25 Best Vegetarian Protein Foods List Available In India

Well, with the changing lifestyle of the people, many people have started with a new type of diet which is called a vegan diet. This vegan diet, in which the person only sticks to some vegetarian protein foods, has its pros and cons which should always be kept in mind when relying on the vegan protein.

vegetarian protein foods

Are you aware of the best vegetarian protein sources? Have you included the right high protein vegan foods in your diet? If you are not sure then you should revise your high protein vegetarian foods list to add some of the best options of vegan protein in that.

Many people believe that you cannot get the desired protein amount by only sticking to the veg protein diet. On the other hand, many people get their desired amount of protein from the best vegetarian protein sources and by consuming only high protein vegetarian foods.

What Is Vegan Protein?

If you too are not sure about what is vegan protein, then you are not alone. Most of the people are still confused about this detail and as a result, add non-vegan products in the high protein vegetarian foods list.

Vegan protein is that protein which is obtained by the consumption of only the vegan products which excludes meat, eggs, dairy products, and all the ingredients which are derived from animals. As a result, you should choose the best vegan protein sources.

Types Of Vegetarian Protein:

The essential thing for knowing how to eat protein as a vegan, it is important to know about the different types of vegetarian protein available.

Here are some of the different types of vegetarian protein available:

  • Protein from Fruits and vegetables.
  • Protein from grains and legumes.
  • Protein from seeds and nuts.

You can try many high protein vegetarian foods from all these different types of vegan protein.

Importance Of Vegetarian Protein To Your Body:

As protein is one of the most essential nutrients for the body, the vegan protein has its own charm. Vegetarian people, especially, the vegans need to be extra careful about taking the vegetarian food containing protein so as to provide their body with the required amount of protein.

The vegetarian protein helps in providing the body with the desired nutrients for its effective functioning without facing any side effects. However, you should be sure of choosing the best vegan protein items so as to get the best benefits. These high protein vegan foods help the body to fight against the common problems along with delivering the desired amount of energy to the body.

How Much Vegetarian Protein Do You Need?

For getting the desired benefits from the high protein vegetarian diet, it is important to know how much the body needs a vegetarian protein. According to the recent survey, on average, the body needs 42 g of vegetarian protein in a day. Therefore, you should include the best vegetarian protein sources in your diet that can fulfil this required amount of protein.

Top Protein Rich Foods For Vegetarians In India:

Here we enlisted 25 delicious high protein vegetarian foods in India and how to include in your diet. Let’s have a look into them.

1. Beans: 15 grams of Protein Per Cup:

vegetarian protein sources

Beans are known to be one of the good sources of protein for vegans. A cup of black beans is enough to offer you around 15 g of proteins which is sufficient for the body. Along with this, beans are known to have no saturated fat and thus they can be easily eaten without the fear of gaining weight. This is one of the popular foods that contain protein for vegetarians as it is easily available and can be made quickly. When you are looking at protein diet food list vegetarian beans would certainly be one of the names in that list.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • You can have beans in your curries by mixing it with many other vegetables for getting its benefits for your body.

2. Oats: 5 grams of Protein per Half a Cup:

By consuming half a cup of oats, you can get 5 g of proteins along with some healthy carbohydrates that can help in improving the metabolism of the body. You can add oats in your protein-rich diet veg and can enrich your body with the desired protein amount without any hassles.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • You can have half a bowl of oats in the breakfast and provide your body with the desired protein amount.
  • Along with this, as oats are rich in fibre, they can keep you full for a long time and thus can help in losing weight without many struggles.

3. Avocados: 1 gram of Protein in 50 grams:

Another item in the vegetarian protein foods list is avocados. It might be interesting to know that the 50 g of fresh avocados contains a total of 1 g of protein. With the regular consumption of avocados, you can burn most of your fat without any hassles. This is one of the top vegan protein sources available which is popular amongst the users.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • You can either have avocados in the morning or in the evening for providing your body with the desired nutrients for its effective functioning.
  • They can also be eaten for improving the digestive system along with as an effective prevention for constipation.

