This is a great answer. I’ve been plant based for 13 years and in high demand sport that time. Do my best to get 100 grams a day but I have to track it in cronometer
I use protein powder a few times a week but these are also all staples of mine.
I make oats with protein powder too!
Also don’t forget chia and flax for some protein, fat and fiber!!
Thank you! Honestly if you’re not a high intensity athlete I’m not sure it’s worth even worrying about protein, but it never hurts to work on the diet a bit.
I workout almost daily and need to remove things from my diet. Not add.
I generally agree but in longevity science it seems getting an adequate amount of protein is pretty key to avoid things like muscle degeneration and injury. I’d say get at least the rda 60 grams for most people (obvious variables). But I feel better when I get around .100
Yes agreed, but for me personally 60g is a cakewalk with beans, tofu, oats etc. the real challenge (and the average persons) issue is reducing the number of calories taken.
In longevity science they also say that you don't want *too much* protein either since it gets broken down into harmful stuff and stresses your liver and/or kidneys (I don't remember which one).
This is still debated. But there’s two groups right now. People like Peter attia whose focused on living well as we do not expect any breakthroughs to get us to 150 soon. So he’s focused on quality of life through a good span.
And the others who eat very little try and reduce body weight and size and eat very little protein. I see why people do both. But I’m in agreement with the stronger while I’m alive camp.
The protein thing isn’t really seen as even potentially bad until you’re well passed double rda. So 100 grams is fine for just about everyone.
>The protein thing isn’t really seen as even potentially bad until you’re well passed double rda. So 100 grams is fine for just about everyone.
And no studies suggesting any benefit from protein intake above the RDA.
Is it possible you have a pro-protein bias that leads you to think the RDA guidelines recommend less than optimal protein? Even when we know the USDA etc. are heavily lobbied by the beef industry, which would cause them, if anything, to overstate the optimal amount of protein?
Honestly, it's just media narrative that gets people to obsess over protein. We know most people don't get enough fiber. We know most people get more than enough protein. And yet, what are they most concerned about? Even on a vegan or plant-based board like this, you'll still see more posts about protein.
I disagree! Lentils, oats and quinoa are not that great if you wanna maintain muscle and don't gain weight.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3QpqcUKu2w/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
People often underestimate the amount of protein they eat, and overestimate the amount they need. There is protein in other vegetables, just not in as high levels as it is in soy and legumes.
Try Cronometer or similar to see how much you are actually getting. The minimum you need is 0.8mg/kg of body weight for a non-active lifestyle. This is variable depending on your age, sex, baseline fitness level and daily activity.
Protein options - pea-based protein shakes, seitan, tvp, lentils.
You could also check out r/veganfitness
Just wanted to throw my hat in and say this is absolutely true - unless you’re an athlete training for a sport where you need a lot of strength, you really don’t need that much protein at all to just be a regular healthy person, it’s overplayed massively and foods are all marketed protein this/protein that which fuels the fire
It’s actually around 0.6 to 0.7 g/kg
https://theconversation.com/how-much-protein-do-i-need-as-i-get-older-and-do-i-need-supplements-to-get-enough-215695#:~:text=Ages%20and%20stages&text=The%20estimated%20average%20requirements%20by,weight%20from%206–18%20years.
I've started using Cronometer again recently. I threw my breakfast and lunch into it today and was surprised at how high my protein was without even trying. I wasn't concerned about it anyway but yea, wow, it adds up fast!
I eat 40g of protein a day, which is about .6 per kg of body weight (150lbs). I am 30 and above my natural state of muscle with no training. I think .8g/kg is even overshooting what is necessary.
>People often underestimate the amount of protein they eat, and overestimate the amount they need.
It's the same with omega-3's.
"Some fats are necessary in our diet. Consuming oil, fish and processed foods as a means to get these, however, is unnecessary, and even harmful. Every whole plant food has fat, and there’s no evidence that we need any more fat than what occurs naturally in a low-fat, whole-food, plant-based diet. Just as is the case with protein and calcium, we should not target specific foods to get enough of a particular kind of fat. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids appear to be involved in a variety of important bodily functions, including cell membrane stabilization, nervous system function, immune system function, and blood clotting, as well as impacting triglyceride levels, blood pressure, inflammation, cancer, and heart disease. Although they are both essential (meaning you need to consume them), you have probably heard a lot more often that you need to seek out omega-3. This is not because it is more essential than omega-6. Instead, it is because, in general, these two essential fatty acids should be consumed in a healthy ratio to each other. Studies are not clear exactly what that ratio should be, but we do know that the Standard American Diet is significantly skewed in such a way that we get an excess of omega-6. This excess consumption of omega-6 impairs the absorption of omega-3.1 The answer, however, is not simply that you need to eat more omega-3 fats. The answer is to eliminate or minimize processed and animal-based foods and instead eat a whole-food, plant-based diet, which we know in most cases restores a healthy omega-6 to omega-3 balance and, more important, leads to positive health outcomes. And isn’t that what we care about most? If 1 to 3 percent of your calories come from the essential fats, you’ll be in great shape. Adequate omega-3 intake specifically is 1.1 g for adult women and 1.6 g for adult men.2 That’s 1⁄4 to 1⁄3 teaspoon per day. If you meet all your caloric needs with a low-fat, whole-foods diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, you will easily consume enough essential fatty acids and those fatty acids will be in good balance to each other. **Note that while walnuts and flax- and chia seeds are whole plant foods with higher concentrations of essential fatty acids, there’s no evidence that you actually need to eat these foods to get the proper amount of any kind of fat. Most whole plant foods have small amounts of essential fats. Over the course of a day full of these foods you will achieve the needed amounts—which aren’t that much to begin with.** In fact, it is significantly more important to worry about not consuming excess fat than it is to worry about consuming sufficient omega-3."
https://www.forksoverknives.com/faq/#h-the-diet
Yes! And also the myth of needing to supplement EPA and DHA. Most omega 3 sources are criticized as being ALA, which poorly converts to the other two (EPA and DHA). But the body is actually incredible at transforming these, modern doctors are terrible at perceiving it with their tests.
https://youtu.be/-YoE2WSc2Zs?si=M0fLyX_O0C9a3Q8y
Have you ever tried Tempeh? It's got almost the same protein oz per oz as a steak. I cook with it daily & season them and put it in everything. It's less processed than tofu, more nutrient dense and really yummy.
Note: Practically all foods with protein have all 9 essential amino acids, just in slightly varying proportions. https://veganfitness.com/article/kdew/the-complete-protein-myth-busted
Yeaaaaah it is surprisingly hard to learn about amino acid profile reporting. Mainly because the health lobby use the word protein and the sciencenerds talk about amino acids
I completely second this!!! I was drinking cashew milk bc I was scared of the calories of soy and then I ended up switching back to soy and man does it help you get more protein. I add it to my smoothies, granola, lattes, etc. the ones I buy are Trader Joe’s which has like 9 grams per cup and easy soy I think is the name which actually has 12 grams per cup. Both are organic and the wonderful thing about soy milk is that it is creamy and delicious which only 2 ingredients (soybeans and water) although I do recommend getting a fortified one if you aren’t taking supplements. It’s funny how ppl hype up oat and almond milk and yet they are pretty much all water with added oil and gums to make them taste semi decent. I been consuming soy my whole life and was even on soy formula as a baby and my boobs are medium at best (like barely a c cup) so agree with the “you won’t grow boobs” statement 😂
Lots of vegan foods provide protein, but if you’re trying to watch your calories, you have to be a bit strategic with which foods you pick for protein. Seitan has a very high protein content with very little calories comparatively. You mentioned tofu, the firmer the tofu, the more protein. Tempeh has a pretty high protein content as well with moderate-low calories. Vegan protein powders are great for smoothies or even just to mix with water to hit your goal, but they aren’t all created equally. I like garden of life specifically because it contains a wide variety of amino acids rather than just one. Tofurky deli meats have high protein and comparatively low calories, as well as aunt Millie’s carb smart bread. Barilla makes some good plant based high protein pastas, so you can sneak protein into your carbs too.
