*Check Nutrition Facts labels of products for grams of protein per serving.

A Sample Menu

Here’s a one-day eating plan with about 2,000 calories and 85 grams of meat-free protein:

Breakfast

Overnight yogurt, berry, and oat parfait: 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt with 1 cup fresh berries and 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats. Layer yogurt, berries, and oats in a jar or bowl and refrigerate overnight. Enjoy in the a.m.

Protein = 22 grams

Snack
1 slice whole-grain toast with 1 tablespoon nut butter and 1/2 banana

Protein = 6 grams

Lunch

1 cup lentil soup with 3-4 whole-grain crackers

Tossed salad with 1/4 cup chickpeas

Protein = 20 grams

Afternoon Snack

Wonderful Pistachios 100-calorie pack (about 30 nuts)

1 soy latte

Protein = 12 grams

Dinner

1 cup Tolerant Lentil Pasta topped with marinara sauce

2 crostinis topped with fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella cheese

Tossed salad with 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Protein = 25 grams

Source: Pop Sugar

About the author

Julie Upton

Related posts
20 Perfect Picks For the Yoga-Lover in Your Life
November 17, 2017
Crush Your November Health and Fitness Goals With These Must-Have Products
November 17, 2017
50 of Our Favorite Smoothie Recipes
November 17, 2017
The 3 Dinner Changes That Helped Me Lose Weight
November 17, 2017
Here's What a Doctor Has to Say About All That Protein You're Eating
November 17, 2017
Healthy, Easy Lunches That Are Begging to Be Taken to Work
November 17, 2017
Train With Us

Book Your Complimentary Training

What are the benefits of Caliber Fitness core strength training to the athlete? Greater efficiency of movement Improved body control and balance Increased power output from both the core musculature and peripheral muscles such as the shoulders, arms and legs Reduced risk of injury (the core muscles act as shock absorbers for jumps and rebounds etc.) Improved balance and stability Improved athletic performance!

CONTACT US

Charlotte, North Carolina

Call Now : (646) 867-5037

: (704) 325-9006

Email:
Jeff@caliberfit.com

TRAINING TIMES

MONDAY - FRIDAY

5:30AM - 7:30PM

SATURDAY - SUNDAY

7:00AM - 5:00PM

CORPORATE TRAINING
Please contact us for scheduling corporate training.
WE ARE ACTIVE ON
Facebook
Twitter
YOUTUBE
INSTAGRAM
Caliber Fitness