What Makes The Perfect Plant-Based Protein Snack?
Protein just might be the most important nutrient for the human body. It has a litany of health benefits, from growing muscle to burning fat to keeping you full for longer. Getting the right amount of protein, however, can be tricky, especially if you follow a plant-based diet. Fortunately, we have some good protein snack ideas to help you out, including our own Plant Snacks.
Why You Need More Protein
The American diet is naturally full of protein, so most Americans get more than the normal recommended amount: 46 grams for women and 56 for men each day. However, Heathline reports that replacing carbs and fats for protein snacks in your diet could work wonders for your health.
Protein helps keep you full because it reduces the level of hunger hormones like ghrelin while boosting hormones that make you feel full, like peptide YY. In short, snacks with protein fill you up with less food, which makes you less hungry naturally and less likely to crave unhealthy foods late at night. By eating protein-based snacks, you’re more likely to lose belly fat faster because protein boosts your metabolism. If you’re burning faster, you can increase muscle mass and strength faster.
Snacks with protein also boost bone mass, lowering risks of osteoporosis and fractures. Protein can also lower blood pressure, bad cholesterol levels, and help your body heal itself faster after injury, as protein forms the building blocks of tissues and organs. Protein snacks are the best at helping you stay in shape no matter what stage of life you’re in, and for maintaining weight loss.
Plant-Based Protein Options
While most protein comes from animal-based products, there’s a number of plant-based alternatives for getting protein in your diet. Seitan, which is a wheat meat, has 25 grams per 3.5 ounces. Tofu, tempeh, and edamame are great soy-based protein snacks or ingredients for meals. Lentils also have a high amount of fiber in addition to protein.
Almost every kind of bean, including chickpeas, have about 15 grams of protein per cooked cup. Spelt and teff are ancient grains and have complex carbs and nutrients like magnesium and iron along with protein. Hemp seeds, green peas, and spirulina are also great options for healthy protein snacks.
The only real difference between meat and plant protein is that meat has all nine essential amino acids in bulk, whereas not every plant protein has them or enough of them for a balanced diet. However, you can avoid this deficiency by eating meals with different plant bases throughout the day instead of sticking to just one kind.
Why Plant Snacks Are The Best Protein Snack
While all the above reasons are great benefits of protein and good options for snacks, they can take time to find and prepare. That’s why Plant Snacks are the choice protein option. They’re made of plant-based, protein-dense ingredients like pea, psyllium husk, mushroom powder, and cassava flour. That gives you three grams of protein per serving—more than most chip or cracker-like snacks! Our snacks are also naturally vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut free, and non-GMO certified.
Even though they’re healthy, Plant Snacks don’t sacrifice taste for nutrition. They’re so tasty and filling, and easy to take anywhere, they’ll quickly become your favorite protein snack. Try some today to see for yourself!