"Where do you get your protein?" is a very common question many people have in regards to hearing about a vegan diet. The truth is, our protein requirements are much lower than all the current marketing leads us to believe, and by eating a healthy diet with plant foods we easily reach our protein requirements, while also enjoying awesome food!

Here's a list of my top 5 favorite whole foods which offer a generous amount of protein!

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#1 - Pinto Beans

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Nutritional Facts: (Per 1 16oz can)
Calories - 350
Total Fat - 0g
Total Carbs - 70g
Dietary Fiber - 24g
Protein - 21g

So there are a lot of great beans out there but pinto beans have to be my favorite at the moment. I eat them almost everyday, and make an awesome veggie bean stir fry with them. They are packed with protein and fiber, and are extremely wholesome. I use a whole can of beans per stir fry and get a ton of protein for my day!

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#2 - Broccoli

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Nutritional Facts: (Per 3 cup flowerets)
Calories - 90
Total Fat - 1.2g
Total Carbs - 17.4g
Dietary Fiber - 6.6g
Protein - 7.2g

Broccoli is my favorite green vegetable! I've always loved broccoli and I'm fortunate that I do, because it's so nutritious! I most often will steam my broccoli, as I've found it tastes great to me when it still retains some of it's water content. You can also add it to stir fries, bake it in the oven, or eat it raw. It's such a great source of protein and fiber while also filling you up. Highly recommended!

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#3 - Hemp Seeds

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Nutritional Facts: (Per 3 tbsp)
Calories - 170
Total Fat - 13g
Total Carbs - 3g
Dietary Fiber - 3g
Protein - 10g

Hemp seeds are THE nutritional powerhouse, containing all the amino acids, as well as the ideal 3:1 balance of omega-6 to omega 3 fatty acids. These are great to add to basically anything! You can add them to stir fries, smoothies, cereals, salads, or any other meal you eat!

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#4 - Spinach

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Nutritional Facts: (Per 1 cup)
Calories - 7
Total Fat - .1g
Total Carbs - 1.1g
Dietary Fiber - .7g
Protein - .9g

I remember when I first saw spinach from a can and never wanted to go near it. Fast forward to just a couple years ago when I tried fresh spinach and my mind was blown at how edible and good for me it was! I was always a picky eater and was so shy of greens, but now that I've become vegan, spinach has become one of my new best friends. Spinach also contains a lot of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B-6, as well as folic acid and iron. The protein number may not seem high per one cup, but that .9g makes up nearly half of spinach's total calories (about 3.6 calories). Spinach is a great way to make a salad, or add some to your black bean burger or smoothie for a nutritional boost!

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#5 - Pumpkin Seeds (Shelled and roasted)

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Nutritional Facts: (Per 2 tbsp)
Calories - 162
Total Fat - 14g
Total Carbs - 4.2g
Dietary Fiber - 1.8g
Protein - 8g

And finally, time for my favorite snack, pumpkin seeds! I believe these guys have the highest amount of protein per total calorie of all the plant based foods...which means we should all be eating them! They're amazing as a snack, or you can add them to your salad. Another favorite thing about pumpkin seeds is how high thery are in magnesium, offering 42% of the recommended daily value. Magnesium helps calm stress and anxiety, increase energy, and helps regulates electrolytes in the body such as sodium, potassium, and calcium. Such an amazing little super food that you can take anywhere as a snack!

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I hope you all got some good info and are ready to add some of these to your meals! If you have any questions about vegan diets or any suggestions of topics to cover, let me know in the comments.

Much love!

• @bryandivisions

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P.S. Check out my article, "What I've learned and experienced from eating a plant based/whole foods/vegan diet for almost 3 years" for more info on my experiences transitioning to a vegan diet!

https://steemit.com/health/@bryandivisions/what-i-ve-learned-and-experienced-from-eating-a-plant-based-whole-foods-vegan-diet-for-almost-3-years