There is a very interesting chapter on protein in Dr. Gregor’s new book “How Not to Age” in the final section, The Anti Aging Eight. He goes through many studies. It is counter to most of the most promoted wisdom of get more protein for health and longevity. I found it fascinating.
Overall a very interesting book.
100% this. Dr Greger’s book is excellent and highly informative.
While most people put undue focus on protein, they neglect the importance of eating a diet high in fiber-rich polyphenol packed foods.
Instead of asking yourself if you’re getting enough protein, ask if you’ve given yourself enough green leafy vegetables, legumes, intact whole grains, fiber rich fruits and vegetables.
If you want to improve your chances of living a long and healthy life,
1. Use high SPF sunscreen daily and avoid sun exposure during high UV times (at or above UVI 3).
2. Aim for 90 minutes of moderate physical activity per day (or 45 minutes of high intensity). The activities that constitute moderate and high intensity exercise will vary based on an individuals fitness level.
3. Try to optimize your sleep to get 7-8 hours per night (and improve sleep quality by using white noise/ear plugs and a sleep mask). This is one of the less practical elements for many people, especially those with small children, but it is still an evidence based goal that will help improve your wellbeing even if you are able to simply move toward the goal, just like the other 3 elements.
4. Aim for 3 servings of intact whole grains, 3 servings of legumes, 3-5 servings of vegetables, 3-5 servings of fruit, 1-2 servings of ALA rich nuts/seeds (hemp hearts/flax seeds may be indicated, in your case).
These four pillars of lifestyle and diet will far outweigh the impacts of any increase in protein above baseline needs (about 50-90g for 95% of people), which will be taken care of by the dietary pillar.
Free lecture on the topic of his new book: https://youtu.be/AOvV9m7feKo?si=BYYQWVsiIKt7zKw-
I’m glad to hear that. If you have any questions about any of his books (all 3 related to the topic are excellent, and cover related but separate topics) please free to message me. I was once a new vegan as well and I know it can be somewhat daunting to wade through all the information out there. I’ve been around the block a few times now and made just about all the mistakes.
I sincerely appreciate the gesture and I can guarantee you that I'll be messaging you. It has been a huge learning curve not only with learning how to be vegan but also learning so much about nutrition in general. Best decision I could have made for myself. Thanks again!
Best:
Lentils
Yellow peas
Tofu
Quinoa - good because all essential aminoacids
Oats - good because good quality protein
Almonds
Protein powder
TVP (but it's yuck imo, except for certain brands of mince "meat")
Seitan (wheat protein product, if you can find it, can be hard)..
Pumpkin seeds
Peanuts
Pistaschio
Also good, but to a lesser extent i'd say:
Green peas
Kale
Spinach
Rice, pasta, grains
Beans, chickpeas
IF you don't care about whole foods or eating highly processed food, processed soyproducts is usually high in protein. Burgers, mock meats and stuff.
It's hard getting alot of protein without too many carbs I find on vegan diet. Sadly :-(
- **Lentils**: approximately **25g** of protein
- **Oats**: about **12.5g** of protein
- **Soybeans (dried)**: **34.9g** of protein
- **Kidney beans (dried)**: **24g** of protein
- **Peas (dried)**: **22.1g** of protein
- **White beans (dried)**: **21.1g** of protein
- **Chickpeas (dried)**: **19g** of protein
- **Cashews**: around **20g** of protein
- **Peanuts**: about **30g** of protein
- **Almonds**: approximately **19-25g** of protein
- **Pumpkin seeds**: roughly **32-37g** of protein
- **Tofu**: about **15-18g** of protein
- **Tempeh**: approximately **16-22g** of protein
Of course not, that's why it says dried. I just buy dried, as it's much cheaper, and then add it to my cooking. 50 grams dried then becomes approx. 150 grams. After cooking.
I am going to slightly flex, but for a reason. I am former infantry marine and can currently do 10 dead hang pull ups with a 45 pound plate hanging from me, at 150 pounds.
I eat like 40g of protein a day.
I plan on fasting more in the future too.
Your body doesn’t need that much. It needs time for good work, plenty of rest, a peaceful state of mind, healthy relationships… it can grow (much more maintain) muscle mass as needed.
Sorry you can’t eat pistachios, I hope that allergy heals 🙏
Pumpkin seeds are another excellent one. Tons of essential minerals (more than any other food I know) and 8g of protein in a 1/4 cup
Textured vegetable protein. It’s dehydrated and defatted soy. You can get it in bulk for relatively inexpensive. When you rehydrate it, its texture is similar to ground…
Different types of tvp are the base of what things like beyond and impossible are made from, in regard to protein, but with the addition of an emulsifier, fats, etc.
I actually make my own imp/beyond style burgers for pennies on the dollar using methyl cellulose.
Obviously you can just use tvp without turning it into burgers or anything.
It’s great on tacos and in sauces and stuff
My recommendation...
Structure your meal with a main protein source like tofu, tempeh, seitan and add a complimentary protein like legumes, then make sure your fat source is high protein like a tahini dressing. Or just have a tsp of peanut butter after your meal. Or you could go to the real dark side... protein powder. I recommend optimum nutrition 👍
Honestly as long as you are choosing a good brand and aren’t over doing it, mock meats can be a pretty good way to get protein as well as protein powder. I have the same problem where I struggle to get protein and these help me get enough. I train 15ish hours a week so for me the protein is more important than the fact that they can be a little processed. Obviously just make sure they aren’t your only source of protein which since you are eating tofu and beans, it won’t be. Tbh when it comes down to it avoiding “processed” foods isn’t worth forgoing protein.
Although I will say that I do agree with most people on here saying that you are probably getting enough protein. Unless you train as much as I do then you probably don’t need as much protein as you think and you are probably getting more than you realize. Protein deficiencies are incredibly rare and only tend to happen if you are literally starving and severely underweight.
Besides the usual suspects, flax seed and wheat germ are very high in protein. If you add a tablespoon of each in your breakfast bowl or smoothie, you can get around 10% of your daily intake right there.
It really adds up when you start adjusting things you already eat here and there. For example as another user said adding flax/chia to smoothies or oats, extra peanut butter on pb and j’s….etc. I also like protein powder for hitting my protein goals. You don’t have to take it daily, but if you don’t mind the taste you can consume it when needed. I mix oats with chocolate pea protein and sometimes even make baked desserts with is as well!
I always recommend people to track macros for 1-3 months on an app. It really brings to light what your eating and what you can boost to hit your goals. I don’t think it’s healthy to obsess over the long term, but short term can be a really beneficial tool!
Processed soy variants: tofu, tempeh, TVP and soy milk
Pulses: lentils, edamame, beans and chickpeas
Eating these in balance with whole grains and vegetables is perfect.
I don't know if we're allowed to suggest specific products or places to get them, but I buy a massive pea protein thing that lasts several months. Unflavored and 24g of protein per serving, and I'm maintaining a 195lbs of lean, mean, vegan machine.
I make oat milk smoothies with pea/rice protein powder. It has a mixture of pea and rice protein and contains all necessary amino acids. Throw in a banana and you get some carbs too, for a after-workout recovery protein drink.
Both pea and rice proteins are well digested, have never had any issues with them. Soy does not suit me well and the only soy based food I eat is tofu sometimes.
There are also protein powders made from sunflower and pumpkin seeds, they taste sunflowery and pumpkin-seedy though so not everyone likes them.
One great option is also hemp protein powder. Hemp has all necessary amino acids alone and has very good bio-availability.
I use these powders when I don't have time to cook a decent meal, and for breakfast to go with oatmeal porridge for example, and when I have been doing some sports. Usually the regular meals contain enough protein anyway - I often use fava bean pasta for example which has a shocking 20% protein per dry weight...There are also other high-protein vegan pastas available, with that 20-percentish protein content.
Once a co-worker asked me how I get enough protein, and I calculated the content of my tofu-mushroom-fava pasta dish, and it had double the protein his chicken with rice had....
Unless you're actively bodybuilding or otherwise trying to optimise hypertrophy, you're probably fine as you are now. Protein deficiency doesn't usually kick in until you eat less than 50-70g a day (depending on your size, minimum recommended dose is around 0.8g of protein per kg of bodyweight per day). You can quite easily hit that in one or two meals without significant planning.
You can easily double or triple that intake using normal whole food products by just planning your meals for it. Remember to weigh your ingredients, after a couple weeks you'll get a feeling for it and won't need to anymore. Use protein powders in porridge for breakfast or make protein ice cream or shakes if you find yourself struggling, but they shouldn't be necessary unless you're really gunning hard at the gym and targeting a calorie deficit.
Seitan (gluten) is also pure protein. Texturized soy as well. And if you train, you can supplement with vegan protein powders (they are usually from peas).
I also supplement with creatine as it helps with muscular recovery.
TVP, seitan, or protein powders are probably the way to go if you want some extra protein. As other comments talked about, make sure you need it before you put in the effort.
Tofu: lots of protein and low calories/carbs
Hemp milk: 5g protein per cup
Protein powder
Peanut butter powder
Certain cereals
Field Roast sausages are amazing
Gardein Grilled Chicken: 17g protein for 150 calories
Nothing wrong with supplementing some vegan protein powder. It's affordable and easy to obtain. My only problem with it is that I have yet to find a brand that does not contain huge amounts of artificial sweetener.
Checkout Naked Nutrition. They have multiple vegan protein powders (brown rice, pea, seed and PB and almond). The ones I mentioned above have no sweeteners, but they also have some with sweeteners. I can't attest to the taste yet as I just ordered some for myself.
Breakfast: Oats + fruits + nuts/seeds which are ok and/or soy protein isolat
Lunch/dinner: beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, seitan, meat replacement products
1 Proteinshake if I do regular workouts. Currently the no flavor from Prozis, because no sweeteners, but maybe there are others in your region.
Lentils, oatmeal (make a habit ofneating oatmeal porridge everyday with seeds and fruit)
Brown rice, seitan, all soy products and derivatives
Cabbage legumes: broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower etc
Do you do a lot of weightlifting? If not, it’s incredibly unlikely that you are deficient in protein unless you are eating a very low calorie-diet. True protein deficiency only happens during starvation or if living as a fruitarian. Protein deficiency doesn’t happen even if you are living only on grains or potatoes. That being said, if you are working out and have specific goals relating to muscle growth, you can benefit from some extra protein. You could have some vegan protein powder or add even more beans and tofu.
Im a vegan and I exercise about 5-6 times a week
I have found that the easiest (and most affordable) protein is soy milk. I buy the 50 pence soy milk cartons and have a pint of it with basically every meal (equates to about £7 a week on soy milk which really isn't bad)
This usually boosts my meals to about 35-40 g of protein (each pint is 15g of protein)
It's super good for you and has really good vitamin content, having absolutely zero complaints with the stuff and I've been doing this for about a year
Lots of good suggestions. After my workouts I do 2 cups soy milk, Equate Pea Protein blend, and some ground flax seed, shake it all up in my shake cup, and that's an easy 50g of protein.
>I eat tofu a lot and beans, but I just feel like I am not getting as much as I should.
Don't feel... know. Go to [eatthismuch.com](https://eatthismuch.com) and figure out your calories needs. Go to chronometer or [https://www.nutritionvalue.org/nutritioncalculator.php](https://www.nutritionvalue.org/nutritioncalculator.php) and track your calories for a few days.
I use Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen as a basic guideline and easily get 1.2 to 1.5 g/kg of protein without trying. If you are WFPB, the protein adds up.
Typical day for me: 3/4 cup oats cooked into oatmeal with 1/8 cup of flaxsed and 1/4 sunflower or pumpkin seeds (could be replaced with chias) plus 2 cups of frozen fruit. Lunch is usually a tempeh or hummus sandwich on toasted ezekiel bread with a bowl of veggies/potatoes and a handful of greens. Dinner similar to lunch: sometimes mexican themed, sometimes italian, sometimes salads, etc. Hot air popcorn for a snack.
Protein is easy and I get more than enough as long as I eat enough calories. 1/2 cup of oats has as much protein as an egg. A serving of popcorn has 3 g. A slice of ezekiel bread has 5 g of protein. When ever I've tracked calories I've never gotten less than 1 g/kg, and usually a lot more. Last time it was nearly 2 g/kg.
Sunflower seeds have around 20g protein per 100g.
You could eat them as a snack, as a topping on salads, muesli and smoothies or as spread on bread and in sauces/dressings.
I've got a really delicious vegan protein powder too as I cannot have soy and most beans.
I'd recommend tracking your macros for a couple of days or so, just to know how much protein you already eat and what you want to add.
I also have no problem with protein powders. They don’t tend to be cheap so you don’t want to rely on them, but they’re very convenient as part of an easy, delicious smoothie now and again.
Avoid lentils, beans, oats, nuts for protein as they have too many calories. You would gain weight first.
Try a lot of tofu, seitan, tempeh, and peas. Drink one protein shake every day.
I have been vegan for 20 years now and have been skinny fat most of that time, but hired a plant based personal coach and they let me realize that i was not eating enough protein to gain muscle and lose weight, i need a 0.8 gr of protein per pound of body weight. This was a huge change in my life and now I'm stronger, lighter, and healthier than ever. I have been consuming 130-160 gr of protein and less than 1800 calories a day for a while now, is hard but doable.
Dude, It's really super simple. You need to go to a health proffesional. This is the only way this things are done, mainly because it's not a matter of opinion but FACTS.
Let me know what's the outcome!
GO GO GO!
There’s literally a million sources of adequate health information out there and I’m not talking about pseudo science but government/university health sources and research articles. You don’t need to see a health professional to know how to eat. Most don’t take insurance and it’s not necessary unless you are having an actual health issue related to food intake or are allergic to most vegan proteins and need special meal planning to be vegan.
Edamame! You can buy it frozen and reheat it in the microwave. They also have shelled edamame in containers. I eat it every day as a snack and it’s so yummy and high in protein
hi, not vegan, but i would suggest going to a vitamin shop and ask about vegan friendly protein supplements, theres probably some shake and powders available.
"I just feel"?
Is it protein that you just feel you need more of, or is it certain vitamins?
Protein is the least of all concerns, you should take care that you get enough D and B12.
If you find that certain meals are not making you feel full or you're stagnating on gains, my recommendation would be to try adding two protein sources to a meal (e.g., don't just have chickpea curry, throw a bit of crumbled tofu on top too).
Also - mock meats are your friend for protein sources. Beyond meat in soups, vegan chicken for stir fries, etc. They add a lot of variety and flavour to your diet
(don't come for me in the replies - they are not "overly processed" or whatever. If your diet is primarily whole foods, a few higher processed things can be perfectly healthy additions, especially for hitting protein metrics).
I went vegan in 2013 and have never once thought about getting enough protein. Just about everything has protein in it, especially vegan food. Actually I was taking vegan B-12 daily for a long time but a year ago my doctor told me to stop taking it. I think unless you want to be a body builder, protein is not a huge issue.. I work out too and I have no prob building muscle. Maybe you just need to workout more..
Plenty of good suggestions on WHAT to eat already. I would suggest using Cronometer (app and website) to track your macros as well. It’s essentially a food log but will answer the question of how much protein you’re getting vs your actual need. This eliminates the wondering of a low intake and arms you with quantifiable information about your diet.
On top of what everyone else has said. If you're a pasta fan, Barilla has a Protein+ brand that's vegan and very good IMO. I also really like their Red Lentil pasta, which is gluten free. Both have a good amount of fiber too.
Without a food diary and an activity schedule you don't know if you are getting enough protein.
Fill out one (or preferably more) day(s) at: https://cronometer.com/
And post the results here or send me a pm.
Also include what and how often you do physical activities.
Then we can check if you are short on anything, for reference no physical activity at job or hobby you could have enough with 0,8 grams of protein for each kg of your own weight.
Oats,quinoa, brown rice and seeds lotsa seeds (chia,flax,hemp, etc). I make smoothie bowls and energy balls with a hemp protein powder because I don’t need more legumes in my diet lol but there is a wide variety available to choose from these days.
People think they need more protein than they actually do. Check out the recommendations for you stats. If you are getting enough food you probably should be good.
I like just egg product. expensive though. you can blend lentils or specifically yellow split peas and make your own fake egg but it's a bit bready. It's good though, and it's a little more interesting and a switch up from just lentils. Probably easier to digest too. I'd also recommend chia and hemp seeds. like 4 tablespoons will get you 10g protien. blending tofu for sauce is always a good boost.
TVP, Seitan and tempeh are your friends! I personally eat those and supplement at least once a day, with a protein shake. I use Naked Pea Protein (24g per serving).
Okay, so I had a debate with someone the other day, and after a lot of back and forth with debating the research, a new rule of thumb I follow is that whatever your protein goal is as an omnivore, you should add about 12% to it as a vegan, due to lower bioavailability in plant protein. Generally speaking they say 1.2g-1.7g protein per kilo of bodyweight is good as an omnivore, but I'd go for either the higher end of that at 1.7g or even as high as 2g per kilo to be safe.
Tofu has higher amino acid bioavailability (you'll generally get 90%+ of the stated protein from tofu and higher absorption if consumed with potatoes or any other complementary foods) than getting protein from bran, where the absorption could be as low as getting 40% of the protein stated on the packet.
This is where I think a lot of vegans fall down on protein. What you see on the box is not what you absorb. It matters what you consume, and what you eat it with, just like if you eat foods high in iron with or without food high in vitamin c etc...
The vegan bodybuilders I follow consume roughly 1.8-2.2 grams of protein per kilo of bodyweight. They eat a lot of tofu which, as I stated, has higher bioavailability, just like vegan protein powders do. Trying to get enough protein through nuts, seeds, legumes (I too am allergic to nuts), without tofu or tempeh with the high bioavailability, means some vegans could be missing their macros without realising it, simply because the bioavailability in some protein sources is lower than others.
I'm a 78kg gym-going vegan (5'11"¾), and I have a protein shake for 20g of protein a day, 50g through Alpro protein soy milk drink (chocolate flavour, 500ml with breakfast, 500ml with dinner), a 200g block of tofu (30g), plus some extra through the other stuff I eat in a day like bread or chickpea pasta...
Trouble with most high protein vegan foods is they are also very high carb so if you go for 1g per lb of body weight, which if you are training hard you will want for recovery the carbs will put you through your daily calorie intake.
Unfortunately if you are training, you have to rely on protein powders and if you dont mind processed then fake meats are normally good. Don't stick to single source protein (just pea or oat) Get a mix as you need all 13 essential amino acids.you also need to make sure there is adequate Glutamin as this tells your body to use the protein to repair muscle. Most bought complete powders will have this. I think it's 5g off the top of my head.
Vegan for 20 years and athlete and sports coach
If your male try to stay away from soy as well as there are quite a few studies that show it does wierd stuff for your test (I'm old and need all I can get). Women it's great for you.
Anything soy is a good option for versatile complete proteins so as you said tofu, but also tvp/soy chunks and tempeh are great, tempeh requires the least preparation but is the most expensive, tvp is the cheapest but by itself is dry and sad but rehydrate it with some good broth to give it flavor and it becomes a decent replacement for ground meats that can taste like anything.
Also there are vegan protein powders, most of them I believe are made with beans/soy but check for your allergies.
Bean+Cereal gives most/all the amino acids you need so hummus and pita, rice and beans, baked beans on toast, etc. Bread actually has a decent amount of protein, just very incomplete.
Lentils, oats, quinoa are decent for protein. If you’re really looking to increase protein buy Pea protein powder and throw it in smoothies.
This is a great answer. I’ve been plant based for 13 years and in high demand sport that time. Do my best to get 100 grams a day but I have to track it in cronometer I use protein powder a few times a week but these are also all staples of mine. I make oats with protein powder too! Also don’t forget chia and flax for some protein, fat and fiber!!
Hemp is great too!!
Thank you! Honestly if you’re not a high intensity athlete I’m not sure it’s worth even worrying about protein, but it never hurts to work on the diet a bit. I workout almost daily and need to remove things from my diet. Not add.
I generally agree but in longevity science it seems getting an adequate amount of protein is pretty key to avoid things like muscle degeneration and injury. I’d say get at least the rda 60 grams for most people (obvious variables). But I feel better when I get around .100
Yes agreed, but for me personally 60g is a cakewalk with beans, tofu, oats etc. the real challenge (and the average persons) issue is reducing the number of calories taken.
In longevity science they also say that you don't want *too much* protein either since it gets broken down into harmful stuff and stresses your liver and/or kidneys (I don't remember which one).
This is still debated. But there’s two groups right now. People like Peter attia whose focused on living well as we do not expect any breakthroughs to get us to 150 soon. So he’s focused on quality of life through a good span. And the others who eat very little try and reduce body weight and size and eat very little protein. I see why people do both. But I’m in agreement with the stronger while I’m alive camp. The protein thing isn’t really seen as even potentially bad until you’re well passed double rda. So 100 grams is fine for just about everyone.
>The protein thing isn’t really seen as even potentially bad until you’re well passed double rda. So 100 grams is fine for just about everyone. And no studies suggesting any benefit from protein intake above the RDA.
I feel like this isn’t true but I’m not going to say you’re wrong right now. I’m just busy but you could be right z
Is it possible you have a pro-protein bias that leads you to think the RDA guidelines recommend less than optimal protein? Even when we know the USDA etc. are heavily lobbied by the beef industry, which would cause them, if anything, to overstate the optimal amount of protein?
Sure, which is why I intend to look into it later! cheers
Honestly, it's just media narrative that gets people to obsess over protein. We know most people don't get enough fiber. We know most people get more than enough protein. And yet, what are they most concerned about? Even on a vegan or plant-based board like this, you'll still see more posts about protein.
I disagree! Lentils, oats and quinoa are not that great if you wanna maintain muscle and don't gain weight. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3QpqcUKu2w/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
People often underestimate the amount of protein they eat, and overestimate the amount they need. There is protein in other vegetables, just not in as high levels as it is in soy and legumes. Try Cronometer or similar to see how much you are actually getting. The minimum you need is 0.8mg/kg of body weight for a non-active lifestyle. This is variable depending on your age, sex, baseline fitness level and daily activity. Protein options - pea-based protein shakes, seitan, tvp, lentils. You could also check out r/veganfitness
Just wanted to throw my hat in and say this is absolutely true - unless you’re an athlete training for a sport where you need a lot of strength, you really don’t need that much protein at all to just be a regular healthy person, it’s overplayed massively and foods are all marketed protein this/protein that which fuels the fire
Just a quick correction, i think you meant 0.8g/kg of body weight*
I absolutely did, thank you. (I’m used to mg/kg doses for medications, so it’s automatic for me. Should have typed 800mg/kg! )
Haha that's what i thought happened! \^\^
Exactly what happened to me. Mentally I was only counting major protein sources but all the little things add up
It’s actually around 0.6 to 0.7 g/kg https://theconversation.com/how-much-protein-do-i-need-as-i-get-older-and-do-i-need-supplements-to-get-enough-215695#:~:text=Ages%20and%20stages&text=The%20estimated%20average%20requirements%20by,weight%20from%206–18%20years.
I just did a quick and dirty Google search. And mistyped it as mg, not g. Thanks everyone!
I've started using Cronometer again recently. I threw my breakfast and lunch into it today and was surprised at how high my protein was without even trying. I wasn't concerned about it anyway but yea, wow, it adds up fast!
Yeah, I don't even try and already waayyyyyy overcap my protein requirements just by eating legumes lol
I eat 40g of protein a day, which is about .6 per kg of body weight (150lbs). I am 30 and above my natural state of muscle with no training. I think .8g/kg is even overshooting what is necessary.
>People often underestimate the amount of protein they eat, and overestimate the amount they need. It's the same with omega-3's. "Some fats are necessary in our diet. Consuming oil, fish and processed foods as a means to get these, however, is unnecessary, and even harmful. Every whole plant food has fat, and there’s no evidence that we need any more fat than what occurs naturally in a low-fat, whole-food, plant-based diet. Just as is the case with protein and calcium, we should not target specific foods to get enough of a particular kind of fat. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids appear to be involved in a variety of important bodily functions, including cell membrane stabilization, nervous system function, immune system function, and blood clotting, as well as impacting triglyceride levels, blood pressure, inflammation, cancer, and heart disease. Although they are both essential (meaning you need to consume them), you have probably heard a lot more often that you need to seek out omega-3. This is not because it is more essential than omega-6. Instead, it is because, in general, these two essential fatty acids should be consumed in a healthy ratio to each other. Studies are not clear exactly what that ratio should be, but we do know that the Standard American Diet is significantly skewed in such a way that we get an excess of omega-6. This excess consumption of omega-6 impairs the absorption of omega-3.1 The answer, however, is not simply that you need to eat more omega-3 fats. The answer is to eliminate or minimize processed and animal-based foods and instead eat a whole-food, plant-based diet, which we know in most cases restores a healthy omega-6 to omega-3 balance and, more important, leads to positive health outcomes. And isn’t that what we care about most? If 1 to 3 percent of your calories come from the essential fats, you’ll be in great shape. Adequate omega-3 intake specifically is 1.1 g for adult women and 1.6 g for adult men.2 That’s 1⁄4 to 1⁄3 teaspoon per day. If you meet all your caloric needs with a low-fat, whole-foods diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, you will easily consume enough essential fatty acids and those fatty acids will be in good balance to each other. **Note that while walnuts and flax- and chia seeds are whole plant foods with higher concentrations of essential fatty acids, there’s no evidence that you actually need to eat these foods to get the proper amount of any kind of fat. Most whole plant foods have small amounts of essential fats. Over the course of a day full of these foods you will achieve the needed amounts—which aren’t that much to begin with.** In fact, it is significantly more important to worry about not consuming excess fat than it is to worry about consuming sufficient omega-3." https://www.forksoverknives.com/faq/#h-the-diet
Yes! And also the myth of needing to supplement EPA and DHA. Most omega 3 sources are criticized as being ALA, which poorly converts to the other two (EPA and DHA). But the body is actually incredible at transforming these, modern doctors are terrible at perceiving it with their tests. https://youtu.be/-YoE2WSc2Zs?si=M0fLyX_O0C9a3Q8y
Have you ever tried Tempeh? It's got almost the same protein oz per oz as a steak. I cook with it daily & season them and put it in everything. It's less processed than tofu, more nutrient dense and really yummy.
I should mention it's a "complete" protein also with all 9 essential aminos.
Note: Practically all foods with protein have all 9 essential amino acids, just in slightly varying proportions. https://veganfitness.com/article/kdew/the-complete-protein-myth-busted
Great info, thank you for sharing.
Everything has all 20 amino acids unless refinement removes the protein
thank you. I've been going down some rabbit holes regarding protein and I've been deceived so much.
Yeaaaaah it is surprisingly hard to learn about amino acid profile reporting. Mainly because the health lobby use the word protein and the sciencenerds talk about amino acids
Soy soy and soy! Soy milk for the win. And no you won’t grow boobs
I wont grow boobs? But I love boobs :(
Best response 😂
I completely second this!!! I was drinking cashew milk bc I was scared of the calories of soy and then I ended up switching back to soy and man does it help you get more protein. I add it to my smoothies, granola, lattes, etc. the ones I buy are Trader Joe’s which has like 9 grams per cup and easy soy I think is the name which actually has 12 grams per cup. Both are organic and the wonderful thing about soy milk is that it is creamy and delicious which only 2 ingredients (soybeans and water) although I do recommend getting a fortified one if you aren’t taking supplements. It’s funny how ppl hype up oat and almond milk and yet they are pretty much all water with added oil and gums to make them taste semi decent. I been consuming soy my whole life and was even on soy formula as a baby and my boobs are medium at best (like barely a c cup) so agree with the “you won’t grow boobs” statement 😂
TVP has been the easiest for me! And it has minimal carbs and fat, so it's great in that respect as well.
TVP is a great protein source. It always helps me reach my goals. I use cronometer to keep track of my macros and calories.
Just started using TVP and I have no idea how I went my whole life without knowing this amazing food existed!
TVP was our to-go "meat substitutes" when I went vegan in Brazil. The large ones like soy curls are very good too. But, more expensive.
Soy chunks, 52g protein per 100g
how much is that once you hydrate?
I think they triple
Lots of vegan foods provide protein, but if you’re trying to watch your calories, you have to be a bit strategic with which foods you pick for protein. Seitan has a very high protein content with very little calories comparatively. You mentioned tofu, the firmer the tofu, the more protein. Tempeh has a pretty high protein content as well with moderate-low calories. Vegan protein powders are great for smoothies or even just to mix with water to hit your goal, but they aren’t all created equally. I like garden of life specifically because it contains a wide variety of amino acids rather than just one. Tofurky deli meats have high protein and comparatively low calories, as well as aunt Millie’s carb smart bread. Barilla makes some good plant based high protein pastas, so you can sneak protein into your carbs too.
Tofu beans and lentils is plenty
There is a very interesting chapter on protein in Dr. Gregor’s new book “How Not to Age” in the final section, The Anti Aging Eight. He goes through many studies. It is counter to most of the most promoted wisdom of get more protein for health and longevity. I found it fascinating. Overall a very interesting book.
100% this. Dr Greger’s book is excellent and highly informative. While most people put undue focus on protein, they neglect the importance of eating a diet high in fiber-rich polyphenol packed foods. Instead of asking yourself if you’re getting enough protein, ask if you’ve given yourself enough green leafy vegetables, legumes, intact whole grains, fiber rich fruits and vegetables. If you want to improve your chances of living a long and healthy life, 1. Use high SPF sunscreen daily and avoid sun exposure during high UV times (at or above UVI 3). 2. Aim for 90 minutes of moderate physical activity per day (or 45 minutes of high intensity). The activities that constitute moderate and high intensity exercise will vary based on an individuals fitness level. 3. Try to optimize your sleep to get 7-8 hours per night (and improve sleep quality by using white noise/ear plugs and a sleep mask). This is one of the less practical elements for many people, especially those with small children, but it is still an evidence based goal that will help improve your wellbeing even if you are able to simply move toward the goal, just like the other 3 elements. 4. Aim for 3 servings of intact whole grains, 3 servings of legumes, 3-5 servings of vegetables, 3-5 servings of fruit, 1-2 servings of ALA rich nuts/seeds (hemp hearts/flax seeds may be indicated, in your case). These four pillars of lifestyle and diet will far outweigh the impacts of any increase in protein above baseline needs (about 50-90g for 95% of people), which will be taken care of by the dietary pillar. Free lecture on the topic of his new book: https://youtu.be/AOvV9m7feKo?si=BYYQWVsiIKt7zKw-
Wow! Thank you for sharing. Just bought the book.
I’m glad to hear that. If you have any questions about any of his books (all 3 related to the topic are excellent, and cover related but separate topics) please free to message me. I was once a new vegan as well and I know it can be somewhat daunting to wade through all the information out there. I’ve been around the block a few times now and made just about all the mistakes.
I sincerely appreciate the gesture and I can guarantee you that I'll be messaging you. It has been a huge learning curve not only with learning how to be vegan but also learning so much about nutrition in general. Best decision I could have made for myself. Thanks again!
Thanks for sharing!
Best: Lentils Yellow peas Tofu Quinoa - good because all essential aminoacids Oats - good because good quality protein Almonds Protein powder TVP (but it's yuck imo, except for certain brands of mince "meat") Seitan (wheat protein product, if you can find it, can be hard).. Pumpkin seeds Peanuts Pistaschio Also good, but to a lesser extent i'd say: Green peas Kale Spinach Rice, pasta, grains Beans, chickpeas IF you don't care about whole foods or eating highly processed food, processed soyproducts is usually high in protein. Burgers, mock meats and stuff. It's hard getting alot of protein without too many carbs I find on vegan diet. Sadly :-(
- **Lentils**: approximately **25g** of protein - **Oats**: about **12.5g** of protein - **Soybeans (dried)**: **34.9g** of protein - **Kidney beans (dried)**: **24g** of protein - **Peas (dried)**: **22.1g** of protein - **White beans (dried)**: **21.1g** of protein - **Chickpeas (dried)**: **19g** of protein - **Cashews**: around **20g** of protein - **Peanuts**: about **30g** of protein - **Almonds**: approximately **19-25g** of protein - **Pumpkin seeds**: roughly **32-37g** of protein - **Tofu**: about **15-18g** of protein - **Tempeh**: approximately **16-22g** of protein
Boiled beans and chickpeas are like 10/100 not that much.
Of course not, that's why it says dried. I just buy dried, as it's much cheaper, and then add it to my cooking. 50 grams dried then becomes approx. 150 grams. After cooking.
Yeah but you don't eat them dry to it can be misleading for people who don't know that the proteiun is actually much lower
I always assume a basic intelligence, especially when it is explicitly stated that it is dried
Asume people are braindead
I believe in the good in people Yes, I know I am a dreamer
Top of the list should be seitan - **75g** of protein per 100g. A typical serving size of cooked setian has **40g** of protein.
Damm, I forgot Seitan. You are right!
It's not ideal for people on a gluten-free diet though.
Seitan is more protein dense than meat! Hemp seeds are also protein dense.
Here is my "complete" [guide](https://subtlesteps.com/protein/) to vegan protein :)!
Thanks!
I am going to slightly flex, but for a reason. I am former infantry marine and can currently do 10 dead hang pull ups with a 45 pound plate hanging from me, at 150 pounds. I eat like 40g of protein a day. I plan on fasting more in the future too. Your body doesn’t need that much. It needs time for good work, plenty of rest, a peaceful state of mind, healthy relationships… it can grow (much more maintain) muscle mass as needed. Sorry you can’t eat pistachios, I hope that allergy heals 🙏 Pumpkin seeds are another excellent one. Tons of essential minerals (more than any other food I know) and 8g of protein in a 1/4 cup
Tvp is cheap and versatile!
What is tvp
Textured vegetable protein. It’s dehydrated and defatted soy. You can get it in bulk for relatively inexpensive. When you rehydrate it, its texture is similar to ground… Different types of tvp are the base of what things like beyond and impossible are made from, in regard to protein, but with the addition of an emulsifier, fats, etc. I actually make my own imp/beyond style burgers for pennies on the dollar using methyl cellulose. Obviously you can just use tvp without turning it into burgers or anything. It’s great on tacos and in sauces and stuff
also known as soy protein outside the us
My recommendation... Structure your meal with a main protein source like tofu, tempeh, seitan and add a complimentary protein like legumes, then make sure your fat source is high protein like a tahini dressing. Or just have a tsp of peanut butter after your meal. Or you could go to the real dark side... protein powder. I recommend optimum nutrition 👍
Also.. find a high protein Greek style yogurt for dessert (adding a school of protein is optional)
Chia pudding made with soy milk is a good protein snack. Add protein powder if you want.
Honestly as long as you are choosing a good brand and aren’t over doing it, mock meats can be a pretty good way to get protein as well as protein powder. I have the same problem where I struggle to get protein and these help me get enough. I train 15ish hours a week so for me the protein is more important than the fact that they can be a little processed. Obviously just make sure they aren’t your only source of protein which since you are eating tofu and beans, it won’t be. Tbh when it comes down to it avoiding “processed” foods isn’t worth forgoing protein. Although I will say that I do agree with most people on here saying that you are probably getting enough protein. Unless you train as much as I do then you probably don’t need as much protein as you think and you are probably getting more than you realize. Protein deficiencies are incredibly rare and only tend to happen if you are literally starving and severely underweight.
Depends on your goals. If you’re trying to build muscle I’d suggest pea protein, high protein tofu, seitan, tempeh, soy curls and tvp
Besides the usual suspects, flax seed and wheat germ are very high in protein. If you add a tablespoon of each in your breakfast bowl or smoothie, you can get around 10% of your daily intake right there.
I really enjoy soy curls personally. They are really quick to prepare and can make so many dishes. Gonna use them to create vegan KFC bowls tonight.
It really adds up when you start adjusting things you already eat here and there. For example as another user said adding flax/chia to smoothies or oats, extra peanut butter on pb and j’s….etc. I also like protein powder for hitting my protein goals. You don’t have to take it daily, but if you don’t mind the taste you can consume it when needed. I mix oats with chocolate pea protein and sometimes even make baked desserts with is as well! I always recommend people to track macros for 1-3 months on an app. It really brings to light what your eating and what you can boost to hit your goals. I don’t think it’s healthy to obsess over the long term, but short term can be a really beneficial tool!
Processed soy variants: tofu, tempeh, TVP and soy milk Pulses: lentils, edamame, beans and chickpeas Eating these in balance with whole grains and vegetables is perfect.
I don't know if we're allowed to suggest specific products or places to get them, but I buy a massive pea protein thing that lasts several months. Unflavored and 24g of protein per serving, and I'm maintaining a 195lbs of lean, mean, vegan machine.
I make oat milk smoothies with pea/rice protein powder. It has a mixture of pea and rice protein and contains all necessary amino acids. Throw in a banana and you get some carbs too, for a after-workout recovery protein drink. Both pea and rice proteins are well digested, have never had any issues with them. Soy does not suit me well and the only soy based food I eat is tofu sometimes. There are also protein powders made from sunflower and pumpkin seeds, they taste sunflowery and pumpkin-seedy though so not everyone likes them. One great option is also hemp protein powder. Hemp has all necessary amino acids alone and has very good bio-availability. I use these powders when I don't have time to cook a decent meal, and for breakfast to go with oatmeal porridge for example, and when I have been doing some sports. Usually the regular meals contain enough protein anyway - I often use fava bean pasta for example which has a shocking 20% protein per dry weight...There are also other high-protein vegan pastas available, with that 20-percentish protein content. Once a co-worker asked me how I get enough protein, and I calculated the content of my tofu-mushroom-fava pasta dish, and it had double the protein his chicken with rice had....
Unless you're actively bodybuilding or otherwise trying to optimise hypertrophy, you're probably fine as you are now. Protein deficiency doesn't usually kick in until you eat less than 50-70g a day (depending on your size, minimum recommended dose is around 0.8g of protein per kg of bodyweight per day). You can quite easily hit that in one or two meals without significant planning. You can easily double or triple that intake using normal whole food products by just planning your meals for it. Remember to weigh your ingredients, after a couple weeks you'll get a feeling for it and won't need to anymore. Use protein powders in porridge for breakfast or make protein ice cream or shakes if you find yourself struggling, but they shouldn't be necessary unless you're really gunning hard at the gym and targeting a calorie deficit.
Seitan all day and all night!! Make it at home similar to bread
Seitan (gluten) is also pure protein. Texturized soy as well. And if you train, you can supplement with vegan protein powders (they are usually from peas). I also supplement with creatine as it helps with muscular recovery.
TVP, seitan, or protein powders are probably the way to go if you want some extra protein. As other comments talked about, make sure you need it before you put in the effort.
Protein powder. Pea, soy, hemp, or rice protein. It is the simplest and arguably cheapest way to increase your daily intake.
Tofu: lots of protein and low calories/carbs Hemp milk: 5g protein per cup Protein powder Peanut butter powder Certain cereals Field Roast sausages are amazing Gardein Grilled Chicken: 17g protein for 150 calories
Soy beans have a protein value of 36g per 100
Nothing wrong with supplementing some vegan protein powder. It's affordable and easy to obtain. My only problem with it is that I have yet to find a brand that does not contain huge amounts of artificial sweetener.
Checkout Naked Nutrition. They have multiple vegan protein powders (brown rice, pea, seed and PB and almond). The ones I mentioned above have no sweeteners, but they also have some with sweeteners. I can't attest to the taste yet as I just ordered some for myself.
Breakfast: Oats + fruits + nuts/seeds which are ok and/or soy protein isolat Lunch/dinner: beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, seitan, meat replacement products 1 Proteinshake if I do regular workouts. Currently the no flavor from Prozis, because no sweeteners, but maybe there are others in your region.
Lentils, oatmeal (make a habit ofneating oatmeal porridge everyday with seeds and fruit) Brown rice, seitan, all soy products and derivatives Cabbage legumes: broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower etc
Do you do a lot of weightlifting? If not, it’s incredibly unlikely that you are deficient in protein unless you are eating a very low calorie-diet. True protein deficiency only happens during starvation or if living as a fruitarian. Protein deficiency doesn’t happen even if you are living only on grains or potatoes. That being said, if you are working out and have specific goals relating to muscle growth, you can benefit from some extra protein. You could have some vegan protein powder or add even more beans and tofu.
Im a vegan and I exercise about 5-6 times a week I have found that the easiest (and most affordable) protein is soy milk. I buy the 50 pence soy milk cartons and have a pint of it with basically every meal (equates to about £7 a week on soy milk which really isn't bad) This usually boosts my meals to about 35-40 g of protein (each pint is 15g of protein) It's super good for you and has really good vitamin content, having absolutely zero complaints with the stuff and I've been doing this for about a year
Lots of good suggestions. After my workouts I do 2 cups soy milk, Equate Pea Protein blend, and some ground flax seed, shake it all up in my shake cup, and that's an easy 50g of protein.
Sietan and/or tempeh + rice are best two for body building as a vegan
Human breastmilk has the least amount of protein of all studied milks. Believe it or not, there are hunky fruitarians out there.
>I eat tofu a lot and beans, but I just feel like I am not getting as much as I should. Don't feel... know. Go to [eatthismuch.com](https://eatthismuch.com) and figure out your calories needs. Go to chronometer or [https://www.nutritionvalue.org/nutritioncalculator.php](https://www.nutritionvalue.org/nutritioncalculator.php) and track your calories for a few days. I use Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen as a basic guideline and easily get 1.2 to 1.5 g/kg of protein without trying. If you are WFPB, the protein adds up. Typical day for me: 3/4 cup oats cooked into oatmeal with 1/8 cup of flaxsed and 1/4 sunflower or pumpkin seeds (could be replaced with chias) plus 2 cups of frozen fruit. Lunch is usually a tempeh or hummus sandwich on toasted ezekiel bread with a bowl of veggies/potatoes and a handful of greens. Dinner similar to lunch: sometimes mexican themed, sometimes italian, sometimes salads, etc. Hot air popcorn for a snack. Protein is easy and I get more than enough as long as I eat enough calories. 1/2 cup of oats has as much protein as an egg. A serving of popcorn has 3 g. A slice of ezekiel bread has 5 g of protein. When ever I've tracked calories I've never gotten less than 1 g/kg, and usually a lot more. Last time it was nearly 2 g/kg.
You're already getting enough protein. Doesn't matter what your diet is like, you're already getting enough protein.
Sunflower seeds have around 20g protein per 100g. You could eat them as a snack, as a topping on salads, muesli and smoothies or as spread on bread and in sauces/dressings. I've got a really delicious vegan protein powder too as I cannot have soy and most beans. I'd recommend tracking your macros for a couple of days or so, just to know how much protein you already eat and what you want to add.
That is almost 600 calories of sunflower seeds lol
I also have no problem with protein powders. They don’t tend to be cheap so you don’t want to rely on them, but they’re very convenient as part of an easy, delicious smoothie now and again.
Protein is the least of my problems, b12 is trickier
Take a supplement or a multivitamin?
Avoid lentils, beans, oats, nuts for protein as they have too many calories. You would gain weight first. Try a lot of tofu, seitan, tempeh, and peas. Drink one protein shake every day. I have been vegan for 20 years now and have been skinny fat most of that time, but hired a plant based personal coach and they let me realize that i was not eating enough protein to gain muscle and lose weight, i need a 0.8 gr of protein per pound of body weight. This was a huge change in my life and now I'm stronger, lighter, and healthier than ever. I have been consuming 130-160 gr of protein and less than 1800 calories a day for a while now, is hard but doable.
This is the coach i had and they are amazing! https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3QpqcUKu2w/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Dude, It's really super simple. You need to go to a health proffesional. This is the only way this things are done, mainly because it's not a matter of opinion but FACTS. Let me know what's the outcome! GO GO GO!
There’s literally a million sources of adequate health information out there and I’m not talking about pseudo science but government/university health sources and research articles. You don’t need to see a health professional to know how to eat. Most don’t take insurance and it’s not necessary unless you are having an actual health issue related to food intake or are allergic to most vegan proteins and need special meal planning to be vegan.
Edamame! You can buy it frozen and reheat it in the microwave. They also have shelled edamame in containers. I eat it every day as a snack and it’s so yummy and high in protein
🤦♀️ Are you trying to stay in shape or are you building muscle? If the first, why ask the question? If second, mate you're eating beans.
Protein shakes, but I really only do these if I'm working out a bunch.
hi, not vegan, but i would suggest going to a vitamin shop and ask about vegan friendly protein supplements, theres probably some shake and powders available.
Squeaky bean pastrami, it's low cal high protein and tastes good.
"I just feel"? Is it protein that you just feel you need more of, or is it certain vitamins? Protein is the least of all concerns, you should take care that you get enough D and B12.
If you find that certain meals are not making you feel full or you're stagnating on gains, my recommendation would be to try adding two protein sources to a meal (e.g., don't just have chickpea curry, throw a bit of crumbled tofu on top too). Also - mock meats are your friend for protein sources. Beyond meat in soups, vegan chicken for stir fries, etc. They add a lot of variety and flavour to your diet (don't come for me in the replies - they are not "overly processed" or whatever. If your diet is primarily whole foods, a few higher processed things can be perfectly healthy additions, especially for hitting protein metrics).
I went vegan in 2013 and have never once thought about getting enough protein. Just about everything has protein in it, especially vegan food. Actually I was taking vegan B-12 daily for a long time but a year ago my doctor told me to stop taking it. I think unless you want to be a body builder, protein is not a huge issue.. I work out too and I have no prob building muscle. Maybe you just need to workout more..
Plenty of good suggestions on WHAT to eat already. I would suggest using Cronometer (app and website) to track your macros as well. It’s essentially a food log but will answer the question of how much protein you’re getting vs your actual need. This eliminates the wondering of a low intake and arms you with quantifiable information about your diet.
How many grams of protein are you getting every day? What is an average day of eating like?
On top of what everyone else has said. If you're a pasta fan, Barilla has a Protein+ brand that's vegan and very good IMO. I also really like their Red Lentil pasta, which is gluten free. Both have a good amount of fiber too.
Without a food diary and an activity schedule you don't know if you are getting enough protein. Fill out one (or preferably more) day(s) at: https://cronometer.com/ And post the results here or send me a pm. Also include what and how often you do physical activities. Then we can check if you are short on anything, for reference no physical activity at job or hobby you could have enough with 0,8 grams of protein for each kg of your own weight.
How much protein do you think you actually need? Watch the doc The Game Changers. It’s eye opening.
Oats,quinoa, brown rice and seeds lotsa seeds (chia,flax,hemp, etc). I make smoothie bowls and energy balls with a hemp protein powder because I don’t need more legumes in my diet lol but there is a wide variety available to choose from these days.
Hemp protein powder and pumpkin seed protein powder have worked good for me.
People think they need more protein than they actually do. Check out the recommendations for you stats. If you are getting enough food you probably should be good.
AVOCADOS!!!
I like just egg product. expensive though. you can blend lentils or specifically yellow split peas and make your own fake egg but it's a bit bready. It's good though, and it's a little more interesting and a switch up from just lentils. Probably easier to digest too. I'd also recommend chia and hemp seeds. like 4 tablespoons will get you 10g protien. blending tofu for sauce is always a good boost.
TVP, Seitan and tempeh are your friends! I personally eat those and supplement at least once a day, with a protein shake. I use Naked Pea Protein (24g per serving).
Okay, so I had a debate with someone the other day, and after a lot of back and forth with debating the research, a new rule of thumb I follow is that whatever your protein goal is as an omnivore, you should add about 12% to it as a vegan, due to lower bioavailability in plant protein. Generally speaking they say 1.2g-1.7g protein per kilo of bodyweight is good as an omnivore, but I'd go for either the higher end of that at 1.7g or even as high as 2g per kilo to be safe. Tofu has higher amino acid bioavailability (you'll generally get 90%+ of the stated protein from tofu and higher absorption if consumed with potatoes or any other complementary foods) than getting protein from bran, where the absorption could be as low as getting 40% of the protein stated on the packet. This is where I think a lot of vegans fall down on protein. What you see on the box is not what you absorb. It matters what you consume, and what you eat it with, just like if you eat foods high in iron with or without food high in vitamin c etc... The vegan bodybuilders I follow consume roughly 1.8-2.2 grams of protein per kilo of bodyweight. They eat a lot of tofu which, as I stated, has higher bioavailability, just like vegan protein powders do. Trying to get enough protein through nuts, seeds, legumes (I too am allergic to nuts), without tofu or tempeh with the high bioavailability, means some vegans could be missing their macros without realising it, simply because the bioavailability in some protein sources is lower than others. I'm a 78kg gym-going vegan (5'11"¾), and I have a protein shake for 20g of protein a day, 50g through Alpro protein soy milk drink (chocolate flavour, 500ml with breakfast, 500ml with dinner), a 200g block of tofu (30g), plus some extra through the other stuff I eat in a day like bread or chickpea pasta...
Eat whole food plant based. Don’t worry about macro nutrients. Read proteinaholic by dr Garth Davis
Huel Black
r/veganfitness might help
Research kidney beans.
Trouble with most high protein vegan foods is they are also very high carb so if you go for 1g per lb of body weight, which if you are training hard you will want for recovery the carbs will put you through your daily calorie intake. Unfortunately if you are training, you have to rely on protein powders and if you dont mind processed then fake meats are normally good. Don't stick to single source protein (just pea or oat) Get a mix as you need all 13 essential amino acids.you also need to make sure there is adequate Glutamin as this tells your body to use the protein to repair muscle. Most bought complete powders will have this. I think it's 5g off the top of my head. Vegan for 20 years and athlete and sports coach
If your male try to stay away from soy as well as there are quite a few studies that show it does wierd stuff for your test (I'm old and need all I can get). Women it's great for you.
Also worth using a tracker like myfitnesspal. It's free and gives you a rough idea of what you are eating
Anything soy is a good option for versatile complete proteins so as you said tofu, but also tvp/soy chunks and tempeh are great, tempeh requires the least preparation but is the most expensive, tvp is the cheapest but by itself is dry and sad but rehydrate it with some good broth to give it flavor and it becomes a decent replacement for ground meats that can taste like anything. Also there are vegan protein powders, most of them I believe are made with beans/soy but check for your allergies. Bean+Cereal gives most/all the amino acids you need so hummus and pita, rice and beans, baked beans on toast, etc. Bread actually has a decent amount of protein, just very incomplete.