Best Vegan Sources Of Protein

Many clients and friends I know who are serious about working out stay away from the vegan diet because of a specific reason. They don’t know the best vegan sources of protein. They also don’t think you can get enough good sources of protein to build muscle as a vegan. This is mostly why I decided to write this and show you that this is not true.

About 6 million people in the United States claim to be Vegan. This can be tough to make the transition if you are a lifelong meat eater. I would never tell anyone they need to become vegan, but I recommend you at least try it. Besides being the single biggest way to reduce your impact on the planet, you may actually feel healthier in general.

Please read on, and hopefully, this will clear up any concerns about why you should become vegan or not.

WHAT IS A VEGAN

You may know someone who is a vegan but unsure what they can eat. A vegan chooses not to eat meat, but they also will not consume anything that originates from animals. This would include dairy or eggs, for example.

About 75 years ago, there was a group of vegetarians who came up with the name. They took the first letters and last letters of vegetarian and combined them to come up with vegan.

When someone excludes animal cruelty either from clothing, food, or anything else related, that is called Veganism. So you would not see a vegan wearing leather, silk, wool, or fur. A vegan may exclude products that are filtered using animal parts or products that have been tested on animals. Examples would be some beers, wines, or sugars.

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THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VEGAN VS PESCATARIAN VS VEGETARIAN

Vegan

• Excludes all meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, and dairy.

Vegetarian

• Includes eggs and dairy.
• Does not include meat, poultry, fish, and seafood.

Pescatarian

• Includes eggs, dairy, fish, and seafood.
• Does not include meat and poultry.

The main difference between a vegetarian or vegan diet is some view a vegan as the strictest form of a vegetarian. A great example would be the difference in ethics.  Vegans do not find it acceptable to consume animal products of animals killed for food that has been kept in adequate conditions.  Vegetarians are not against this and find products like eggs and milk acceptable. This is why vegan over vegetarianism is less popular because of how strict you have to be.

 

BENEFITS AND DISADVANTAGES OF BECOMING VEGAN

Benefits

• Weight Loss is something studies have shown to be better as a vegan. For example, in 2016, Harvard performed a study over 2.5 months with almost 1200 people. The results showed significant benefits for vegans vs. non-vegan diets. In general, this type of diet is higher in fiber which is a big positive for weight loss. This is a great reason why you may want to go vegan to lose weight.
• Better heart health since plants has lower saturated fats. Saturated fats are mostly found in meat and animal products. Eating foods with too many saturated fats increases the amount of cholesterol in your blood.  The results can raise your risk for heart disease.
  
• Lower Cancer risk since eating a lot of meat that has been processed can increase your risk for cancers such as esophageal and colon. Plant-based foods contain phytochemicals.  These are important nutrients that help your immune system fight off cancer.
• Increase energy metabolism and improves insulin sensitivity with an after-meal burn. This was according to an actual study done for 4 months. The vegan group lost almost 14 pounds and increased metabolism by almost 19%.

.Disadvantages

• Dining out can be very tough because your choices are minimal on how many restaurants offer 100% real and true vegan choices.
• Low mineral & Vitamin levels can be a concern, especially with B12, shown in studies to be low in a vegan diet.
• The need for protein gets to be more of a challenge. I only put this on the disadvantages because it requires a little more effort to figure out the best options. After a while, this will not become a disadvantage to you once you are a regular at being a vegan.

BEST VEGAN SOURCES OF PROTEIN

I used to shy away from this diet because I assumed you could not get enough protein from plants. Then after doing more and more research, my mind was changed.  Think about a hand full of peanuts or, let’s say, 1/4 of a cup. That right there is about 10 grams of protein!

You could even sprinkle some pine nuts on your salad to add an extra 10 grams of protein. There are ways to have a very high protein intake if you want.

Do vegans have to take supplements? I would recommend first getting your nutrients just from the whole foods themselves. If I had to recommend one supplement, you might want to get Vitamin B12, as I mentioned above.

Getting enough protein to build muscle is possible; you have to be creative.  So I have put together some of the top vegan sources of protein for you. Suppose you were ever wondering what vegan bodybuilders eat for protein. Most of the following foods are included in their diets and protein-rich foods.

• TOFU contains all nine essential amino acids. Making it is done by coagulating soy milk. Then pressing the final curds into solid white blocks. In 100 grams, tofu has about 8 grams of protein.
  
• BEANS give you many different options, but the beans with the most protein are boiled soybeans (edamame). Keep in mind they are also cheap and a great source of iron, fiber, and potassium.
  
• QUINOA is included in my diet regularly because it is an important plant source of all nine essential amino acids. One hundred grams of quinoa has about 4.5 grams of protein. I love Quinoa because of how affordable and how much protein it has.  This is a great complete protein.
  
• SEITAN is a popular vegan substitute for meat, with almost 25 grams of protein per 3.5 ounces (100 grams). As far as the best plant-based sources of protein go, this takes 1st place.

