NEAT Fact Sheet

“Vegetarian Protein Options”

Vegetarian Protein Sources- Eggs, beans, nuts, nut butters, peas, and soy products (tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers, etc.)

Nuts

Almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, pistachios, and even peanuts have about 6-8 g protein and 3 g fiber

Almond butter has 8 g protein/serving

Beans and legumes

Pinto, kidney, lima, navy, black, and garbanzo beans all have 6-8 g protein per serving and are good sources of fiber

Lentils are great sources of protein also (10 g protein/serving)

Whole grains

Whole grain cereals, breads, and pastas have 6-15 g of protein (depends on brand)

Look for products containing barley, wheat germ, oatmeal, rye, wild rice, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, and quinoa

Soy

Wide range of products containing soy from soy bars to soy meat substitutes

Textured soy protein is made from defatted soy flour that is processed into a dried, granular product. When rehydrated, it has a similar texture to meat that can be made into various products.

Soy may reduce the risk of heart disease, reduce blood pressure, and reduce risk of certain cancers because of naturally-occurring plant compounds (isoflavones).

In general, vegetarian protein sources contain much less saturated fat and cholesterol compared to meat products and therefore are great sources for protein.