Whenever the word protein comes up, the first thing that comes to mind is meat. We just can’t stop thinking about the beefy briskets and their tasty goodness. Meat is indeed an excellent source of protein. However, fruits can also contain some proteins, if you are trying to diversify your protein sources.
Fruits have a lower protein content per gram than animal-based foods. However, they also come loaded with other nutrients like vitamins, minerals and fiber that can do you a world of good. So what fruits are best eaten with protein? Keep reading to find out which fruits and vegetable with protein are best suited for your daily protein needs.
Fruits With Protein
Avocados
Say you want to try out a diet consisting of fruits with protein. You’re not sure what to pick, and you want to know what are the top 5 fruits with the highest protein content you can start with. Well, avocados are one of them. Now, this fruit doesn’t need much introduction. First referred to as “the crocodile pear,” it is arguably the most popular fruit in the world. Avocados are very versatile and can be grown just about anywhere in the world.
Avocados are particularly quite interesting since they have very low carbohydrate content and high levels of healthy unsaturated fats. This, therefore, makes it one of the healthiest fruits with higher protein and low carbs. The monounsaturated fats also help to keep your joints flexible and also regulate your blood pressure. It also contains 2 grams of protein per 100 grams served (2).
Other nutrients found in avocados include vitamins, fiber, and minerals, making it a particularly nutritionally dense fruit. These fibers are essential when it comes to weight loss (2). Here’s a tip if you’re looking to cut down some weight. Add avocados to your breakfast, and it becomes one of the best breakfast for weight loss you can take.
With this kind of reputation, it’s not surprising that avocados are among the healthiest breakfast choices you can ever eat. And the bonus is you get to be creative in how you want to take them. Guacamoles, avocado toasts, chocolate mousses, the list is endless, and it’s all up to you to make your pick.
Bananas
These tropical fruits are covered in yellow skin and have a long and curvy outline. Bananas are very common and can be found worldwide, despite them requiring a hot climate to grow. Their sweet taste makes them a trendy choice in dessert recipes like banana milk and banana bread. Bananas are also very affordable, making them readily accessible for everyone.
Bananas have an excellent nutritional profile with a protein content of 1.09 grams per 100 grams served. They are also a rich source of potassium compared to other fruits. Other nutritional contents you can find in bananas include carbohydrates, calories, fiber, vitamin B6 and minerals (3).
Read More: Are Bananas Good For Weight Loss: Don’t Let Their Carb Content Put Your Off
Blackberries
Botanically, blackberries grow on brambles but can also be found growing in their wild state. 100 grams of this fruit will give you 1.39 grams of protein (4).
They also come loaded with carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins C, K, E, and minerals vital for your body (4). Including this fruit in your morning meal is an excellent way of achieving a balanced breakfast. It’ll also make sure you have everything you need to start your day. Or you could just treat yourself to a tasty creamy dessert mixed with blackberries after a long day at work.
Apricots
These light orange-colored fruits grow during cold winters and are famous for their high vitamin A and C contents. However, they also have a considerable amount of proteins. 100 grams of apricots will provide you with 1.4 grams of proteins (1).
Apricots are also low in calories and contain other minerals like potassium alongside carbohydrates and fiber (1). So if you’re considering skipping breakfast because of the same old diet, try adding this fruit to spice things up. Snacking on this fruit and adding it to your main meals is a sure way of increasing your daily protein intake.
Grapefruit
This huge citrus fruit is thought to have originated from Asia. Fun fact- grapefruits are hybrid fruits created from a natural cross of a polemo and an orange. They have a somewhat unusual taste. It’s like slight sour, bitter, and sweet, all mashed together to give you grapefruits.
Their nutritional profile is composed of high polyphenols like flavonoids and dominated by vitamin C. A protein count of 0.77 grams per 100 grams served makes it an excellent fruit to boost your protein intake. These fruits can also help in your weight loss plan because they have a low caloric content (8). Simply put, grapefruits will give you much-needed energy without making you fat.
Fruits like this reinforce reasons why eating the right breakfast is so important for your health. You’re better off taking a slice of grapefruit in the morning compared to junk food.
Oranges
Did you know that oranges are a hybrid of the mandarin and pomelo fruits? Yeah, we all get that look when we find out. There are a lot of orange varieties with different tastes but the dominant taste being sweet. It’s oranges we’re talking about, right?
These fruits come with considerable amounts of carbohydrates and vitamin C. Also, 100 grams of oranges will give you 0.94 grams of protein (15). Perhaps what makes them very popular is that you can eat them when hungry and drink their juice when thirsty. An extremely powerful and potent combination.
If your friends ever ask you why is breakfast so important- well, you get to drink orange juice in the morning. And that is pretty important.
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Peaches
These fuzzy fruits are native to northwest China. They come in two main varieties, namely the clingstone and freestone. The former have inner flesh that sticks to the seed, while the latter’s inner flesh easily detaches from the seed.
Peaches have a lot more to offer than just proteins. They are an excellent source of beta-carotene and will help you boost your eyesight and immunity. Also, they give a considerable amount of fiber that keeps your digestive system healthy. 100 grams of peaches contains 0.91 grams of protein (16).