• EZEKIAL BREAD is my go-to and always has for bread. 2 slices of Ezekiel bread have around 8 grams of protein. Compared to the average bread, this is higher.
• HEMP contains all ten essential amino acids. This makes it an all-around good plant-based protein source. There are no phytates in hemp. Phytates are found in many vegetarian protein sources. They can interfere with the absorption of essential minerals.  100g of Hemp Seeds has approximately 33g of protein.
• TEMPEH is a great substitute for meat. A complete source of protein that includes vitamin b12 makes it a very popular choice. In 100g of Tempeh, there are almost 19 grams of protein.
• PEANUT BUTTER is close to 15% protein with about 25 grams of protein in a 100-gram serving.  Please keep in mind it is very high in calories. Around 70% of Peanut butter’s calories are fat calories.  Although about half of those fat calories are actually healthy!
• SPIRULINA grows in alkaline lakes and is a green-blue algae and is usually sold in a powder or tablet form. Made up of around 60% protein, spirulina has almost 60 grams of protein in a 100-gram serving.

What vegetable has the highest protein

• Soybean sprouts have the highest amount of protein per 100 grams, with around 13 grams.
• Lima beans are also a great option at 7 grams of protein per 100 grams.
• Green peas are not far behind, with almost 6 grams of protein per 100 grams.

WHAT SEEDS ARE GOOD ON A VEGAN DIET

Are you looking for a way to boost your diet with some extra nutrients? If so, you may want to consider adding some seeds to your meals. Seeds are a great source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and they’re easy to digest. They are low in calories and can be added to many different dishes.

Most seeds can be eaten whole or ground up. They can be added to smoothies, oatmeal, salads, or any other dish. Be sure to include a variety of seeds in your diet to get the most benefit from their nutrient profile. This is a great way to improve your protein intake.

Here are some of the best seeds for vegans:

Hemp Seeds

Hemp seeds are a great choice for vegan diets, as they’re packed with proteins and essential amino acids. In fact, hemp seeds contain all ten essential amino acids, making them a rare plant-based food that provides complete protein. Hemp seeds are also high in fiber, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and iron.

They’re also easy to digest, making them a good choice for people with digestive issues.

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are another excellent source of protein and essential nutrients for vegan diets. They’re especially high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for cardiovascular health. Chia seeds also contain fiber, calcium, phosphorus, and antioxidants.

I take a supplement in pill form called quercetin, which is a great antioxidant. Chia seeds contain this, which can reduce your risk of many health conditions.

Flax Seeds

Flax seeds are another good source of omega-3 fatty acids as well as fiber and lignans (antioxidants). Lignans can help reduce the risk of breast cancer and other types of cancer. Flax seeds are also high in magnesium and potassium.

THE FOUR TYPES OF VEGANS

There are four types of vegans: ethical vegans, environmental vegans, dietary vegans, and religious vegans.

Ethical vegans are those who choose to become vegan for ethical reasons. They believe that animals should not be exploited or harmed in any way and that humans have a responsibility to protect them.

Environmental vegans are those who adopt a vegan lifestyle for environmental reasons. They believe that producing and consuming animal products is one of the leading causes of climate change and environmental destruction and that going vegan is one of the best ways to reduce their impact on the planet.

Dietary vegans are those who go vegan for health reasons. They believe that a plant-based diet is better for their bodies and their overall health.

Religious vegans are those who become vegan due to their religious beliefs. For example, some Christians believe that it is wrong to consume animal products because they believe that all animals are created by God and should be treated with respect.

 

IS IT ACTUALLY HEALTHY TO BE VEGAN?

This diet excludes all animal products, including meat, dairy, and eggs. It is a plant-based diet that is high in fruits, vegetables, and legumes. There are many health benefits to following a vegan diet.

Some of the health benefits of being vegan include weight loss, lower blood pressure, and cholesterol levels, and reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Vegans also have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and age-related macular degeneration.

There are many reasons why people should consider becoming vegan. The most obvious reason is for the health benefits, but there are also ethical and environmental reasons to consider going vegan.

Many studies support the health benefits of the vegan diet. A recent study published in the journal Nutrients found that vegan diets are more effective than other diets at reducing body weight, waist circumference, and total cholesterol levels.

Another study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that vegan diets are associated with a significantly lower risk of heart disease. A study published in Cancer Research found that a vegan diet can reduce the risk of some types of cancer, including breast cancer.

If you’re interested in making the switch to a vegan diet, there are plenty of resources available to help you get started. The Vegan Society has an excellent website with lots of information about how to eat healthfully as a vegan. And PETA’s website has tons of recipes for delicious plant-based meals.

The bottom line is that there are many health benefits to following a vegan diet. It is a healthy way to eat that can help you lose weight, improve your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and reduce your risk of disease.

 

FINAL WORD

Should you go vegan? That is entirely up to you, of course. I would say do what’s right for you and what’s sustainable for your lifestyle. I’ve shared with you some of the best plant sources of protein, along with some options with nuts. There is no shortage out there on the market of plant-based proteins.  You will have no problem getting enough grams of protein to build muscle.

The most common question I get by far is how vegans get enough complete protein.  You can either get this from whole foods or also substitute it with a good vegan protein powder sometimes.

How much vegan protein to build muscle should be around 1 gram per pound of body weight per day.  This is easily attainable if you’re breaking up your day into six meals. Purchasing a good plant protein will help you reach this goal.

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“There is no fundamental difference between man and animals in their ability to feel pleasure and pain, happiness, and misery.”

–Charles Darwin