By Arlene Semeco
Protein is an essential nutrient your body uses to build and repair tissues.
Although animal foods are usually highest in protein, some plants also contain decent amounts.
Here are 10 healthy vegetables that contain a fair amount of protein.
1. Watercress
Watercress is a cruciferous plant that grows in water and has a high protein content.
One cup (34 grams) of chopped watercress contains 0.8 grams of protein and 100 percent of your RDI of vitamin K. It also has good amounts of B vitamins, calcium, manganese, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C (1).
Moreover, watercress has been shown to offer antioxidant protection. It also contains phenolic compounds that may help prevent cancer (2, 3, 4, 5, 6).
Avoid boiling watercress in water, since this will decrease the antioxidant content. Instead, try eating raw watercress in salads, stuff it in sandwiches or blend it in smoothies (7).
Protein Content: A 1-cup (34-gram) serving of watercress contains 0.8 grams of protein, while 100 grams of watercress contains 2.3 grams. Protein accounts for 50 percent of its calories.
2. Alfalfa Sprouts
Alfalfa sprouts are very low in calories, but rich in nutrients.
One cup (33 grams) of alfalfa sprouts provides 1.3 grams of protein. This vegetable also has decent amounts of folate, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, and vitamins K and C (8).
A couple of studies performed in animals demonstrated that alfalfa sprouts can reduce cholesterol levels. This was thought to be due to their high content of saponins, a group of compounds that can lower cholesterol (9, 10).
One study treated 15 people who had high blood lipid levels with 40 grams of alfalfa seeds, three times daily, for eight weeks. These people had a 17 percent reduction in total cholesterol and an 18 percent reduction in "bad" LDL cholesterol (11).
Alfalfa sprouts have also been shown to decrease inflammation, reduce symptoms of menopause and help treat and prevent osteoporosis (12, 13, 14, 15).
Protein Content: A 1-cup (33-gram) serving of alfalfa sprouts contains 1.3 grams of protein, while 100 grams of alfalfa sprouts contains 4 grams. Protein accounts for 42 percent of its calories.
3. Spinach
Spinach is one of the most nutrient-dense leafy green vegetables you can eat.
Protein accounts for 30 percent of its calories and it contains all the essential amino acids. A 1-cup (30-gram) serving provides 1 gram of protein and 181 percent of the RDI for vitamin K (16).
It also contains high amounts of folate, manganese, magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin C (16).
Besides its high protein content, spinach contains plant compounds that can increase antioxidant defense and reduce inflammation (17).
In one study, 20 athletes who took spinach supplements for 14 days experienced reduced oxidative stress and muscle damage (18).
Another study gave nitrate-rich spinach to healthy participants and measured its effects on their levels of nitric oxide, a signaling molecule normally used in the body to widen the blood vessels.
The study also measured endothelial function and blood pressure. Nitrate-rich spinach was found to increase nitric oxide, improve endothelial function and lower blood pressure, all of which can improve heart health (19).
Lastly, regularly consuming spinach has been linked to as much as a 44 percent lower risk of breast cancer (20).
Protein Content: A 1-cup (30-gram) serving of raw spinach contains 0.9 grams of protein, while 100 grams of spinach contains 2.9 grams. Protein accounts for 30 percent of the calories in spinach.
4. Chinese Cabbage or Bok Choy
Chinese cabbage, also known as bok choy, is a good source of vegetable protein.
One cup (70 grams) of Chinese cabbage contains 1 gram of protein. It's also an excellent source of folate, calcium, potassium, manganese, iron and vitamins A, C and K (21).
A number of cell studies showed that Chinese cabbage is rich in compounds with antioxidant activity. Its outer leaves appear to contain the most antioxidants. Plus, it has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties (22, 23, 24).
It seems like some studies agree that high intakes of Brassica vegetables, like Chinese cabbage, can decrease the risk of prostate cancer (25).
Additionally, an animal study showed that taking supplements of Chinese cabbage powder reduced the risk of liver cancer (26).
Chinese cabbage is used in many Asian recipes, such as stir-fries, kimchi, soups and spring rolls.
Protein Content: A 1-cup (70-gram) serving of shredded Chinese cabbage contains 1 gram of protein, while 100 grams of Chinese cabbage contain 1.5 grams. Protein accounts for 28 percent of its calories.
5. Asparagus
Asparagus is a very popular vegetable with a high nutrient content.
A 1-cup (134-gram) serving contains 2.9 grams of protein. It is also an excellent source of B vitamins, folate, copper, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamins A and K (27).
Asparagus is thought to have anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties (28).
It also contains fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which provide prebiotic benefits, stimulating the growth of friendly intestinal bacteria (29, 30).
Asparagus can be cooked in the oven, grilled, boiled, steamed or pan-fried and it is wonderful in salads or as a side dish.
Protein Content: A 1-cup (134-gram) serving of asparagus contains 2.9 grams of protein, while 100 grams of asparagus contains 2.2 grams. Protein accounts for 27 percent of the calories in asparagus.
6. Mustard Greens
Mustard greens belong to the Brassica family and are very similar to kale but with a distinct mustard flavor.