Peaches are an excellent fruit that you can take in the morning as part of your breakfast. You’re probably asking yourself, “why is a healthy breakfast so important that we just can’t stop talking about it?” Well, for starters, it will increase your energy levels and help you concentrate during the day. In the long term, it’ll also help you manage your weight- and that’s just some of the health benefits.
Kiwi
Also known as the Chinese gooseberry, this fruit has a soft green appearance and is one of the most popular fruits worldwide. It is primarily sweet but also has a slightly sour taste. Kiwis have an enormous amount of vitamin C and proteins, standing at 1.6 grams per 100 grams serving (11).
Its nutritional awesomeness, however, doesn’t stop there. Kiwis will give you all-important fibers, other vitamins like K and E, and essential minerals like potassium and copper (11).
Read More: Kiwi Diet Can Help You Lose Up To 3 Pounds In A Week
Jackfruit
Did you know that jackfruits are the largest tree fruits in the world? A single fruit can weigh up to 35kgs. Yeah, that huge. Jackfruits mainly grow in tropical regions but are thought to have originated from India. It has a rather interesting appearance- like a giant avocado- with soft and sweet peach-colored flesh on the inside.
It has a unique sweet taste drawn from different flavors like mangos and pineapples. Per 100 grams cup, jackfruits provide an impressive 1.72 grams of protein. With these kinds of figures, it’s not surprising that you’ll find jackfruits among fruits with high protein content. Other macro and micronutrients found in jackfruits include carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin C, and minerals like Magnesium (10).
Guava
Guavas are tropical fruits that have lime-green skin and a pink fleshy center. Its taste ranges from slightly sour to sweet based on how ripe it is. The more ripened ones have appear to be light yellow and are the sweetest ones.
When it comes to protein content, guavas are among the leading fruits. In addition to supplementing your diet with decent amounts of proteins, guavas provide other beneficial nutrients. It’s a rich source of fibers and has a lot of antioxidants. Also, it’s an exceptional provider of vitamin C, which boosts your immunity and improves your skin health (9).
One guava provides an impressive 2.55 grams of protein per 100 grams served (9).
Cherries
It’s incredible how something so small can taste so good and be very nutritious. Cherries come in two major varieties being the sweet and sour cherry. You’re probably thinking, “sour cherries, who takes that?” Sour cherries have a slightly better nutritional profile which probably makes up for its not-so-sweet taste.
Here’s another reason for you to keep tearing through those cherries- they come loaded with antioxidants and proteins. Get it in dried form, and you’ve just raised your stakes to a whole new level. 100 grams of cherry fruits comes packed with 1.06 grams of protein (5). Now, if that isn’t a sweet deal, there can never be any elsewhere again.
Figs
The fig fruit is a classic option if you’re looking to increase your daily protein intake. With a decent 0.75 grams of protein per 100 grams served, figs are also an excellent source of fiber. These fibers will help you feel, keeping you safe from your food cravings, ultimately helping you lose some weight (6).
Figs also have a high sugar content and loads of minerals that will help you keep healthy. When asked why eating breakfast is so important, benefits from fruits like this will give you a perfect response line. It’s time to try out that fig fruit, don’t you think?
Grapes
Grapes are arguably the most prevalent fruits in the world that can be found growing almost everywhere. When it comes to how you can use them, grapes take the leading ranks too. Juices, jams, wines, and dessert products can be made using grapes- that’s how versatile they are.
Their outstanding nutritional profile can be attributed to their high polyphenol content. However, they also have high sugar content. This is why people call red wine a health drink- concentrated polyphenol levels and moderate amounts of sugar (7).
Also, in the grape nutritional pack is a decent 0.75 grams of proteins for every 100 grams of grapes served. It also has considerable amounts of vitamins C, K, and B1 that are great for your health. Let’s not forget the fibers that will ensure your digestive tract is always healthy (7).
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Mangoes
Excellence and goodness galore describe everything you can find in a mango. This fruit is sometimes called the king of fruits, and for a good reason- it has an extremely sweet and juicy flesh. It’s pretty rare to find someone who doesn’t like mangoes, and if you do, it’s not the mango at fault!
Native to South Asia, mangoes have a stone (making them drupes) surrounded by sweet yellow flesh. Sweet isn’t the adjective; it tastes more like soft, sweet, and tangy mashed up together. Its sweet taste can be attributed to the fact that it has high carbohydrate and sugar levels.
Also, mangoes contain 0.82 grams of proteins per 100 grams and have very high levels of fiber. They are also rich in vitamins A, B6, C, and E that are very good for your health. People can get numerous health benefits from mangoes considering this kind of nutritional profile. A healthy digestive system, improved eyesight, and boosted immunity levels are just some of them (14).
Perhaps the best thing about mangoes is that you can take them in many forms. You can use them in desserts or drink smoothies made from their juices without losing any of their nutritional value. Add them to your morning meal or snack on them during the day, and you’ll see the results soon enough.
