A vegetarian diet for weight loss works by boosting your satiety level and regulating some essential hormones. With protein-rich plant-based components in your meal, you will feel fuller and will not feel like having snacks frequently. So, it will be easier for you to avoid junk food with high sodium levels and refined sugar.
A high protein diet for vegetarian weight loss will further reduce the secretion of the hunger hormone ghrelin to make you feel less hungry. In addition, this diet will improve your metabolism, and a high thermic effect will help you burn calories faster.
Do you want to know about the things you can add to your vegetarian for faster weight loss? Let’s have a look.
The Best Vegetarian Diet For Weight Loss
A vegetarian diet for weight loss and muscle gain will promote weight loss and prevent muscle loss.
In other words, with your diet plan helping muscle growth, there will be very little room for fat storage in your body.
Here are some of the best vegetarian items you can add to your diet to lose weight without compromising on essential nutrients.
1. Kidney Beans
Do you want to know about a food item that is packed with carbohydrates, protein, and fiber? Kidney beans have all these elements, and you can make a range of delicious dishes with them. If you have ½ cup of kidney beans, your body will receive 7.5 grams of protein.
Kidney beans, a staple in the vegetarian diet for weight loss fast, come with many variations. Those variations are:
- Red kidney beans
- Red-speckled kidney beans
- White kidney beans
- White speckled kidney beans
How To Include Kidney Beans In Your Diet?
You can make curries with kidney beans and also use boiled kidney beans in your salads. Further, kidney beans taste superb when you make enchiladas.
2. Chickpeas
Chickpeas are good sources of protein, fat, and carbohydrate. If you have boiled chickpeas of around 100 grams, you will get around 9 grams of protein.
In addition, if you have 1 cup of chickpeas every day, you will have 40% of your daily fiber requirements, 22% of iron, and 70% of folate.
Further, thanks to their low glycemic index, chickpeas are great for boosting your satiety level. Also, as they get digested slowly, there will not be a sudden spike in the insulin level of your body.
How To Include Chickpeas In Your Diet?
You can use boiled and raw chickpeas in fresh vegetable salads. Further, you can make vegetable omelets using chickpea flour, and chickpea hummus is another brilliant option for your vegetarian and protein-rich diet for weight loss.
3. Lentils
If you are having ½ cup of cooked lentils, your body will get around 9 grams of protein. Along with being a food item with a high protein content, lentils also have fiber and important minerals.
Lentils offer you a lot of variety. Some of the healthiest options to include in your vegetarian diet for weight loss are:
- Brown lentils
- Green lentils
- Puy lentils
- Black beluga lentils
How To Include Lentils In Your Diet?
The easiest way to include lentils in your diet is by making lentil soups. Trust me! Every family has a secret lentil soup recipe. You can also make the vegetarian version of the shepherd’s pie with lentils.
4. Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is one of the best alternatives to meat, fish, and eggs if you want to boost your body’s protein intake through a vegetarian diet. Further, cottage cheese is rich in casein. Casein is a slow-digesting dairy protein that makes you feel full for longer and promotes weight loss.
Further, if you have one cup of cottage cheese, your body will have around eight grams of protein.
How To Include Cottage Cheese In Your Diet?
You can make curries with cottage chees slices. Further, you can add it to sauteed veggies for some added flavor and texture. You can even grill cottage cheese slices and have them with grilled tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers.
5. Mixed Seeds
To get your mixed seeds ready, you can get some pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds. If you have one cup of these mixed seeds, your body will receive around seven grams of protein.
How To Include Mixed Seeds In Your Diet?
You can roast these seeds and add them to your salad. Further, you can mix the seeds with your cereals. Mixed seeds are also great for making granola or protein bars at home.
6. Green Peas
Winter calls for adding fresh green peas to the salads and curries you make. You can also use canned green peas throughout the day. These green little balls are powerhouses of protein and fiber.
If you have one cup of green peas, your body will get seven grams of protein.
How To Include Green Peas In Your Diet?
You can make green pea soup with vegetable stock. You can also include the peas in your salad and make a green pea dip to make your snacks more delicious. However, the best recipe with green peas is the green pea cutlet. You will love the texture and taste.
7. Milk
If you drink ½ cup of milk, your body will get around 7.5 grams of protein. Milk also has calcium, which will give you glowing skin and good bones and teeth. Further, milk is excellent for strengthening your immune system.
To enjoy more health benefits of milk, you must choose the skimmed milk version. Skimmed milk has vitamin D, which is, again, good for your bones and teeth.
8. Brocolli
Brocolli is an excellent source of protein and fiber. This green vegetable also has many essential nutrients like vitamin K and vitamin C. Further, you can have these veggies boiled or sauteed with other veggies.
How To Include Brocolli In Your Diet?
You can make a vegetable soup with broccoli. If you want to make a spicier dish with broccoli, you can try something like smashed chili garlic broccoli.
Final Words
There is no dearth of options if you want to make your vegetarian diet for weight loss more flavorful. Along with the elements I have mentioned, you can also include almonds, spinach, and quinoa in your meal plans.
So, it’s to make the best vegetarian meal plan to promote weight loss.