A 1-cup (56-gram) serving of mustard greens provides 1.5 grams of protein, as well as 348 percent of the RDI for vitamin K and 118 percent of the RDI for vitamin A. It is also high in manganese, calcium, potassium, B vitamins, vitamin C and vitamin E (31).
Mustard greens, like other Brassica vegetables, contain phenolic compounds that give them antioxidant properties (24, 32).
A test-tube study demonstrated that steaming mustard greens increases their ability to bind to bile acids. This may help them reduce cholesterol levels (33).
The same study found that steaming may have similar positive effects on collard greens, kale, cabbage, green peppers and broccoli.
This veggie can be steamed, boiled, sautéed or simply eaten raw in salads.
Protein Content: A 1-cup (56-gram) serving of chopped mustard greens contains 1.5 grams of protein, while 100 grams of mustard greens contain 2.7 grams. Protein accounts for 25 percent of the calories in mustard greens.
7. Broccoli
Broccoli is a very popular vegetable that also happens to be high in protein. It can be enjoyed raw or cooked.
A 1-cup (91-gram) serving of raw chopped broccoli can provide 2.6 grams of protein, including all the essential amino acids. It also contains plenty of folate, manganese, potassium, phosphorus and vitamins C and K (34).
For all these nutrients, a 1-cup serving of broccoli contains only 31 calories.
Broccoli also provides high amounts of plant compounds and flavonoids, like kaempferol. These can provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits (35, 36).
Similar to mustard greens, broccoli has a high content of glucosinolates, compounds that may help reduce the risk of cancer (37, 38, 39).
Like mustard greens, broccoli has a higher capacity to bind to bile acid when it's steamed than when it's raw, so eating steamed broccoli may help reduce cholesterol levels in your blood (33).
Additionally, broccoli can help improve liver health by stimulating detoxification and the production of antioxidant compounds in the liver (40).
Broccoli can be steamed, roasted, baked or sautéed. You can use it to make tasty side dishes, soups and sauces.
Protein Content: A 1-cup (91-gram) serving of chopped broccoli contains 2.6 grams of protein, while 100 grams of broccoli contain 2.8 grams. Protein accounts for 20 percent of the calories in broccoli.
8. Collard Greens
Collard greens are a dark green, loose-leafed vegetable from the same family as kale, broccoli and cauliflower.
They are a source of fatty acids and plant protein. A 1-cup (36-gram) serving contains 0.9 grams of protein with only about 11 calories. The vitamin K content is particularly remarkable, with 230 percent of the RDI in a 1-cup serving (41).
Additionally, collard greens are an excellent source of calcium, potassium and manganese (41).
As another member of the Brassica family, collard greens are a good source of phenolic compounds and antioxidants (32, 42).
The high levels of antioxidants in collard greens have been linked to a decreased risk of developing prostate cancer (25).
One study reported that people who eat cruciferous vegetables like collard greens are less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer (43).
Collard greens can also bind to bile acids in your gut, helping to reduce your cholesterol levels. One study showed that steam cooking boosts this benefit (33).
You can enjoy collard greens steamed or sautéed. They're particularly tasty mixed with other veggies like onions and mushrooms.
Protein Content: A 1-cup (36-gram) serving of chopped collard greens contains 0.9 grams of protein, while 100 grams of collard greens contain 2.5 grams. Protein accounts for 20 percent of the calories in collard greens.
9. Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts can be a great addition to your diet. They're a good source of protein, fiber and vitamins.
A 1-cup (88-gram) serving contains 3 grams of protein and up to 3.3 grams of fiber. Brussels sprouts are also rich in folate, manganese, magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium and vitamins K, C, A and B6 (44).
A study in animals showed that Brussels sprouts can promote the growth and health of intestinal bacteria and stimulate the production of short-chain fatty acids in the gut (45).
People usually cook Brussels sprouts by boiling, steaming, grilling or roasting. They are an ideal side dish.
Protein Content: A 1-cup (88-gram) serving of Brussels sprouts contains 3 grams of protein, while 100 grams of Brussels sprouts contain 3.4 grams. Protein accounts for 19 percent of the calories in this food.
10. Cauliflower
Like broccoli, cauliflower provides a high amount of protein for the number of calories it delivers.
One cup (100 grams) of cauliflower has 2 grams of protein and 25 calories. It is also a great source of vitamins C and K and minerals like potassium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and iron (46).
Cauliflower also contains a high amount of a particular glucosinolate compound called sinigrin. This is thought to have anticancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (38, 47, 48).
The glucosinolate content of cauliflower may drop significantly when it's cooked. Therefore, cauliflower may be better eaten raw (48).
However, cauliflower is also high in other antioxidants that are preserved during cooking and may even increase after cauliflower is steamed or microwaved (49).
Like several other vegetables on this list, cauliflower has the potential to reduce cholesterol levels because of its capacity to bind bile acids. Steaming cauliflower increases this capacity (50).
Cauliflower is a versatile vegetable that can be adapted to a variety of recipes. In many cases, it can be used as a substitute for starchy carbs.
