FROM MEN’S HEALTH MAGAZINE
July 18, 2022
EDAMAME
They’re soy beans in a pod. They’re snack-able, especially clobbered with flaky sea salt and dipped into soy sauce. And they have about 11 grams of protein per cup.
PINTO BEANS
Another legume, yes. (See the intro if you feel like squabbling.) Pinto beans have seven grams of protein per 1/2 cup. Use them as you would any other bean—mixed with rice, stirred into chili, laced into tacos.
NAVY BEANS
One half cup of these broad, white beans has eight grams of protein per cup. Like all beans, they’re a strong source of fiber too.
PEAS
Yeah, peas! If you eat roughly 3/4 cup of these little green guys, you’ll consume five grams of protein.
BAKED POTATOES
Mmmmmm, baked potatoes. One large potato has seven grams of protein. Filling too.
SPINACH
For every cup of fresh spinach you eat, you’ll consume about one gram of protein. Not a ton, yes, but if you eat a salad with four cups of spinach, that’s at least something.
BROCCOLI RAAB
One bunch of this bitter green contains a mighty 17 grams of protein—but, admittedly, that’s a lot of broccoli raab. That said, a half bunch is pretty reasonable serving and a still delivers a decent about of the nutrient.
BRUSSEL SPROUTS
One cup of the cruciferous vegetables, boiled, contains four gram of protein—plus the same amount of fiber.
BUTTON MUSHROOMS
Also known as white mushrooms, a cup of these contain three grams of protein. Technically, mushrooms are a fungi, and not a vegetable, but whatever.
TURNIP GREENS
If you tired of spinach, try these fibrous greens, which have the hearty texture of kale, but a mellower flavor. One cup of cooked turnip greens has about five grams of protein.
SWEET CORN
One medium cob carries about three grams of protein and three grams of fiber. Tastes like summer too.
OYSTER MUSHROOMS
Like white button shrooms, these fungi contain three grams of protein for every one cup, sliced. Unlike white button mushrooms, oyster mushrooms have a meaty texture and mild flavor.
SNOWPEAS
One cup of raw snowpeas has two grams of protein, which isn’t much. But it’s something?
KALE
Everyone’s favorite superfood delivers on the protein too. Or, at least a bit of the nutrient. One cup of cooked kale has about three grams.
ARTICHOKES
Just one cooked medium artichoke contains three grams of protein and a fiber payload of seven grams.
BROCCOLI
One cup of chopped broccoli contains about four grams of protein. If you smother it in nacho cheese, yes, that would add some more protein. But at what cost?
CAULIFLOWER
Like it’s cruciferous cousin, broccoli, cauliflower offer contains a little protein. Specifically, one cup carries about two grams of the nutrient.
DANDELION GREENS
These bitter greens have a little protein to them. One cup of cooked dandelion greens has two grams of fiber. They make a nice pesto.
ARUGULA
One cup has about half a gram of protein. So four cups would have two grams. Not terrible for salad green.
BEET GREENS
A cup of these cooked greens has about four grams of protein, plus a healthy dose of disease-fighting antioxidants.
AVOCADO
One avocado has four grams of protein, but also a massive 14 grams of fiber, so watch yourself there.
ASPARAGUS
Eight delicious spears of cooked asparagus contain roughly three grams of protein and 1,325 grams of tastiness.
LENTILS
They make a dang good vegetarian chili and a half cup cooked has nine grams of protein.
CANNELLINI BEANS
We’ll close out this list like we started it: with beans, which if you don’t know are healthy for you by now, we give up. Cannellini Beans contain a sizable eight grams of protein per half cup and they are also so much fun to say.
BLACK BEANS
Creamy, satiating, and the perfect partner for all manner of hot sauce, black beans also have seven grams of protein per half cup.
