Vegan diets are becoming more and more popular lately. People are learning, understanding, and choosing to
eat less animal based foods, both for the health of their bodies, and the
planet. But there are common questions and concerns that a vegan diet may not
provide enough complete protein. Those who work out regularly may be
concerned about getting enough vegan protein sources to keep up with the muscle building
and recovery that comes with rigorous exercise. And, many of us are just
stuck in the mindset that we must consume meat and dairy in order to get
enough protein. The fact is that animal products aren’t the only source of quality protein.

Not long ago it was believed that all vegan protein sources
need to be “complete.”  We now know that eating a variety of
foods that contain protein through the day, like grains, legumes, vegetables,
nuts and seeds, even if they are’t complete proteins, is actually sufficient,
and that our bodies can recycle unused protein, and put the various
“incomplete proteins” together to get what it needs. Our bodies are
amazing!

The term “complete protein” refers to amino acids, the
building blocks of protein. There are 20 different amino acids that can form
a protein, and 9 that the body can’t produce on its own.

These are called essential amino acids. Essential means
that we need to eat them because we can’t make them ourselves. In order
to be considered “complete,” a protein must contain all nine of these
essential amino acids in roughly equal amounts.

It’s still a great idea to try and get complete proteins into your
daily diet, although it is not required.

Whereas meat and eggs are complete protein sources on their own,
and beans and nuts aren’t, we don’t need every essential amino acid in
every bite of food in every meal we eat. We only need a sufficient amount of
each amino acid every day. Most dietitians, as well as an article published
in the American Heart Association Blog believe that plant-based diets
contain such a wide variety of amino acid profiles that vegans who follow a
diet of a variety of plant-based foods should be able to get all of
their amino acids with very little effort.

Here are some of the easiest, and some of my favorite, vegan
protein sources. The nutritional data given here, and more, can be found on
Self Nutrition Database.

8 Awesome Vegan Protein Sources

1. Quinoa

Protein: 8 grams per 1 cup serving, cooked
Full of fiber, iron, magnesium, and manganese, quinoa is a terrific substitute
for rice and it’s versatile enough to make muffins, fritters, cookies,
pancakes, and more. I recommend always keeping a container of cooked quinoa
in your refrigerator. It is great for making a quick breakfast bowl with
fruit and almond milk, adding to a wrap sandwich, or whipping up a quick
dinner. You can add cooked quinoa to a green salad for extra nutrition, use
it to stuff mushrooms or peppers, it is very versatile, making it one of my
top go-tos for easy and available protein.

2. Buckwheat

Protein: 6 grams per 1 cup serving, cooked groats
Buckwheat is, in fact, not a type of wheat at all, but a seed that comes
from a flower. Buckwheat groats can be used much the same way as quinoa, as a
go-to staple in your refrigerator, and warm buckwheat groats for breakfast is
a delicious alternative to oatmeal. Buckwheat is extremely healthy.
Some studies have shown that it may improve circulation, lower blood cholesterol
and control blood glucose levels. Buckwheat is also commonly enjoyed as a
flour and used for pancakes, muffins, breads, and other baked goods. Another
great way to get buckwheat is in soba noodles and pasta. But if you are
trying to avoid gluten, make sure you get only 100% pure buckwheat soba, as
many manufacturers put wheat flour in the product to make it more profitable.
King Soba makes an excellent variety of 100% pure buckwheat soba products. And I have featured
soba a couple times on my healthy recipe blog, The Whole Dish.

3. Hempseed

Protein: 10 grams per 2 tablespoon serving
Hempseed is my new BFF in the kitchen. Starting with it’s nutritional
benefits, it contains significant amounts of all nine essential amino acids,
as well as plenty of magnesium, zinc, iron, and calcium. Hempseed is also
high in fiber, and a rare vegan source of essential fatty acids, like
omega-3s. From an aesthetic standpoint, hemp seeds, because of their high fat
content, provide that comfort connection that is sometimes needed in a vegan
meal, in order to round out the richness. For example, you can use hempseed
in a vegan pesto and not even miss the parmesan. I posted a hempseed pesto
recipe on my recipe blog a while back. Or add it to a dull healthy shake to give
the shake a little more dairy-like depth. I also use hempseed to make a mock
parmesan topping for sprinkling into caesar salads, over pasta, or on garlic
bread, by combining hempseed, nutritional yeast, and almond or cashew
meal.

4. Chia

Protein: 4 grams per 2 tablespoon serving
Chia seeds are the highest plant source of omega-3 fatty acids, and they
contain more fiber than flax seeds or nuts. Chia is also a powerhouse of
iron, calcium, zinc, and antioxidants. It is easy to sprinkle chia on salads,
over oatmeal, on your toast, and it provides a pleasant crunch while
delivering a high amino acid score. But the best thing about these little
seeds is that they take on a gelatinous consistency when mixed with liquid.
This makes them fantastic for making healthy puddings, thickening smoothies,
or replacing eggs in vegan baking. I use “chia eggs” a lot in my
kitchen, in vegan burgers, cookies, and loafs. For one chia egg mix one
tablespoon of chai seeds with 3 tablespoons of water, and wait until it
becomes gooey like an egg. One chia egg replaces one dairy egg…awesomeness!

