Introduction

Whether you are a vegan or love your baby back ribs, trading meat for plant-based protein brings you a lot of benefits. According to Matthew Davies, it doesn’t just bring down your carbon footprint significantly but also aids you to lose weight and keeps your heart healthy. Moreover, if the National Institutes of Health report is to be believed, red meat may shorten your life and should be swapped with healthier protein sources. So, what should you consume to get your daily dose of protein? Let’s check out the top plant proteins:

The Proteins

1. Chickpeas – Legumes have a reputation for their high protein content and are usually rich in fibers. Chickpeas may be a hero among the legume group since half a cup of chickpeas provides you with 7g of protein along with an adequate amount of fiber, folate, phosphorous, iron, and healthy fatty acids. You can have them in your salads, sandwich, roast them into a salty and savory snack or get your fill from hummus. 
2. Lentils – Half a cup of lentils and other legumes like nuts, seeds, peas, and beans can provide you with 9 grams of protein. That’s much more compared to the 6-gram protein content of eggs and has plenty of fibers to keep you full for longer durations and helps in better digestion. They are also packed with polyphenols that are rich in antioxidants and have anti-diabetes, anti-inflammatory, and anti-obesity properties. You can roast or boil and blend them into a veggie patty for your burger or have them in your veggie-soup. 
3. Hemp seeds – Hemp seeds have all the excellent qualities of plant-based proteins, without any of its disadvantages. They have nine essential amino acids that humans can’t do without and traditionally get from animal meat. You can get 10 grams of proteins from just 3 tablespoons of these seeds. If you can’t get them at the grocery store, it’s highly probable that you may find hemp hearts, their shelled version. You can have them on your bread, toast, soups, salads, or yogurt. Their nutty flavor is irresistible. 
4. Quinoa – Yes, it’s technically a seed. However, most people categorize them as whole grains that can replace wheat-based pasta or rice. A cup of cooked quinoa provides you 5 grams of satiating fiber along with 8 grams of protein. You can have them in all three meals. As a breakfast cereal, in your salad during lunch, or as a substitute for pasta at dinner. 
5. Beans – Pick a favorite out of navy beans, kidney beans, black beans, or cranberry beans and you can have 5 grams of protein in half a cup. In terms of nutrition, they are nothing short of powerhouses since they also provide folate fiber, magnesium, iron, and more.

Conclusion

Matthew Davies believes that there are plenty of reasons to opt for plant proteins instead of meat or at least, reduce the consumption of animal protein. They are good for the environment, a rich source of nutrients, and good for your heart.