The 10 Best Protein Sources for Vegans: There is no doubt that protein is an important part of our diet. It makes up about 17% of our body weight and is the major building block of our muscles, skin, eyes, hair, and nails. Protein is also important for keeping blood sugar levels in check, breaking down fats, and making energy. It helps our immune system make antibodies that fight diseases.
Foods that are high in protein can be broken down into 22 naturally found amino acids. These are the building blocks of protein. We must get nine of these from food because our bodies can’t make them on their own.
They are called “essential amino acids.” A lot of vitamins and minerals, like iron and B vitamins, can be found in protein. It’s important for vegans to get all of these amino acids in their food in order to stay healthy.
The 10 Best Protein Sources for Vegans
1. Quinoa
Quinoa is a seed that comes in white, red, black, or mixed types. 100g of cooked quinoa has almost 4g of protein, and it’s a complete protein, which means it has all 22 amino acids. This makes it a great choice to carbs like rice and couscous.
2. Pulses
A pulse is a seed that grows in a pod and can be eaten. This includes all beans, peas, and lentils. They’re a great way to get plant-based protein that is low in fat, cheap, and gives you a lot of options.
Different pulses include:
- Lentils including puy, green, and red: around 8-9g of protein per 100g
- Chickpeas, including hummus: 7g of protein per 100g
- Garden peas – around 7g per 100g
- Beans, including black-eyed, pinto, butter, cannellini, soya, edamame and kidney: between 7-10g protein per 100g
- Baked beans do count as a good source of protein but keep an eye on the salt content: 5g per 100g.
3. Tofu
4. Nuts and seeds
Again, nuts and seeds are very flexible and can be eaten with meals or as a snack to make sure you get enough protein and energy all day. Here are some of the best protein-rich nuts and seeds:
- Hemp seeds – 5g per heaped tablespoon
- Ground linseed – 3g per heaped tablespoon
- Almonds – 3g of protein for every six almonds
- Walnuts – around 3g of protein for every three whole walnuts
- Pumpkin seeds – 4g per tablespoon
- Pistachios – just over 1g of protein over 10 pistachios
- Cashew nuts – 3g per 10 cashew nuts
- Brazil nuts – 4g per six Brazil nuts
Also keep an eye out for peanut butter and other nut butters, which are easy ways to get protein. Just make sure to read the label to make sure they are made from only nuts and don’t have any added sugars, oils, or salt. There are just over 3g of protein in a rounded tablespoon of smooth peanut butter.
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5. Chia seeds
Chia seeds have almost 2g of protein per tablespoon. You can eat them for breakfast, sprinkle them on salads and soups, or make a healthy, protein-rich snack. They are also a great veggie alternative to eggs because they are hydrophilic, which means they will grow after being soaked in water for 20 minutes.
6. Buckwheat
Buckwheat is a seed that is high in protein and fiber. One hundred grams of buckwheat has about 5 grams of protein and is gluten-free. More and more people are eating buckwheat, which comes in flakes, groats, pasta, and flours. It is a great food for vegans to eat.
7. Oats
8. Brown and wild rice
9. Other grains
Some slightly lesser known grains can also be used to bump up your protein:
- Spelt – over 5g of protein per 100g
- Teff – over 4g of protein per 100g
- Amaranth – over 4g of protein per 100g
- Sorghum – over 8g of protein per 100g
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10. Vegetables
Vegetables also offer a surprising amount of protein including:
- Asparagus – almost 2g of protein per six spears
- Avocado – over 1g per ½ an avocado
- Broccoli – almost 3g per 80g broccoli
- Brussels sprouts – around 2g per 80g Brussels sprouts
- Cauliflower – 1.5g per 80g serving
- Jerusalem artichokes – over 1g of protein per 80g
- Kale – almost 2g per 80g serving
- Spinach – 2g per 80g serving
- Sweetcorn – over 2g for every three heaped tablespoons
FAQ
Q1. How much meat should I eat?
The recommended daily amount (RNI) of protein for an adult is 0.75 grams per kilogram of body weight. An adult who weighs 60 kg needs 45g a day, which is 60 times 0.75g. For every day, someone who weighs 74 kg would need 74 times 0.75g, or 55g.
Q2. Is it possible to eat too much protein?
Too much protein might be bad for you, but most of the time this comes from foods that are high in animal proteins, like dairy and red or processed meats. Some people used to think that eating a lot of protein for a long time could hurt your kidneys and make your bones weak.
But new studies show that this effect isn’t very strong in healthy people. It looks like people who are already sick or whose kidneys aren’t working right shouldn’t eat a lot of protein. People who are healthy, like older people, may want to eat more protein because it helps them keep their muscles.
A lot of research hasn’t been done on the risks of high-protein vegan diets, but it’s always a good idea to make sure there’s variety and that vitamin and mineral needs are met, especially when you’re pregnant.
Q3. Can a runner who doesn’t eat meat get enough protein?
Being vegan can be hard for athletes and people who work out because they need to make sure they get enough calories, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and important nutrients like vitamin B12, zinc, black iron, and vitamin B12.
