10 Paleo Sources of Protein That Aren’t Meat Revealed Here

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Vegans, vegetarians and Paleo groups all have a shared common goal – making sure they get enough protein every day. Here are the best vegetarian-friendly protein sources we know.

While it may be more difficult for the non-meat eaters, finding high-quality protein sources is still essential for every type of eater.

That’s Not Enough Protein, Though!

The good news is that like most of the nutrients found in quality food, a little bit goes a long way. If we look back to our hunter and gatherer days, we find that our primitive brother ate a lot less meat, usually around 20% of his total diet, a far cry from how much the average American consumes daily today.

One of the differences in how our Paleo ancestors ate is that the quality of their protein was always top notch. This shows us that, in terms of protein and food consumption, quality is far more important than quantity.

While protein is essential for our bodies to function properly, we only need so much.

A lot of individuals have the idea that they are what they eat, but they are too busy counting macronutrients and not focused at all on the quality of their nutrients or whether or not they are bioavailable (meaning, if they digest well in the human body).

Our primitive brother ate a lot less meat, usually around 20% of his total diet.

Studies suggest that we only need so much protein to stay healthy. For graceful aging we need about 30-40 grams of protein for the optimal dose to best promote (post-exercise) muscle protein synthesis rates in older adults. Any more than that is likely to be too much.

If we ignore these things, we can end up with too much unusable and undigested protein, which is associated with several diseases such as kidney disease. 

More importantly, we want to eat a diet that has plenty of variety, rather than isolate and specialize on any single nutrient. Including more protein sources from plants will also offer more health benefits, including more fiber and nutrients.

We don’t need to be worrying about protein intake so much, but should focus instead on a diet that is rich in a variety of whole foods.

If you are consuming a whole food diet like a Paleo diet, then chances are you are getting enough protein, regardless of whether you are consuming copious amounts of meat or not.

The bottom line is that we can get lots of healthy protein sources from veggies, algae and other plant life. There are lots of nutrient-dense foods with high protein content; here are some of the top plant-based protein sources:

The Top 10 Best Non-Meat Protein Sources

Before we begin, let’s point out some non-meat protein options to avoid. It’s best to say no to both soy and most commercial whey.

Unfermented soy can cause thyroid problems, and most commercial whey is high-heated, which denatures the protein.

In addition, a lot of commercial whey contains artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose, which have strong associations with diabetes and obesity.

If you are going to consume whey, make sure it’s 100% grass-fed and non-denatured. 

Other than that, there are plenty of other options for getting your protein; here is a list of stuff that’s really high in protein:

Chlorella

This green algae is loaded with protein. More specifically, it has a 62% amino acid content and is considered one of the most complete foods on the planet. It has every essential amino acid and is a complete protein.

Plus, it contains minerals, enzymes, chlorophyll and almost too much to mention in just one bullet point! It has beta-carotene (vitamin A), C, E, K, B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, pantothenic acid, RNA, DNA, folic acid, biotin, choline, and inositol; just to name a few.

Additionally, it boosts the immune system immensely, helps digestion, alkalizes, and heals intestinal lining, toxins and heavy metals from the body.

Chlorella enhances health and muscle growth, Increases the concentration of hemoglobin in red blood cells (for iron and oxygen), helps reduce cholesterol, and helps the liver detox. It is best taken on an empty stomach at least 20 minutes before other food. 

Nutritional Yeast

This cheesy-tasting topping also has all the essential amino acids. It also contains nucleic acid, which is vital for proper cell development. It’s a great source of B vitamins, high in minerals, protein, and helps the liver breaks down fats, which is good for acne and skin problems.

It’s a good plant source of glutathione, which boosts immune response and detoxification. Its chromium triggers insulin action, making it good for diabetes. It also neutralizes bowel irritation, soothes inflammation and restores normal bowel movements.

Overall, it has great immune-enhancing properties and provides good energy. Put a couple tablespoons in water or a smoothie or on a salad every day. 

Sea Vegetables

Most seaweed is at least 50% protein and pound-for-pound can compete head-to-head with animal proteins. Sea greens have more minerals than any other food.

Sea vegetables are also the best source of iodine, which is needed for healthy thyroid. Examples include, kelp, kombu, arame, wakame, nori, and dulse.

You can get powdered kelp and add it to smoothies, soups, and salads, or make entire meals out of it. Eat it every day if you can; add it to soups for an easy way to incorporate it into your diet!

Bee Pollen

Bee Pollen is one of the most complete foods we have. It’s loaded with incredibly easy-to-digest amino acids and so many other wonderful benefits I will explain in the next article. To know whether you have a good batch or not you can do the water test – if it sinks, it is good, if it floats, it is likely rancid.

