Where Do You Get Your Protein and What Are Some High Protein Foods?
What is protein and how much do we need?
Protein is made up of building blocks called amino acids, which the body uses to build and repair cells.
There are nine essential amino acids that our body can’t make itself so we need to get them from our food. Some foods contain all nine in high enough quantities to meet our requirements – these are known as ‘complete proteins’ – but all plant foods contain all the amino acids in varying quantities.
The idea that we need to eat complete protein in every meal is considered outdated – so long as we eat a varied, vegan diet, we can get all the protein we need.
According to current guidelines, an average person needs 0.8 grams of protein daily per kilogram of bodyweight. For most adults, this equates to 45 to 55 grams a day.
However, if you’re very active or trying to build and maintain muscle, you may need more.
In these cases, you might want to increase this to between 1.4 and 1.8 grams of protein daily per kilogram of bodyweight.
Any more than this doesn’t seem to make much difference.
Where do you get your protein?
Protein is everywhere and in everything! Of course, some foods have more than others but if you eat a wide variety of plant-based foods, you’ll be able to meet your protein requirements.
The best plant sources of protein include pulses (lentils, beans, chickpeas, peas and soya), mushrooms, nuts, seeds and wholegrains (wholemeal bread, wholewheat pasta and brown rice).
One large serving of cooked tofu could provide up to half the protein you need in one day!
There are a myriad of high-protein meat alternatives on the market. Traditional Chinese mock meats can power-up a stir- fry, vegan korma or Thai curry.
Vegan mince or lentils can add a protein boost to bolognese and chilli non-carne sauces, and seitan ‘bacon’ slices can soup up a sumptuous sandwich.
You can sneak extra protein into meals by using cashews to make creamy sauces, adding nut butters to curry sauces and chilli non-carnes, and even blending a block of silken tofu into a vegan milkshake!
The only limit is your imagination (and possibly your taste buds)!
For some people, vegan protein powders and snack bars can be a convenient and easy way to supplement protein – but they’re not essential as you can get all the protein you need from wholefoods.
There are also an increasing number of protein-enriched non-dairy products available such as yoghurts and plant milks.
What are some high protein foods, and how much protein do they have?
| Food | Grams of protein per serving | % of recommended daily amount for women (45 grams) | % of recommended daily amount for men (55 grams) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quinoa, raw (180g) | 24.8 | 55 | 45 |
| Tofu, steamed or fried (100g) | 23.5 | 52 | 43 |
| Veggie burger – soya based (115g) | 19.1 | 42 | 35 |
| Oats (160g) | 17.4 | 39 | 32 |
| Bean-burger (115g) | 12.2 | 27 | 22 |
| Wholemeal spaghetti (220g) | 10.3 | 23 | 19 |
| Peanut butter (thickly spread on two slices, 40g) | 9.0 | 20 | 16 |
| Chickpeas (three tablespoons, 105g) | 7.6 | 17 | 14 |
| Kidney beans – canned (three tablespoons, 105g) | 7.2 | 16 | 13 |
| Mixed nuts (one handful, 30g) | 7.1 | 16 | 13 |
| Baked beans in tomato sauce (135g) | 6.8 | 15 | 12 |
| Cooked wholegrain rice (180g) | 6.5 | 14 | 12 |
| Peanuts – dry roasted (small bag, 25g) | 6.4 | 14 | 12 |
| Hummus (2-3 tablespoons, 90g) | 6.1 | 14 | 11 |
| Walnuts (12 halves, 40g) | 5.9 | 13 | 11 |
| Almonds (12 nuts, 26g) | 5.5 | 12 | 10 |
High protein snack ideas
- Protein shake – pea protein isolate (or protein powder of your choice), frozen banana, blueberries, ground flaxseed, peanut or almond butter, soya milk.
- Protein packed porridge – rolled oats, peanut or almond butter, sliced apple, soya milk, cinnamon, pumpkin seeds, a scoop of protein powder (optional).
- Soya yoghurt and muesli – natural muesli with nuts and seeds, soya yoghurt or soya milk, flaxseed, a scoop of protein powder.
- Nutty rice cakes – brown rice cakes with peanut butter, sliced banana and a sprinkling of cinnamon.
- Pitta of protein – wholemeal pitta with hummus, fried tofu or tempeh pieces and salad.
- Seitan sandwich – wholemeal bread with vegan mayonnaise, avocado, tomato and seitan slices (or any high-protein mock meat of your choice).
- Chia pudding – soak chia seeds in soya milk overnight with a tablespoon of almond butter, banana, fruit/berries of your choice, a scoop of protein powder (optional).
- Homemade trail mix – almonds, peanuts, cashews, walnuts, pistachios, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, dried berries, dried apricot, dried banana.
- Vegan protein brownies, bars etc.
