"When looking at raw vegetables as a protein source, it should be noted that leafy greens are very light in calories, therefore it would take an enormous amount of chewing to chalk up the RDA."
|
Vegetables
|
Protein
|
|
Bean Sprouts
|
25%
|
|
Parsley
|
20%
|
|
Spinach
|
30%
|
|
Romaine
|
18%
|
|
Beet Greens
|
24%
|
|
Broccoli
|
20%
|
|
Collards
|
20%
|
|
Kale
|
16%
|
Greens are jam-packed with bulking fiber, vitamins, minerals, protective micronutrients, and detoxifying chlorophyll. We all need to be eating lots of greens daily. Websites that argue the superiority of a total raw diet tout the virtues of raw vegetables as good sources of protein. But when looking at raw vegetables as a protein source, it should be noted that leafy greens are very light in calories, therefore it would take an enormous amount of chewing to chalk up the RDA. For instance, the 30 percent protein in spinach seems impressive; however, a cup only has 1 gram of protein and a mere 7 calories. You would have to eat ten cups to make up ten grams.
A side note: during a fast it is easy to juice a large amount of greens, to provide you with high-quality nutrients and some protein.
But what if you have a large bowl of spinach salad, mixed with other greens, and add some sunflower seeds and raw broccoli with a flax-based salad dressing? Now you have 12 to 18 grams of unpolluted protein and a wide spectrum of other cleansing nutrients. Look again at our Personality Profile: it’s all there in a salad bowl, waiting to nourish every cell. Now we are on the road to health and vitality. But we are not done.
I want to clear up a misconception about the simple salad. When I tell friends that I eat a salad almost every supper, some people have a look of pity and ask if eating salads all the time gets boring, as if I am depriving myself. These same people eat potatoes with every supper meal: steak, peas and potatoes; hamburger and fries (which are deep fried potatoes); pork chops, corn and scalloped potatoes; and at picnics, a sandwich and potato salad. This reminds me of my childhood when dad bought potatoes by the fifty-pound bag. When I discovered healthy eating, I simply replaced starchy potatoes every meal with nutrient-rich greens. The greens become a base for a huge variety of tastes. My salads are more diverse in taste and color than most people’s nightly cuisine.
Some Healthy Veggie Protein Meals
Here are only five examples of combinations you would find if invited to a Lagerquist supper.
- Romaine lettuce, raisins, hemp hearts, red pepper, dressing
- Spring mix, black olives, grape tomatoes, goat’s cheese, dressing
- Bed of spinach, warm cooked quinoa, dressing
- Romaine lettuce, mushrooms, red peppers, red onion, celery, tomato, shaved carrot, tofu, dressing
- Spring mix, tomatoes, mushrooms, sunflower seeds, sliced green olives, canned tangerines, dressing
On special occasions, while digging through my greens, you may even find shrimp, chopped turkey or salmon. A pepper grinder always oversees things, sometimes accompanied by a scraping of Romano cheese.
Related Article: Protein In Legumes