Tocotrienols

Otherwise known as rice bran solubles, they are a creamy powder that makes an excellent superfood ice cream. If you’re going to do protein powder, this is a good one. This is also the very best source of serious vitamin E.

Acai Berry

This delicious Amazonian berry is one of the only fruits that contains both an array of amino acids and fatty acids. It has almost an identical protein and amino acid profile as an egg.

Durians

Though to many, this fruit smells really bad, it is definitely worth it.

Durians are a great source of protein and a favorite food of orangutans, elephants, tigers other powerful wild animals. They also have high levels of tryptophan, which is great for depression and insomnia.

Tip: While many people find durians to be stinky, freezing them helps mitigate the smell.

This also raises brain serotonin levels, which makes you feel good. You can get them in Asian markets.

Here’s a tip: the frozen kind are not as smelly. Leave them in the sink overnight to thaw and make a custard out of it in a high-speed blender for a protein-packed post-workout meal. 

Hemp Seeds

This wonder seed packs 30 grams of protein per tablespoon! It’s a very popular source of protein in the health world and you’ve likely heard of this one.

Hemp seeds contain many minerals, on top of containing all 9 essential amino acids and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Mesquite Meal

This smoky but sweet powder has been used as a staple food for centuries by desert dwellers. It is actually high in protein, with good quantities of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc, as well as lots of the amino acid lysine.

Best of all, it contains a sweet, rich molasses-like flavor with a hint of caramel, making it great for unique smoothie blends. Try pairing it with raw cacao and maca for a protein-rich and mouth-watering shake.

Eggs

We can’t talk about non-meat proteins and not mention eggs; they are perhaps one of the world’s healthiest foods. Here’s a tip you might not know, though. The best way to consume the egg is of course raw, but not the whole thing.

Raw eggs contain strong enzyme inhibitors in the yolk membrane, which requires extra enzymes from the pancreas to digest. Cooking destroys these enzyme inhibitors. But once cooked, the delicate fats and nutrients like biotin in the yolk can be destroyed.

One way around this is to poke a tiny hole in the yolk and suck out the contents into your mouth, leaving the yolk sac behind. Or, for a less primal way of eating them, you could poach them. Yum.

Fasting for Protein Digestion

Think you need to consume protein all day long? Think again. Studies performed at Cornell University showed that when a person fasts for 24 hours, the body doesn’t lose any protein, only fat. Bodybuilders who fast one day a week actually gain more muscle mass faster because the body is cleaner and more efficient.

Watch this video – 10 Best Plant-Based Protein Sources

Written by Nick Kowalski

Author Bio:

Nick Kowalski is a Transformational Coach, fitness model and unconditional lover. You can find more of his writing on his blog NicksFit. His mission is to inspire the transformation toward love consciousness. Follow him on Instagram for more living in love inspiration and transformational mindset motivation!

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

How to Choose the Best Paleo Protein Powder?

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

A true Paleo diet centers around fresh foods, but sometimes you need something a little extra. Here’s how to find a Paleo protein powder that complements, not wrecks, your diet.

Finding a Paleo protein powder can be really tricky, especially with all the different labels and ingredients out there.

Here are the ingredients that make (or break) a Paleo protein powder, so you can choose a product from the shelf with ease.

What Makes a Protein Supplement Paleo-Friendly?

Many of the same Paleo guidelines that apply to food also apply to protein powders.

You’ll want to look for high-quality protein sourced from grass-fed animals or organic plants.

You’ll also want to avoid chemicals, fillers, and allergens. If you see any of these ingredients listed on the label, skip it:

• Whey or other dairy products
• Emulsifiers, like soy lecithin
• Bulking agents, like Xanthan gum
• Vegetable oils

Here’s a closer look at what ingredients to look for in a Paleo protein powder, and which you should avoid.

1. A Healthy Protein Source

First, start with a Paleo-friendly protein base. Popular protein powders are often derived from whey or casein protein, which are sourced from dairy. You’ll also want to avoid soy.

Instead, look for dairy-free options like beef protein isolate. A grass-fed, hormone-free product is your best option. Collagen peptides from fish or beef are another great choice, as collagen can help prevent aging and improve gut health. They might not technically be labelled as protein powders, but they often contain a good dose of around 10g of protein per scoop.

Look for: beef protein isolate, collagen peptides, egg white protein, pumpkin seed protein, and hemp protein
Avoid: Soy protein, whey protein, casein protein

2. No Added Sugars

Many protein powder manufacturers (yes, even the organic ones) add sugar to improve the flavor and texture of their protein powders. Since you’re most likely adding a Paleo protein powder to your diet to improve your health or give your exercise regime a boost, the last thing you want is to be indulging in extra sugars every day, especially since they add unnecessary calories and send your blood sugar on a roller coaster.