Kumquat
These citrus fruits share a lot of uncanny resemblance to oranges. They are, however, smaller than oranges and can be eaten whole in one go. Another distinguishing attribute of the kumquat fruit is its taste. It has a rather sweet and sour flavor linked to its tarty flesh and sweet rind.
Despite being a native of South Asia, this fruit is now grown all over the world. They have large amounts of vitamin C that is good for your skin, and impressive amounts of protein. For every 100 grams of kumquats, you’ll get 1.88 grams of protein. This makes it one of the best fruits that you can use to increase your daily protein intake (12).
Other nutrients that can be found inside this fruit include carbohydrates, high amounts of fiber, vitamin A and minerals like calcium (12). Adding kumquats to your meal plans is an excellent way to keep you energized throughout the day.
Lemons
No one said it’s going to be all sweet throughout, right? Lemons are yellow sour citrus fruits that are native to Asia. It is primarily famed for its dominance in the culinary arts. It’s hard to find a culinary recipe that doesn’t have a “squeeze fresh lemon juice” instruction in it.
Lemons also keep you hydrated while raising your metabolism and satiety, all of which are factors that will help you lose weight. When it comes to weight management and breakfast, the question “why is breakfast so important for losing weight” is very common. The answer is simple- fruits like lemons that are good for weight loss are mostly taken in the morning.
Nutritionally, the main compound in lemons is vitamin C. However, it also contains some protein (1.1 grams per 100 grams served), fibers, carbohydrates, and minerals (13). Whether you take it raw or drink some lemon water, you are guaranteed to realize its full benefits.
Tangerine
Tangerines are smaller than oranges and are flatter in shape. They are, however, bigger in one thing, and that’s its taste. This fruit is way sweeter and flavorful than your average orange. They also have easy-to-peel skin, making it a very convenient snack on the go.
Their high carbohydrate content will also keep you energized all day. All over the internet, articles are emphasizing the need for students to take a healthy breakfast. So why is breakfast so important for students, and why should tangerine be a part of it? We look at its nutritional profile to find out.
Nutritionally, tangerines have large amounts of vitamin C and decent amounts of other macro and micronutrients. For instance, 100 grams of tangerines will give 0.81 grams of protein in addition to fiber (20). If you’re looking to add to your protein intake without compromising taste and flavor, then this is it. Add this to your morning meal, and you won’t ever ask again, “why is breakfast so important.”
Strawberries
Strawberries are one of the most beloved and common fruits in the world. They can be eaten fresh, as a topping in cream, or even in desserts. This versatility can be attributed to their soft and sweet-tasting attributes. Interestingly, they also have a sweet smell- if that’s possible anyway.
Their nutritional profile is excellent, consisting of large amounts of vitamin C and fiber. They also have a decent protein count of 0.67 grams per 100 grams of strawberries (19). This fruit is a perfect combination of sweet and healthy, so make sure you try it out.
Starfruits
This is probably the most visually appealing fruit. Cut it, and each slice appears to be a bright yellow star. The starfruit is a tropical fruit that has a characteristic sweet and tart taste. It has firm flesh with colors ranging from green to bright yellow when ripe.
Nutritionally, the starfruit is 90% water making it an excellent choice for hydration. It also contains 1.04 grams of protein per 100 grams served. Other nutrients that can be found in it include vitamins B5 and C, carbohydrates, and potassium (18).
Raspberries
These fruits grow in temperate regions and have a slightly sweet and juicy flavor. They have exceptionally high amounts of polyphenols, vitamin C and Manganese. Raspberries are also a good choice to increase your daily protein intake. 100 grams of raspberries will give an impressive 1.2 gram of proteins (17).
Conclusion
Fruits are essential in maintaining a healthy dietary pattern. They come packed with extra nutritional goodness that helps you go about your activities feeling energized. One particular essential nutrient that can be found in them is protein.
While proteins can be found in enormous quantities in meat, you may end up consuming a lot of fat that can compromise your health. Fruits pose no such risk, and these are some of the best fruits you can eat to keep your diet balanced. So no more excuses, pick up that fruit and start eating healthy!
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DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for decision-making. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!
SOURCES:
- Apricot, raw (2020, usda.gov)
- Avocado, raw (2020, usda.gov)
- Banana, raw (2020, usda.gov)
- Blackberries, raw (2020, usda.gov)
- Cherries, raw (2020, usda.gov)
- Fig, raw (2020, usda.gov)
- Grape, raw (2020, usda.gov)
- Grapefruit, raw (2020, usda.gov)
- Guava, raw (2020, usda.gov)
- Jackfruit, raw (2020, usda.gov)
- Kiwi fruit, raw (2020, usda.gov)
- Kumquat, raw (2020, usda.gov)
- Lemon, raw (2020, usda.gov)
- Mango, raw (2020, usda.gov)
- Orange, raw (2020, usda.gov)
- Peaches, raw (2020, usda.gov)
- Raspberries, raw (2020, usda.gov)
- Starfruit, raw (2020, usda.gov)
- Strawberries, raw (2020, usda.gov)
- Tangerine, raw (2020, usda.gov)
