What are the legumes with the most protein?

Within all the food groups, legumes are sometimes the most neglected, especially due to the number of myths that surround them. In fact, it is believed that a plant-based diet is not rich in protein. We want to disprove this with tests and for this, we are going to crumble legumes with more proteins so that we begin to consider them in our day to day life.

The diet that we have in our day to day has to be as healthy as possible, and that happens by creating our own food pyramid and putting at the base all the vegetables, fruits, vegetables, nuts, cereals and legumes that we know and little by Little is climbing upwards and the thing that we have the least to eat is meat and fish. What we have to move away from immediately are sugary and ultra-processed products, 100% non-whole bread, industrial pastries, refined oils, etc.

What do proteins serve for?

We are going to clarify this issue, and it is that proteins not only serve to feed our muscles and help us to highlight the results of workouts.

Proteins fulfill various functions in our body. On the one hand, thanks to them, our body builds new muscle fibers, regenerates and maintains muscles, bones and tissues throughout the body.

They also serve to transport hemoglobin, which in turn transports oxygen throughout the body , it also collaborates with immunoglobulins that help protect the body from external agents; it also carries cholesterol, among other special functions.

It has always been believed that proteins of animal origin have greater value due to their biological origin, but this is not entirely true. Some foods of plant origin also have essential amino acids, that is, those that our body cannot manufacture or synthesize and it obtains through healthy and varied eating. The non-essential ones are those that, through chemical reactions in the body, our body is capable of manufacturing them.

Composition of legumes

Legumes, like any other food, is not just one thing, but has different parts and all of them are important for the health of our body.

Legumes are of great value in our diet, whether we are omnivores or not. In this food group we can find a good dose of hitación, except for dried legumes. Carbohydrates seem like our enemy, but they are very key in our diet to get energy. Legumes, on average, provide 50% carbohydrates.

On the other hand, fiber is of vital importance in our day to day. An average adult needs about 7 grams of fiber a day, and thanks to this food group we facilitate intestinal transit, reduce blood sugar, cleanse the body of toxins and all thanks to fiber.

Fats, and legumes have polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. With regard to vitamins and minerals, as a general rule, legumes have calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and magnesium. Apart from vitamin A, group B, C, E, among others.

Now we enter the section on proteins and legumes are a food group capable of providing up to 36% of the proteins that our body needs in a day , hence, it is so important to introduce them into our daily diet.

Legumes with more protein

Let’s get to the heart of the matter and we are going to find out which are the legumes with the most protein today. Some of them are surely known to us and we consume them very often, especially when we are in winter when there are many spoon dishes, but others are not so common, so it is convenient to give them a chance.

Soy and derivatives

Dry soybeans and good quality soybean derivatives are very rich in protein. Dry soybeans have 36 grams of protein for every 100 grams of product . By derivatives we mean soy milk (no additives, just soy and water), good quality soy yogurts, flour, textured soy, etc.

It is one of the best options for plant-based diets, or if we want to increase the amount of protein and not abuse so much meat and artificial food supplements that we strongly discourage on our website.

Lupins

Lupins are very typical in the Mediterranean. In Spain the most consumed is the white lupine that is harvested in Extremadura and in Las Castillas. Lupine is also known as lupine, lupine, chorcho, entremozo, white / yellow lupine, white / yellow lupine, white / yellow lupine, or grass pea.

This legume provides us with 36 grams of proteins of vegetable origin for every 100 grams of product. Therefore, it is a very good option. In addition, the good thing about this legume is that it can be eaten at any time.

Beans and lentils

These two legumes don’t offer very good amounts of plant-based protein. On the one hand, we have beans with 26 grams of protein per 100 grams of beans and, on the other hand, we have lentils with almost 24 grams of protein per 100 grams of food.

Both with beans and lentils and with other legumes, we recommend mixing them with cereals, in this way we get a more nutritionally complete dish and a greater amount of protein for our body.

Red and white beans

Red, white and black beans are an excellent option that in turn can be mixed with other legumes such as beans or chickpeas. Beans, in general, have about 23 grams of protein of vegetable origin per 100 grams of product, which is a perfect option, as well as being very versatile.

Let’s not forget the black beans, which are less popular in Spain, but equally nutritious and have the same protein content. All beans can be used in soups, creams, salads, bowls, to make hamburgers, etc.

Garbanzo beans

Chickpeas have 22 grams of protein for every 100 grams of food. That is why it is such a good option as a complement to a multitude of dishes, from soups, to salads, scrambled eggs, spreads, creams, fillings, etc.

A versatile legume that can be easily combined with vegetables, other legumes, with meat, fish, or eaten alone. In addition, the good thing about chickpeas is that they have complete proteins, that is, they include essential amino acids, so we provide it to our body.