4. Pistachio: 13 grams of Protein per Cup:

The list of protein-rich food for vegetarians cannot get completed without mentioning the name of pistachio in it. Pistachio is also known as one of the best vegetarian protein food as one cup of pistachio can offer 13 g of protein. Along with this, it is a low-calorie nut and thus makes an effective low-fat high protein vegetarian diet.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • It is a heart-friendly nut and thus can be consumed to prevent several heart diseases.
  • It is also rich in fibre and thus can keep you full for a long time.
  • You can have them at any time in a day.

5. Chia Seeds: 4 grams of Protein in 2 tablespoons:

Chia seeds are one of the few names that come to the mind when you think of best vegan protein sources. However, you should make sure to soak the chia seeds before consuming as it will enhance the size of these chia seeds 10 times and thus will deliver better results and that too more quickly. About 2 tablespoons of chia seeds contain 4 g of proteins.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • You can make a number of protein shakes using chia seeds or can have them as a garnishing agent in a variety of dishes.
  • This is one popular name for a vegetarian protein diet.

See More: Protein Rich Fruits List

6. Broccoli: 2.6 grams of Protein per Cup:

Thanks to the high nutritional value, broccoli is one of the popular foods that contain protein vegetarian. 1 cup of broccoli contains around 2.6 g of protein along with many other benefits. As broccoli is rich in fibre and water content, it can enhance your metabolism along with keeping you full for a long time. Broccoli is one of the well-known items in the top 10 vegan protein sources which are suggested by most of the health experts as well.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • You can have broccoli in your meals by mixing it with many other vegetables for getting its benefits for your body.

7. Brown Rice: 5 grams of Protein per Cup:

Brown rice is healthy and packed with fibres as compared with white rice. By having just a cup of brown rice, you can enrich your body with 5 g of protein. Brown rice is also popular as vegetarian protein foods list for weight loss as it is less in calorie count as well. Brown rice also has muscle-strengthening protein along with a lot of vitamins and nutrients which are extremely beneficial for the body.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • You can have this high protein low-fat vegetarian food during any of your mealtime for getting the best results and can mix many other vegetables in that as well.

8. Pears: 0.6 grams of Protein per Cup:

If you are looking for one of the most easily available top 10 vegan protein sources that can also provide you with a good amount of fibre, then you can include pear in your diet. 1 cup of pears includes in general 0.6 g of protein along with 15% of the total recommended amount of fibre. This is one perfect alternative for losing those extra kilos without facing any problem of water retention in the body. Pears are the perfect alternative if wondering how to get protein as veg.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • You can have a pear in the morning as your breakfast or in the evening as a snack.

9. Lemon: 2.3 grams of Proteins per Cup:

Lemon is mostly known for its richness in vitamin C. But are you aware that lemons are also protein-enriched foods for vegetarians? 1 cup of lemon contains nearly 2.3 g of proteins and this makes lemon as one popular low-fat vegan protein sources. This also acts as an effective cleansing and detoxifying agent which aids digestion.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • You can have lemon in any of the forms in your diet for getting its benefits.
  • However, the best form of getting the benefits from the lemon is by taking a glass of warm lemon water in the morning on an empty stomach.

10. Grapefruit: 1.8 grams of Protein per Cup:

Grapefruit is one of the popular names in the list of protein-rich food for vegetarians. By consuming 1 cup of grapefruit, you can provide your body with 1.8 g of protein. Thanks to its taste, it is also known as one of the best protein food vegs which are easily available in the market. As grapefruit is rich in water, it can also be effectively used in preventing the problem of water retention in the body. You can also call it a low-fat vegetarian protein option for many people.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • The best time to have grapefruit is in the morning or in the evening.

