Vegetarians and vegans will be extremely familiar with people exclaiming, 'But where do you get your protein from?' upon learning that they don't eat meat. As someone who has been asked this more times than I care to remember, I'm going to speak for everyone when I say: it's quite annoying.

So with that in mind, whether you eat meat or not, here are some foods that pack more protein than meat and have a ton of other health benefits too, so are worth adding into your diet. We're not saying you all need to convert to veganism but let's just take a moment to recognise the humble chickpea my friends; it's good news for hummus lovers around the world.

Protein is an important part of a healthy and varied diet and active people need to ensure they take in enough so the body recovers and gets stronger every day.

Here are the stats for protein per 100 grams.

Soybeans: 36g vs ground beef: 26g

Other reasons to eat them: Alongside their ultra high protein content, soybeans are also packed with vitamins and minerals. They notably contain significant amounts of fibre, which is really important for good digestion as well as vitamin K for healthy blood, and 100 grams provides 30 per cent of your daily intake of iron.

Pumpkin seeds: 19g vs pork sausage: 12g

Other reasons to eat them: These babies can only be described as a nutritional powerhouse. They contain nutrients including zinc for a good immune system and magnesium for healthy bones, as well as antioxidants to help with disease protection.

Chickpeas: 19g vs cod: 18g

Other reasons to eat them: In case you needed another reason to get more involved with hummus, chickpeas are also packed with fibre for a healthy digestive system and to ensure healthy levels of cholesterol.

Peanut butter: 25g vs chicken thighs: 24g

Other reasons to eat it: Although some will argue that shoveling spoonfuls of this good stuff into your mouth at any given opportunity is not advisable, eating in moderation is great for providing healthy fats alongside potassium for keeping your blood pressure healthy.

And whilst we are at it, here are some other high ranking in their nutritional credentials vegetarian friendly foods.

Greek Yoghurt: 10g

Reasons to eat: The probiotic cultures in yoghurt are really important friendly bacteria for keeping your gut healthy.

Lentils: 9g

Reasons to eat: Lentils are one of the best vegetarian sources of iron which is used in the production of red blood cells and oxygen transportation around the body. They are also a great source of dietary fiber.