Do vegans get enough protein?

Mar 24

This is a very common sentiment I see from non-vegans. The world has conditioned us to believe that protein = animal flesh and their secretions. But in reality, there are many plant-based sources that are high in protein, whether it be whole foods, protein shakes and bars, or junk food. Interestingly enough, the beef industry funded a study trying to prove that plant-based protein isn’t as good as animal protein, but they ended up proving that they’re equal. And I’d argue that they’re not just equal and that plant-based protein is actually better for you, since eating animal products leads to so many health issues. Even plant-based meat substitutes are better for you than dead animal flesh-based meat. We also have studies showing that a vegan diet can provide enough protein for children and adults, and is great for muscle growth and athletic performance. So, not only is it better for the animals if we eat plant-based protein, but it’s also better for our health.

The average person only needs a moderate amount of protein, which is easily found in plant-based products. My advice when going vegan is to start by eating the vegan foods that taste good to you, even if they’re “junk food.” For example, if you’re used to eating hamburgers, eat Impossible or Beyond Burgers. If you’re used to eating chicken nuggets, eat Beyond or Gardein nuggets. Eating foods that have similar tastes and textures to the foods you were eating before can make the transition much easier. Veganism is an ethical stance, not a health movement, but if you want to eat healthier foods you can swap out junk food for healthier food after you’ve acclimated to being vegan. Of course, if you’re already eating healthy as a non-vegan, you can skip the vegan junk food and go straight to healthy vegan food.

If you’re an athlete, bodybuilder, powerlifter, or anyone else on a high protein diet, you may have to be a bit more deliberate with your food choices to ensure you’re getting the extra protein you need. Not getting enough protein can lead to feeling hungry even when you’ve eaten a lot, and it can make the transition harder. It’s easy to do though, and there are many successful athletes (listed at the bottom of this page) who are at the top of their game while eating a plant-based diet.

Some people will claim that all plant proteins are incomplete proteins, but that’s of course not true. There are many plants that are complete proteins as is. So you can eat those foods and get all the amino acids and be good to go. Or alternatively, you can combine certain plants in your diet that are incomplete proteins, so that together you get all the amino acids your body needs.

Below are some examples of high protein plant-based foods:

Whole foods with high protein (amount of protein per cup):

Seitan - 64 grams
Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP): 48 grams
Soybeans - 31.3 grams
Tempeh - 31 grams
Tofu - 20 grams
Edamame - 18.5 grams
Lentils - 16.2 grams
Black beans - 16 grams
Chickpeas - 14.7 grams
Kidney beans - 14 grams

Protein shakes and bars (amount of protein per shake or bar):

Junk food (amount of protein per patty):

As mentioned above, not only are athletes who eat a plant-based diet common, but many of them have won championships and hold world records:

Venus Williams - 16-time Grand Slam Champion, 5 times Wimbledon winner
Kyrie Irving - eight-time All-Star and three-time member of the All-NBA Team
Nate Diaz - tied for third most submission wins in UFC Lightweight division history and fourth most submissions in UFC history
Patrik Baboumian - a German strongman who holds several world records
Scott Jurek - an ultramarathon runner who set numerous records and won several major races
Alex Morgan - FIFA Women’s World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist
Meagan Duhamel - a Canadian figure skater who won a bronze medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics
Tia Blanco - an American professional surfer who has won several major competitions and was named the World Surfing Champion in 2015
Vegan Strong
No Meat Athlete

For more information as well as resources to help you go vegan, check out my Resources page