11. Almonds: 16.5 grams of Protein per ½ Cup:

Almonds are one of the well-known and popular options in the vegetarian protein foods list. You can add almonds in many of the protein shake recipes or as a garnishing agent in many other recipes. For many people and health experts, almonds are a great option known as top vegan protein foods.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • Other than this, you can have some almonds in the morning and in the evening for providing your body with the desired protein amount.
  • Soak some of the almonds in water for overnight and then eat them the next day for avoiding any side effects of almonds.

12. Asparagus: 2.2 grams of Protein per Cup:

It is a low-calorie vegetable which can offer you a desirable amount of protein just with its regular consumption. 1 cup of asparagus contains around 2.2 g of protein which makes it good protein foods for vegetarians. It is also one of the preferred choices when looking for a vegetable for losing fat.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • You can have asparagus during any of your mealtimes and can get the required amount of protein from that.
  • With its high nutritional value, it won’t be wrong to say that it is one of the best veg protein-rich foods which is easy and quick to make.

See More: Protein Rich Foods List

13. Peanut Butter: 8 grams of Protein in 2 tablespoons:

Peanut butter is one of the delicious treats to be included in the high protein vegan diet. By using 2 tablespoons of peanut butter; you can get 8 g of proteins which is close to the daily requirement of protein for some people. You can use peanut butter in a number of food varieties like pastries, smoothies, etc.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • You can add some of the peanut butter with your favourite fruits or can put some on the normal toast as well.
  • You can have it during any time of the day, however, mornings are considered as the best time.

14. Quinoa: 8 grams of Protein per Cup:

When you are looking for a protein-rich vegetarian diet, then quinoa is one of the popular food items that you can include in that. Quinoa is considered quite high in the protein amount as it can deliver around 13-14% of the daily protein requirement. It is one of the popular foods that contain protein vegetarian.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • Boil some of the raw quinoa seeds and add some salt and black pepper to it and have it as your evening snack.
  • This can be your perfect alternative for getting the required nutritional value along with the protein.

15. Walnuts: 18 grams of Protein per Cup:

1 cup of chopped walnut contains around 18 g of proteins which makes it a rich source of protein in veg. The regular consumption of walnut will not only help in fulfilling the protein requirement of the body but will also improve the bone health of the user. Walnuts are considered one of the good sources of protein vegetarians.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • Add some of the walnuts in your salads and yoghurts and get the desired protein amount from them.
  • This is quite an easy way of getting the required protein value, isn’t it?

16. Pumpkin Seeds: 12 grams of Protein per Cup:

If you are looking for an easy ingredient that can not only provide you with a good amount of protein but can also improve your immunity system, then pumpkin seeds would make the right choice. As they are rich in zinc, they can be used for improving the immune system of the users. Along with this, 1 cup of pumpkin seeds contains around 12 g of protein.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • You can either the pumpkin seeds on their own or can add them as toppings in your salads.
  • You can totally add pumpkin seeds as the perfect option in the protein-rich veg food list.

17. Pecans: 10 grams of Protein per Cup:

Pecans contain healthy fat which helps in balancing the weight of the users. 1 cup of pecans contains 10 g of protein which makes it a low-fat vegetarian protein option. Also, the antioxidants present in pecans can help in releasing the stress and assuring stable mental health of the users.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • For including them in your diet, you can easily roast some of the pecans and then have them as your evening snack.
  • It can also improve your digestion power along with stimulating hair growth.
  • This is one easy source of protein in a vegetarian diet that can be used.

18. Hemp Seeds: 9.2 grams of Protein per Ounce:

Do you know that 1 ounce of hemp seeds contains around 9.2 g of protein? This is the vegetarian’s food full of protein option which is simple to use and delicious to eat. You don’t make any special efforts for preparing hemp seeds for getting the required protein amount.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • You can take some amount of hemp seeds and roast them for making your delicious evening snack.
  • Add some salt, black pepper and lemon juice in that and you are all set to have the most amazing evening snack that can provide you with the desired protein amount.

