Vegetarian Protein Source
Vegetarian diet excludes meat, fish and poultry. Vegetarian protein source: beans, tofu, green peas, hemp and chia seeds, oats, broccoli, spinach, nuts. Above we selected vegetarian protein sources which are also keto-friendly.
Beans
Green beans and black soybeans are keto-friendly vegetarian protein sources. Each of them contains 2 grams of net carbs per one serving (around 75 grams per serving). In 100 grams of beans there are 21 grams of protein. Apart from protein, beans also contain folate and antioxidants, which increase their nutritional value.
Tofu
100 grams of tofu contain 8 grams of protein. Half a cup of tofu (roughly one serving) has 1,9 grams of net carbs, making it keto-friendly. Tofu contains iron, potassium, magnesium and manganese. You can find more information about tofu and recipes with it here: All You Need to Know about Keto
Green Peas
Green peas are keto-friendly if they are consumed in moderation. If you are on a keto diet it is recommended that you do not take standard serving sizes of green peas but adding them to your keto recipes in small amounts is fine.
One cup of raw green peas has 7.9 grams of protein and 12,5 grams of net carbs.
Green peas are rich in vitamins A and K and also contain vitamin C, folate, thiamine, manganese, iron and phosphorus.
Hemp Seeds
Hemp seeds are one of the best seeds for the keto diet! a 30 g serving of them contains only 2 grams of carbs! They are also rich in protein and perfect for vegetarians: 100 g of hemp seeds have 50 g of protein!
Hemp seeds are also rich in vitamin E, calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, potassium and sulfur. Sulfur is needed to build and fix DNA and also to protect cells from damage. It reduces cancer risks. Sulfur is also essential for skin and ligaments health.
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds belong to whole-grain foods. One quarter of a cup of them have 3,1g of net carbs and 6.6g of protein, making chia seeds good for both keto and vegetarian diets. These seeds are a great source of various minerals, such as calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, selenium, manganese and copper. Make sure you include them in your weekly grocery list!
Broccoli
Everyone knows that broccoli is a healthy must-have product of almost any diet but not everyone knows that broccoli in fact is a good source of protein for vegetarians. Half a cup of cooked vegetables has 3 grams of net carbs (here we go, keto!) and 1,9 g of protein. Broccoli can boast of good amounts of vitamins C and K1, as well as minerals such as iron, potassium and manganese. It also contains folate (vitamin B9).
Spinach
Spinach is another green healthy friend of your diet 🙂 One cup of spinach has only 0,4 grams of net carbs and 0,9 grams of protein. This vegetable is rich in vitamins A, C and K, and it also contains essential minerals such as iron and potassium. Spinach also has folate. It is very rich in fiber. Fiber is good for our body but eating too much fiber can cause abdominal cramping. As always, everything is good in moderation 🙂
Nuts
Nuts are a great source of vegetarian protein but they also can be high in calories. So depending on your diet goals you need to take those in moderation as well. You can find information about the best nuts and their amounts during keto diet here: Keto Nuts 100 grams of mixed nuts have 20 grams of protein.