Protein Content: A 1-cup serving of cauliflower weighs 100 grams and contains 2 grams of protein. Protein accounts for 19 percent of its calories.
Take Home Message
Even though vegetables are not very high in protein compared to some other foods, many of them contain good amounts of protein relative to their calorie content.
Plus, these vegetables are high in many other nutrients and have been linked to all sorts of health benefits.
These protein-rich vegetables are a great way to increase the protein and nutrient content of your diet without adding many calories.
Reposted with permission from our media associate Authority Nutrition.
Consumers may be happy, but climate change is making coffee farmers bitter. Diseases and pests are becoming more common and severe as temperatures rise. The fungal infection known as coffee leaf rust has devastated plantations in Central and South America. And while robusta crops tend to be more resistant, they need plenty of rain – a tall order as droughts proliferate.
The future for coffee farming looks difficult, if not bleak. But one of the more promising solutions involves developing new, more resilient coffee crops. Not only will these new coffees have to tolerate higher temperatures and less predictable rainfall, they'll also have to continue satisfying consumer expectations for taste and smell.
Finding this perfect combination of traits in a new species seemed remote. But in newly published research, my colleagues and I have revealed a little-known wild coffee species that could be the best candidate yet.
Coffee Farming in a Warming World
Coffea stenophylla was first described as a new species from Sierra Leone in 1834. It was farmed across the wetter parts of upper west Africa until the early 20th century, when it was replaced by the newly discovered and more productive robusta, and largely forgotten by the coffee industry. It continued to grow wild in the humid forests of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast, where it became threatened by deforestation.
At the end of 2018, we found stenophylla in Sierra Leone after searching for several years, but failed to find any trees in fruit until mid-2020, when a 10g sample was recovered for tasting.
Field botanists of the 19th century had long proclaimed the superior taste of stenophylla coffee, and also recorded its resistance to coffee leaf rust and drought. Those early tasters were often inexperienced though, and our expectations were low before the first tasting in the summer of 2020. That all changed once I'd sampled the first cup on a panel with five other coffee experts. Those first sips were revelatory: it was like expecting vinegar and getting champagne.
This initial tasting in London was followed by a thorough evaluation of the coffee's flavour in southern France, led by my research colleague Delpine Mieulet. Mieulet assembled 18 coffee connoisseurs for a blind taste test and they reported a complex profile for stenophylla coffee, with natural sweetness, medium-high acidity, fruitiness, and good body, as one would expect from high-quality arabica.
C. stenophylla growing in the wild, Ivory Coast. E. Couturon / IRD, Author provided
In fact, the coffee seemed very similar to arabica. At the London tasting, the Sierra Leone sample was compared to arabica from Rwanda. In the blind French tasting, most of the judges (81%) said stenophylla tasted like arabica, compared to 98% and 44% for the two arabica control samples, and 7% for a robusta sample.
The coffee tasting experts picked up on notes of peach, blackcurrant, mandarin, honey, light black tea, jasmine, chocolate, caramel and elderflower syrup. In essence, stenophylla coffee is delicious. And despite scoring highly for its similarity to arabica, the stenophylla coffee sample was identified as something entirely unique by 47% of the judges. That means there may be a new market niche for this rediscovered coffee to fill.
The taste testers approved of stenophylla's sweet and fruity flavour. CIRAD, Author provided
Breaking New Grounds
Until now, no other wild coffee species has come close to arabica for its superior taste. Scientifically, the results are compelling because we would simply not expect stenophylla to taste like arabica. These two species are not closely related, they originated on opposite sides of the African continent and the climates in which they grow are very different. They also look nothing alike: stenophylla has black fruit and more complex flowers while arabica cherries are red.
It was always assumed that high-quality coffee was the preserve of arabica – originally from the forests of Ethiopia and South Sudan – and particularly when grown at elevations above 1,500 metres, where the climate is cooler and the light is better.
Stenophylla coffee breaks these rules. Endemic to Guinea, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast, stenophylla grows in hot conditions at low elevations. Specifically it grows at a mean annual temperature of 24.9°C – 1.9°C higher than robusta, and up to 6.8°C higher than arabica. Stenophylla also appears more tolerant of droughts, potentially capable of growing with less rainfall than arabica.
Robusta coffee can grow in similar conditions to stenophylla, but the price paid to farmers is roughly half that of arabica. Stenophylla coffee makes it possible to grow a superior tasting coffee in much warmer climates. And while stenophylla trees tend to produce less fruit than arabica, they still yield enough to be commercially viable.
The stenophylla harvest on Reunion Island. IRD / CIRAD, Author provided
To breed the coffee crop plants of the future, we need species with great flavour and high heat tolerance. Crossbreeding stenophylla with arabica or robusta could make both more resilient to climate change, and even improve their taste, particularly in the latter.
With stenophylla's rediscovery, the future of coffee just got a little brighter.
Aaron P Davis: Senior Research Leader, Plant Resources, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Disclosure statement: Aaron P Davis receives funding from Darwin Initiative (UK).
Reposted with permission from The Conversation.