19. Cashews: 5.1 g of Protein per Ounce:

Cashews are also one of the popular names in the protein-rich veg food list. They are quite simple to use and can be taken at any time of the day. Talking about the protein amount that cashews contain, then around 1 ounce of cashews contain 5.1 g of protein. They are also good for the eyes and also help in keeping all the body functions properly aligned and working in the desired manner.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • You can add cashews in making your evening smoothie or can have cashew on their own for providing your body with the desired amount of protein.

See More: Protein Rich Vegetables List

20. Soybeans: 68 grams of Protein per Cup:

Soybeans are a high protein vegetarian food item that can deliver your body with an adequate amount of protein. 1 cup of soybeans contains around 68 g of proteins which is simply brilliant for all the vegetarian people. Soybeans play an important role in veg protein diet as indicated by many health experts. Soybeans are one of the most protein vegetarian foods which can fulfil your daily protein need without any hassles.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • You can consume soybeans during any of your mealtimes and mix it with some other vegetables which are also good sources of protein.

21. Lentils: 3.1 grams of Protein per 1 tablespoon:

As lentils are a rich source of fibre, potassium and folic acid, they are quite popular for maintaining the health of your heart. This is the perfect answer to doubts concerning what vegan foods are high in protein. This is one of those ingredients which are suggested to most of the pregnant women for getting the right amount of protein and other nutrients. You can get 3.1 g of protein from 1 tablespoon of lentils.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • You can add lentils to any kind of soup and another vegetable for enhancing its nutritional value and fibre.

22. Wheat Germ: 27 grams of Protein per Cup:

Don’t miss onto wheat germ when looking for best vegetarian protein food. 1 cup of wheat germ contains around 27 g of proteins and this makes it one of the popular food rich in protein veg. It is also rich in antioxidants and vitamin E and therefore, it is used for fighting against the free radicals which cause several body problems.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • You can mix some of the wheat germs in your yoghurt and make a smoothie and then can have them for getting the desired amount of protein for your body.
  • You can also add wheat germ when you want to try the vegetarian protein diet.

23. Barley: 23 grams of Protein per Cup:

Talking about the food rich in protein veg, barley is one of the easiest options that come to the mind. 1 cup of barley contains 23 g of proteins and is low in calories and thus becomes one popular vegetarian protein foods list for weight loss. Being rich in fibre, it can also be used for improving digestion and fighting against stomach related problems.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • You can have barley bread in your breakfast or you can cook barley as a hot cereal with some of the seasonal vegetables.
  • You can also use barley as a stuffing in many of the food items.

24. Chickpeas: 15 grams of Protein per Cup:

Most of the people are aware that chickpeas provide great energy by being slowly digested by the stomach. But not many of the users are aware of the fact that it is one of the top veg protein foods that you can include in your diet. 1 cup of chickpeas contains around 15 g of protein along with a good amount of fibre.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • You can mix chickpeas in your salads or can add them with many other vegetables which are also rich in protein.
  • You can also rely on chickpeas when in need to go on a high protein vegetarian diet.

See More: Protein Shake Recipes In India

25. Green Peas: 9 grams of Protein per Cup:

Are you looking for high protein sources for vegetarians? If so, then you may be surprised to know that green peas are one of the top veg protein foods that can be included in the diet. 1 cup of green peas contains around 9 g of protein which makes them a rich source of protein for vegetarians. They are also rich in many other nutrients which make them a complete package for the effective functioning of the body functions.

How To Include In Your Diet:

  • You can mix some green peas with some other vegetables or you can add raw green peas to your salads for getting the required amount of protein.

This is the protein-rich food for vegetarians list that contains some of the names of the food items which are rich in protein and can be taken by the vegan users. Include all these names in your diet and provide your body with the desired amount of protein without any hassles. You can obviously mix-match all these ingredients for making many interesting dishes.

If you have any doubts and concerns regarding any of the vegetarian food containing protein, then do comment below. We would provide you with the required information concerning what vegetarian foods have protein for your ease and convenience.