We’ve all the question, “where do you get your protein as a vegan?”. It can seem either hilarious, obvious, or completely ridiculous hearing this question after some investigation into where protein really comes from, and how much we actually need.
Where Does Plant Protein Come From?
The meat we eat gets its protein from plants, so if you’re plant-based, you’re getting protein directly from the original source that animals do.
Every vegetable, every legume, seed, nut, grain and fruit contain proteins. Sure, a steak will be denser in proteins and fat, but that doesn’t at all imply that it’s better than plant-based sources.
It’s important to know that although all plants contain protein, they contain far less than meat does in any given weight, which is why it’s critical to ensure the full spectrum of food is served on your plate, so that your meals encompass a vast variety of different plants.
How Much Protein Do I Need And Where Do I Get It From?
It is recommended that humans get at least 0.8g of protein per kg of body weight every day. For example: a male weighing 70kg, 56 grams of protein would be sufficient and for a female with a weight of 50kg, 40 grams of protein would be enough.
This may seem impossible to achieve at first. If you look at some vegetables’ protein content, most contain a small percentage, but if you ensure a balanced, healthy and vast wholefoods diet, achieving this goal is not only possible it’s also cheap.
According to the Daily Dozen by Dr. Michael Gregor, in one day it would be ideal to eat the following to ensure enough protein in one day:
3 servings of legumes at ½ cup per serving,
1 serving of cruciferous vegetables at ½ cup per serving,
2 servings of greens at ½ cup per cooked serving,
2 servings of other vegetables (potatoes, butternut etc) at ½ cup per serving
The Daily Dozen includes some more food groups like fruit, berries, supplements and flaxseeds to ensure optimal health for the average consumer, but we listed the food groups which would be responsible for filling most of the daily protein goal.
For example:
A cup of black beans has 15g of protein, 100g of oats has 13g of protein, two tablespoons of peanut butter has 8g, and 100g of rice has 3g. This equals 39g already.
Where Else Can I Get Plant-based Protein?
If you aren’t hitting the daily dozen, you may want to consider looking at pea protein as a protein supplement. Try get one that’s free from additives and other chemicals as there plenty of plain pea protein shakes on the market for a relatively good price.
