Seitan:
Also known as "vegetable meat" because it looks so much like meat once prepared, seitan is a food made from wheat flour—specifically, wheat gluten.
It is made by kneading the flour and forming balls of dough, just as you would when making bread or pizza, and then undergoing a washing process that removes the flour, leaving only the gluten. It is then boiled with soy sauce and kombu seaweed to increase its vitamin and mineral content.
This food has a multitude of properties that we can easily take advantage of. Simply adding seitan to our diet will improve various aspects of our nutrition. It is a food high in protein, accounting for nearly 24% of its total weight. It is much easier to digest and gentler on the stomach than most animal-based protein-rich foods such as eggs, meat, and milk… Seitan is recommended for people with high cholesterol, as it is low in fat. It is very low in calories. People with gluten intolerance cannot eat it, since it is made of gluten. It is every bit as good as meat in terms of protein, and it has not been treated with antibiotics, hormones, or other additives. It is a source of B vitamins and iron. It also contains more calcium than meat. It is rich in lecithin. It is low in sodium, making it recommended for people with high blood pressure or fluid retention… It contains no sugar.
Tofu:
Tofu is the Japanese name for soy cheese. It has been consumed in the East for thousands of years; for people there, it is an essential food because of the variety of dishes that can be made with it and its high protein content.
This food, which is widely consumed in the East, has a multitude of health benefits for our bodies. It is extremely high in high-quality plant-based protein. It also contains all ten essential amino acids in sufficient quantities.
Despite its high protein content, tofu is easier to digest than other protein-rich foods such as eggs, milk, and meat. It contains no preservatives, artificial colors, or chemicals, and no antibiotics or hormones have been used to fatten the animals, as is done with livestock. It has high levels of lecithin. Because of its calcium content, tofu is recommended for women going through menopause.
It is also recommended for growing children and people with osteoporosis. It contains even more calcium than meat. It is a low-calorie food. It is lactose-free, gluten-free, and cholesterol-free. Tofu is a food that is rich in lysine.
Lysine is an essential amino acid that is lacking in many grains and grain products. On the other hand, they are rich in sulfur-containing amino acids—methionine and cystine—which are not as abundant in soybeans, and therefore not in tofu either.
This is why soy protein and cereal protein complement each other so well; in fact, the net protein utilization increases when we combine cereals with tofu and other soy products.
Spirulina:
Spirulina (Spirulina maxima) is a single-celled algae that is spiral-shaped (hence its name) and has a blue-green color due to the presence of chlorophyll, which gives it its green color, and phycocyanin, a pigment that gives it its bluish color.
Spirulina is a superfood that provides proteins that are more easily digestible than those found in beef and contains an astonishing variety of nutrients: vitamins, macrominerals, minerals, essential fatty acids, proteins, nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), chlorophyll, and a wide range of phytochemicals.
Quinoa:
Botanically speaking, it is not a grain, since grains belong to the grass family. Quinoa belongs to the Chenopodiaceae family (like spinach, Swiss chard, and beets) but is compared to grains because of its composition and how it is eaten.
It is important to note its high protein content, which is higher than that of wheat and corn. Depending on the variety of quinoa, it can contain up to 23% of this nutrient. Its protein is complete, meaning it has high biological value. Unlike other seeds, it is rich in amino acids such as lysine (important for proper brain development), arginine, and histidine, which are essential for growth during childhood. It is also a rich source of methionine and cystine.
For anyone following a vegetarian diet, eating quinoa is essential because it provides a complete protein and does not need to be supplemented with any other food. Quinoa also contains iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, potassium, zinc, phosphorus, selenium, and vitamin E. It’s delicious when mixed with other vegetables or fruits, or eaten as a breakfast cereal.
Pumpkin seeds:
Pumpkin seeds have been known for centuries as natural substances with healing properties. They are beneficial to the body and contain up to 24.5% of protein, fatty acids, minerals, essential amino acids, cucurbitin, and cucurbitic acid.
They have anti-inflammatory, emollient, and antiparasitic properties. They contain significant amounts of zinc, phosphorus, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B5, iron, magnesium, copper, selenium, vitamin K, and manganese. Pumpkin seeds are eaten as a snack or throughout the day.
Almonds:
Almonds are exceptionally high in protein. In fact, they contain more protein than meat per equal amount consumed.
The problem is that we never eat as many almonds as we do meat or eggs (in fact, they would be hard to digest), but they are still an important source of protein that we shouldn't overlook, especially if we follow a vegetarian diet.
Remember, however, that plant protein has low biological value; in other words, no single plant contains all the essential amino acids on its own, so it’s necessary to combine different types of plant foods (legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds) to obtain all the amino acids our bodies need.
Almonds are a good source of the amino acid phenylalanine, which is important for brain function. Almonds contain vitamins B-2 and B-3, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and selenium.
Peanuts:
Peanuts are a type of nut with many health benefits and also contain a considerable amount of protein. Every 100 grams of peanuts contains 27 grams of protein. Despite their nutrients and health benefits, peanuts should be eaten in moderation because they are difficult to digest. Peanuts are a good source of niacin and also contain vitamins B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, and B-6, as well as vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, iron, copper, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and selenium.
Oats:
Oats are a popular food among bodybuilders and gym enthusiasts. Whole oats provide both insoluble and soluble fiber, and they are also a great source of protein.
The protein found in oats is of higher quality than that found in most other grains. Oats are easy to prepare, help curb hunger, and blend well with other protein sources to aid in muscle growth.
According to the World Health Organization, the quality of the protein in oats is comparable to that found in soy flour; however, the quality of oat protein is not as high as that of the protein found in meat, fish, eggs, and soy protein isolate powder. The protein composition of oats is similar to that found in legumes, such as lentils and dried beans.