If you can’t find anything completely free of sugar, at least look for healthy sweeteners. Dried fruits will still provide some nutrients, and if you can find something with stevia or monk fruit, it might even be keto-friendly.

Look for: Stevia, monk fruit, or whole dried fruits as sweeteners
Avoid: Fructose, corn syrup, cane sugar, glucose syrup

3. No Fake Sweeteners

To cut out some of those added sugars, protein powder companies are also fond of swapping them with no-calorie artificial sweeteners. Some of the most popular are aspartame, maltodextrin, and sucralose.

While these reduce the calorie count in a powder, they come with their own scary side effects. Sucralose in particular can reduce the amount of good bacteria in your gut, and also raises your risk of developing diabetes from raised insulin and glucose levels.

Aspartame is also pretty bad, as it creates DNA-damaging oxidative stress and causes widespread inflammation.

Your best bet is to avoid all artificial sweeteners in a protein powder, with the exception being stevia and monk fruit, which is extracted from the stevia leaf and monk fruit.

Look for: Stevia, monk fruit, or whole dried fruits as sweeten
Avoid: Aspartame, sucralose, maltodextrin

4. No Artificial or “Natural” Flavors

Protein powders come in all kinds of flavors, from standard vanilla to cookies and cream. Unfortunately, these flavors are most likely made with chemical or artificial flavoring. These can be made by combining artificial sweeteners with an oil and chemicals to give mixtures a “creamy” flavor and appealing texture.

One of these common chemicals is polysorbate-60, which animal studies show can increase the incidence of stomach cancers and diarrhea.

It’s also important to note that “natural” flavors often aren’t from nature at all. Instead, this is an umbrella term for molecules or compounds taken from a natural source, then combined with unnatural flavors. While the source may be natural, the end result is not. It’s best to stick to truly natural flavors whenever possible.

Look for: Vanilla bean, pure vanilla extract, or cacao powder (not cocoa)
Avoid: Terms like natural flavors, artificial flavors, cream flavor, natural vanilla flavour

5. No Gums or Bulking Agents

Many protein powders contain bulking agents, thickeners, and gums to improve their texture, making them rich and creamy.

The problem with thickeners and gums is that even natural ones, like seaweed-derived carrageenan, shows in animal studies to cause inflammation, alter gut bacteria, and even interfere with the hormone insulin. It’s best to stick with thickeners that don’t cause irritation.

Look for: Arrowroot or tapioca starch
Avoid: Xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan, cellulose gum

6. Look for Organic

Look for protein powders that are labelled as grass-fed, non-GMO, and organic. This ensures your powder is sourced from healthy animals, non-chemical treated plants or plant extracts, and contains no genetically engineered ingredients, whose long-term health effects aren’t clear.

Look online if the label is unclear. The best protein powder companies will list additional information on their websites to include where their ingredients were sourced and processed.

Look for: Grass-fed, non-GMO, organic labels
Avoid: Anything else

7. No Artificial Colors or Food Dyes

Protein powder companies may also use artificial food dyes to enhance the color of their product. For example, pink coloring is added to make a strawberry-flavored powder more appealing.

Unfortunately, food dyes can have toxic effects. Studies show dyes like Red #3 can cause cancer in animals, and Yellow #5 can damage genes. In addition, many dyes were found in studies to be contaminated with other cancer-causing compounds

Avoid names like: Green #3 or Yellow #5 in favor of naturally-derived colorings.

Look for: Turmeric, beet powder, cacao
Avoid: Food dyes labelled Green, Red, or Yellow, followed by a number.

The Bottom Line

Protein powders can have a place in your Paleo diet if you know what to look for – and what to avoid. Follow these guidelines when checking the label to find the healthiest powder on the market.

Watch these 2 videos below to learn how to choose the best paleo protein powder –

Paleo Protein Powders: Are They “Paleo?”

Protein Powder Review – The BEST Protein Powder To Buy & What To Avoid!

Take the guesswork out of the equation and check out these 10 best Paleo-friendly protein powders on the market.

Written by Megan Patiry

Author Bio:

Megan is an inquisitive nutrition and wellness writer harboring an editorial love affair with the decadent and the nutritious. She is a dedicated researcher in all areas of ancestral health, a certified specialist in fitness nutrition, personal trainer, and professional almond milk latte addict.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

Revealing Here the Health Benefits of Pistachio Nuts

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Why pistachios not only taste delicious, but are also jam-packed with nutrition for a lean healthy body, and improved gut-health!