5. Soy

Protein: 10 grams per ½ cup serving (firm tofu), 15 grams per ½
cup serving (tempeh)
Soy gets a pretty bad wrap lately. And for good reason in many cases. This
article in the Huffington Post written by Dr. Joseph Mercola basically sums it up. So why am
I putting soy on this list then? That is an excellent question. While beans
in general are normally low in the amino acid methionine, soy is a complete
protein and thoroughly deserves its status as the go-to substitute for the
meat-free enthusiast. But its helpful to know that are getting more optimal soy in order to avoid any possible health concerns. In the same article mentioned above, Dr. Mercola points out that traditional, fermented
forms of soy are not only considered ‘safe’ but can be a beneficial part of your
diet. Fermented soy is a great source of vitamin K2, and K2 (combined
with vitamin D) is essential in preventing osteoporosis, cardiovascular
disease, dementia, and various types of cancer. Fermented soy products
include miso, tempeh, natto, and tamari (a more traditionally fermented soy sauce).

Whereas Dr. Mercola does not include tofu in his list of okay soy
products, another article, HowSoy Can Kill You and Save Your Life, by Dr. Mark Hyman, says that
organic tofu or organic sprouted tofu is okay. I personally prefer the sprouted
variety. I took this “Do and Don’t” list right from his
article:

1. Say YES to whole, real soy. The Okinawans are the world’s longest-lived people, probably in part because of
   their diet. For more than five millennia, they’ve eaten whole, organic and
   fermented soy foods like miso, tempeh, tofu, soy milk, and edamame (young
   soybeans in the pod). One to two servings a day of any of these foods are
   fine.
2. Say NO to processed soy. That includes soy protein isolate and concentrates, genetically engineered soy
   foods (typically made from Monsanto’s Roundup soybeans), soy supplements, and
   soy junk foods like soy cheese, soy ice cream, soy oil, and soy burgers. They
   don’t have the thousands of years of traditional use that whole soy foods do,
   are processed, and contain unhealthy fats and other compounds. I have real
   concerns about these types of soy.

NOTE: I am not a huge fan of putting “good or bad” labels on food. The information I provide here is meant to give you some objective viewpoints from a couple different experts, and help you decide how to make the best possible choices for yourself and your family. In my practice it is all about doing the best you can, and not attaching any anxiety, fear, or moral code to your food.

I include traditional forms of soy in our meals about once a week. According to Dr. Hyman, you can get one or two servings per day and be ‘okay.’

6. Ezekiel Bread

Protein: 8 grams per 2 slice serving
For the most part, I like to focus on whole, and as minimally processed
foods as possible in my nutrition coaching. But this bread, in my opinion, is
a must have in every vegan, whole food kitchen. If you make this your regular
all purpose loaf bread you will be doing yourself a huge favor. The bread is
named and modeled after a passage in the bible: “Take wheat, barley, beans,
lentils, millet, and spelt, put them in one vessel and make them into bread
for yourself,” (Ezekiel 4:9). While initially intended to help a
besieged Jerusalem make bread when supplies were low, this bread turned out
to be a recipe for an extraordinarily nutritious loaf that contains all of
the essential amino acids. It’s also usually made from sprouted grains, a
process which significantly increases the bread’s fiber and vitamin content,
as well as its digestibility. There are other brands of a similar bread but
make sure you do your research so you know that you are getting the high
amino acid rating that you need for a complete protein.

7. Pumpkinseed Butter

Protein: 10 grams per 2 tablespoon serving
Okay, so this may seem like an odd suggestion. But here is my reasoning.
You are going to spread something on your toast or your crackers. You may as
well be getting more complete protein with one of the highest amino acid
ratings available in a nut or seed spread. Pumpkinseed butter made from
whole, raw pumpkinseeds gives you just that. The only draw back is that
pumpkinseed butter is pretty high in saturated fat. But so is almond butter
and coconut oil, two foods that in spite of their fat content provide health
benefits. Just don’t overdo it. Enjoy it once a day or so. And don’t worry if
you can’t find pumpkinseed butter. You can make your own in a food processor,
or it is easy to find on line. Here is one example of three different
brands from the website Raw Food World.

8. Vegan Protein Powder

If keeping track of all these foods gets to be a bit much, you can
always supplement your protein with a good quality protein shake. In my
opinion, whole food vegan protein is the best kind of plant based protein, for its
digestibility, bioavailability, and when formulated properly, a complete
protein with all the essential amino acids. There are a lot of protein
shakes out there. If you aren’t careful you can end up consuming a lot of
added sugar, synthetic chemicals, fillers, GMO soy, and isolated nutrients.
When mixed with almond milk, a little hempseed, and some pumpkinseed butter,
you are giving yourself a good complete protein meal in a convenient shake. I
take a shake almost once per day and sometimes more. It is definitely one of
the most convenient ways to get your complete protein.

Again, doing your best to make the best choices possible is going to pay off in the long run.

You can get a leg up on all the vegan trends coming our way by
scheduling a Vegan Meal Planning session, where you can learn all the basics
and windfalls of following a vegan diet, and how to avoid protein and other
nutritional deficiencies.  You are welcome to schedule a FREE coaching call to ask questions and get some initial
direction.

Meanwhile, enjoy your plant-based nutrition journey!