Protein in brief

The question "Where do you get your protein from?" is all too familiar for anyone following a plant-based lifestyle. While the popularity of plant-based foods is on the rise, many people still connect protein with animal-based products. If you're getting enough to eat with a variety of foods, though, you’re likely getting more than enough protein - even in plant-based lifestyles! 

Why protein matters

To fully appreciate protein, it helps to know its role in our health. As a macronutrient, alongside carbohydrates and fats, protein provides us with energy and has important structural and functional responsibilities. Here are some key roles of protein:

  • Structure: proteins like collagen and keratin help build muscles and tissues.
  • Hormones: some proteins, like insulin, act as messengers to send signals in the body.
  • Transportation: proteins help move things around, like how hemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.
  • Immune defence: antibodies and immunoglobulins are proteins that protect us from getting sick.
  • Enzymes: proteins help speed up chemical reactions in the body, for example, to support digestion and other processes.

Benefits of plant-proteins

Embracing plant-based proteins comes with many benefits, including the intake of other essential nutrients and fibre. Enjoying more plant-based proteins also supports heart and gut health, aids in weight management, and helps fight inflammation. Additionally, they’re an environmentally conscious and more sustainable choice compared to many animal-based proteins. Despite these benefits, some still question whether plant-based lifestyles can meet protein needs, so let’s take a closer look.

Understanding protein needs 

When it comes to protein needs, both quantity and quality are important. Let's start with quantity first. 

Most of us can easily meet our protein needs by enjoying a variety of plant foods, without the need for strict tracking.

The amount of protein we need depends on factors like our age, body type, activity level, and overall health. For those interested in numbers, the average adult needs at least 0.8 to 1.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (g/kg) each day. This means we can multiply 0.8 and 1 by weight to get a protein target. For example, if someone weighs 65 kg, their estimated protein target is 52 to 65 g per day (0.8 g x 65 kg = 52 and 1.0 g x 65 kg = 65).  Some plant-based experts suggest aiming for the higher end of this range, or having at least 10% of calories come from protein. For 2500-calories, this is 62.5 grams of protein (2500 calories x 0.1 / 4 g of protein per calorie = 62.5). Research has found that vegans comfortably meet these targets! 

At PUL, we understand that tracking nutrition can be overwhelming and lead to focusing too much on numbers. To see if you're meeting protein needs, you can consider tracking for just a few days. The PUL Mobile App is one tool that helps estimate nutrition intake.

A note on athletes

Many people think that everyone who exercises needs to load up on protein, but this isn’t the case. While it’s true that those building muscle or engaging in high levels of activity have higher needs - about 1.3g-2.2 g/kg for plant-based athletes - most recreational exercisers don't need as much. The average adult who enjoys regular exercise can typically get enough protein from regular meals and snacks. Even for elite athletes with high protein needs, meeting targets is typically easier than expected because their increase in overall food consumption naturally boosts protein intake.

Other populations to consider 

Protein needs are also higher in young children, elderly populations, and pregnant individuals. Lifestyles that might lack enough protein include fruit-heavy ones like raw veganism, low-calorie diets, or plant-based eating habits that avoid legumes, nuts, and seeds. It’s best to consult a healthcare professional, such as a dietitian, for personalized nutrition advice, especially in these cases.

A vegan athlete exercising and stretching who is wondering about protein needs
Most recreationally active adults get enough protein from usual meals and snacks.

Food sources of protein

Protein is found in a wide variety of foods like legumes, grains, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Here are some top plant-based protein sources, along with their approximate grams of protein per serving.

Grains

  • Rolled oats, uncooked (½ cup) - 5 g
  • Quinoa, cooked (½ cup) - 4 g
  • Buckwheat, cooked (½ cup) - 3 g 

Legumes & meat alternatives

  • Vital wheat gluten (25 grams) - 19 g
  • Tempeh (½ cup) - 17 g
  • Tofu (½ cup) - 13 g
  • Edamame (½ cup) - 9 g
  • General meat alternative (½ cup) - 9 g 
  • Beans (most varieties) (½ cup) - 8 g

Nuts and seeds

  • Hemp seeds (¼ cup) - 13 g
  • Pumpkin seeds (¼ cup) - 11 g
  • Peanuts (¼ cup) - 9 g
  • Chia seeds (¼ cup) - 8 g 
  • Peanut butter (2 tbsp) - 8 g 
  • Almond butter (2 tbsp) - 7 g 
  • Tahini (2 tbsp) - 5 g 
lettuce tofu wraps which include tofu, chickpea, sesame seeds, and peanut sauce for vegan protein
Our high-protein lettuce wraps include tofu, chickpeas, sesame seeds, and peanut sauce for protein.

Vegetables 

  • Green peas, cooked (1 cup) - 8 g
  • Artichoke, cooked (1 cup) - 5 g
  • Spinach, cooked (1 cup) - 5 g

Plant-based milk products

  • Soy milk (1 cup) - 8 g
  • Soy yogurt (¾ cup) - 6 g
Pro tip: soy milk is often recommended because it provides protein similar to cow's milk, whereas other plant-based milks typically don't offer as much.

Plant-based protein quality

Protein is a large structure made up of smaller building blocks called amino acids - and this is where quality comes into play. The body needs twenty amino acids: eleven are "non-essential" because the body can produce them, and nine are "essential" because we must get them from food.

Essential amino acids are protein building blocks that the body can’t make, so we must get them from food. These include histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.

Different foods have varying amounts of these amino acids, but when a food supplies all nine essential amino acids in high enough amounts, it’s called a “complete protein”. Soy is a plant-based example of a complete protein, whereas other plant foods may lack enough of some essential amino acids. For example, most grains like rice are rich in methionine but low in lysine, while beans are high in lysine but low in methionine.

Coconut kidney curry with rich which is rich in methionine and beans which are high in lysine
Foods contain varying levels of the nine essential amino acids. For example, grains tend to be high in methionine while most legumes tend to be high in lysine. 

Do I have to combine protein foods?

It was once thought that we needed to eat complementary foods, like rice and beans, together in one sitting to get all the essential amino acids at once. We now know though, that consuming these foods within the same day is enough. This means that eating a variety of plant-based foods throughout the day will give your body all the essential amino acids it needs. In any case, we may find that many commonly eaten foods are already complementary, for example:

  • Toast with nut butter.
  • Hummus with pita bread or whole-grain crackers.
  • Rice and beans, in a nourish bowl, wrap, or taco.
frozen yogurt breakfast bars, a protein rich snack
For a protein-rich snack, try our frozen yogurt breakfast bars.

Exploring protein absorption

Plant-based proteins sometimes face criticism for not being as efficiently absorbed, but the research is conflicting. Scientists sometimes use protein scoring systems to give us insight into how our bodies absorb different types of protein. Two of these systems include the Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) and the newer Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS). While these scoring systems are helpful they have limitations, especially when applied to plant-based proteins. For example, these scoring systems don't consider that cooking and processing some plant-based foods can make them easier for our bodies to digest. Regardless, there are some tips to optimize the absorption of nutrients from plant-based foods. 

Tips to optimize protein absorption

  • Soak and sprout: there are many benefits to soaking foods like nuts, seeds, beans and grains, including making them easier to digest. 
  • Embrace variety: enjoying different foods helps give us a variety of different nutrients, including amino acids. 
  • Include protein at each meal and some snacks: spreading out your protein intake throughout the day helps ensure you consistently get enough to maximize absorption. To learn about creating a nutritionally balanced plate that includes protein, see our plate method article.

Easy ways to add in plant-proteins

There are plenty of ways to enjoy protein-rich plants, but if you’re looking for inspiration here are some more ideas:

  1. Prioritize high-protein plant milks: fortified soy or pea milk boosts protein intake, plus other nutrients like calcium. They can be enjoyed with granola, baked goods, smoothies, soups, and much more.
  2. Explore soy products like tofu and tempeh: these are versatile sources of complete protein. Enjoy them in stir-fries, curries, nourish bowls, and more.
  3. Sprinkle some seeds: Add chia, flax, or hemp seeds to dishes like yogurt, oatmeal, or salads for protein plus healthy fats.
  4. Try other toppings: nuts, nutritional yeast, plant-based Greek yogurts or homemade “cheeses” can elevate dishes. Store-bought plant-based cheese may not offer as much protein as we think!
  5. Choose whole grains: experiment with whole grains like amaranth, barley, buckwheat, quinoa, or wild rice as alternatives to refined grains like white rice which offer less protein. 
  6. Consider meat alternatives: the most wholesome meat alternatives are those made with ingredients like beans, peas, whole grains, mushrooms, or other veggies. More processed meat alternatives contain higher levels of sodium, saturated fat, and other fillers, so consider enjoying the highly processed varieties in moderation.
  7. Sneak in bulk into sauces: purée white beans, lentils, ground seeds, or silken tofu into sauces or soups.
Black Bean Garlic Tofu Nourish Bowl featuring soba noodles are made from buckwheat, edamame, tofu, veggies, and sesame seeds for extra protein
Our Black Bean Garlic Tofu Nourish Bowl features buckwheat noodles, edamame, tofu, sesame seeds, and a variety of vegetables for a protein-packed meal!

Do vegans need protein powder?

Here at PUL, we promote foods first where possible, and the same goes for protein. It's absolutely possible to meet protein needs through foods alone, even for athletes. For those interested in a food-based addition to shakes, consider adding silken tofu, soy or pea milk, plant-based Greek yogurt, nut or seed butter, ground seeds, white beans, or rolled oats to homemade drinks. If you have high protein needs or find it hard to meet them through food, your healthcare provider might suggest using a protein powder supplement. Options typically include soy, pea, hemp, flax, chia, and brown rice protein. When choosing powders, look for brands that are minimally sweetened and tested for contaminants.

Summary

  1. It's completely possible to get enough protein in plant-based lifestyles without the need for supplements: enjoying a variety of plant foods helps meet needs.
  2. For adults who exercise recreationally, a protein intake of 0.8-1.0 g/kg is typically enough: plant-based lifestyles can aim for the upper end of this target for optimal nutrition status.
  3. Athletes building muscle or engaging in high-intensity activity have higher needs of 1.3g-2.2 g/kg: plant-based athletes can often still meet protein needs from foods first.
  4. Top plant-based protein sources include legumes and grain products: such as tofu, tempeh, edamame, peas, beans, vital wheat gluten (seitan), quinoa, and buckwheat. Nuts, seeds, and soy or pea-based milk alternatives are also nourishing options.
  5. Focus on getting protein from food first, before turning to supplements: if choosing a supplement though, consider one that's minimally sweetened and tested for contaminants after consulting with your healthcare provider.