Some people mistakenly think that pistachios are a “fattening” food… but despite having loads of healthy fats, these yummy little snacks can actually HELP you to burn off stomach fat. Let’s see why…

Do you remember eating pistachios when they used to be dyed a deep pinkish/red? They were always so delicious, but after eating a bunch of those bright “red” nuts, your fingers and hands would be stained red.

Pistachios, as we now know, do not grow as magenta-colored nuts but come in a nice natural tan colored shell with a mild-tasting, crunchy, green and yellow interior. Nuts have risen in popularity lately, but did you know that pistachios are probably one of the most nutritious of all nuts?

It’s hard to compare anything to the nutritional benefit of nuts like almonds, walnuts, and pecans… but pistachios give them a run for the money!

Just a one-ounce serving of pistachios will give you over 30 vitamins, minerals and other super nutrients.

One of the best things about nuts in general, is that they are full of minerals that are VITAL to our body’s proper functioning. And if you have paid much attention to nutrition news lately, you may be aware that minerals are getting harder and harder to obtain from our diet, and many people are mineral-deficient in one way or another.

So What Are These Great Nutrients in Pistachios?

Well for starters, pistachios are full of copper, phosphorus, and manganese (different from magnesium).

Copper is made up of multiple enzymes that help to create many of the necessary biochemical reactions in your body and also forms connective tissue. 

Manganese also helps form connective and skeletal tissue, and is instrumental in growth, reproduction and (this is good!) carbohydrate and fat metabolism. 

Phosphorus is very important for strong bones and teeth and works with calcium to prevent osteoporosis.

Other important minerals are magnesium — necessary for more than 300 different important biochemical reactions in your body, and good for your heart and blood pressure. 

Potassium –an electrolyte that keeps the body in the correct acid/base balance and also helps in forming proteins, metabolizing carbohydrates and building muscle.

And There is More to This Nutritional Powerhouse…

Pistachios are a rich source of B vitamins. B vitamins are essential for good nerve transmission, muscle building, a good mood, lots of energy, and infection-fighting power.

Pistachios are also one of the highest protein nuts (as well as healthy fats), so they make a great satisfying snack that keeps your blood sugar and insulin at a good steady level.

In one study on pistachios and antioxidants, pistachios ranked up in the group with the highest amount of antioxidant activity above over 100 other foods. Antioxidants help to prevent free radical damage, which saves your cells and prevents aging and disease among other things.

We hear a lot about eye health and nutrients for the eyes lately, and guess what– pistachios contain generous amount of lutein and zeaxanthin which prevent macular degeneration and other eye diseases related to aging.

Fiber

Pistachios are full of appetite satisfying fiber — as much as a serving of oatmeal, but without all of the starch that oatmeal contains, which is generally just empty calories unless you’re a super active athlete.

Nuts in general are a great source of fiber, which is valuable for fighting cancer, controlling blood sugar, and aids in a feeling of fullness.

Most people only get about half the recommended amount of fiber they need in their diets, so eating pistachios will help add to your dietary intake.

Pistachios & Gut Health

Recent research has found that pistachios are one of the most powerful foods in the nut family for improving gut health through the unique antioxidants and fibers that feed good bugs in your gut.

A University of Florida study showed that people who ate 3 oz of pistachios for 19 days during the study had improved levels of beneficial gut bacteria, and an increase in beneficial butyrates, which are substances formed from good bacteria that help to heal the gut lining. This study also found that pistachios had more gut health benefits than almonds did.

With the increase in gut disorders and leaky gut lately (which can be a cause of autoimmune issues), this is good news that pistachios can be an important food to help heal your gut.

Healthy Fats

While eating extremely large quantities of pistachios would be a LOT of calories… the good news is that the protein, good fats and fiber in them are nutritious and satisfy so much of the nutrient needs of your body, it’s VERY difficult to overeat them.

Even when only eating small servings of these nuts, they have been proven to provide a high rate of satiety. Besides, having to shell all those pistachios actually ends up making you eat them much more slowly, so the message to your brain that you are full happens on less nuts than if you were eating something already out of its shell.

Unfortunately, whenever we buy a big bad of pistachios at our house, they seem to disappear really fast, and I have a hard time getting any…turns out my wife is a huge fan of pistachios and does her squirrel impersonation as I always catch her with a huge pile of shells at her desk or near the couch. Oh well, good for her!

Enjoy your delicious pistachios and stay lean!

Watch this video – 12 Health Benefits Of Pistachio Nuts You Should Know Today

Written by The Alternative Daily

Author Bio:

The Alternative Daily seeks to inform, encourage and empower readers to make healthy choices that will positively impact individuals, families and our planet.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook