Plant-based Protein

I’m often asked what the best sources of plant protein are as people seem to be concerned about getting enough protein in their daily diet when relying on plants alone. What’s actually great about plant sources of protein is they are very alkalinizing for the body in comparison to animal protein which can be very acidifying.

You can absolutely thrive on a plant-based diet and get sufficient amounts of protein in everyday. Although I’m not currently following a strict vegan diet I do often opt for plant-based meals. So I thought I’d share here some of my favourite sources of plant based protein.

First let’s look at what protein is…

A protein is essentially large molecules composed of a group of amino acids. Protein comes from either the food we eat (essential) or it’s made by the body (non-essential).

There are 25 different amino acids, 9 of which are considered ‘essential’. Essential means they cannot be made by the body and must be obtained through diet.

Soy products (similar to animal protein sources) contain all 9 of the essential amino acids and are therefore considered complete proteins. Other plant based proteins are considered incomplete proteins because they are missing at least one essential amino acid (or more). It’s important to note however that combining different plant based proteins can provide a complete protein.

Examples to create a complete protein form plant sources would be:

Beans + brown rice

Brown rice + peas

Grains+ leafy greens

The recommended daily intake of protein is 0.8g of protein per kg of body weight. But another general measure is to aim for about 56g protein per day for men and about 46g of protein per day for women (not that pregnant and lactating women should aim for 71g per day).

Here are my top plant-based sources of protein:

Tempeh: This is a fermented soy product (fermented foods are generally better for digestion) and is considered a complete protein. Soy products pack a whopping 28g of protein per cup. I love adding this one to a stir fry in place of chicken.
Spirulina: A type of cyanobacteria (aka blue-green algae) that grows in fresh and salt water. One tablespoon is equivalent to about 4g of protein. This is a great one to add to your morning smoothie.
Legumes (such as Lentils, beans and peas): Lentils contain about 18g of protein per cup and black beans offer about 15g of protein per cup. I like to add these to soups, salads, chilli and Mexican dishes to replace meat.
Quinoa: Similar to soy, quinoa is also considered a complete protein and offers roughly 5g of protein per cup. Quinoa is essentially the seed from a flowering plant in the amaranth family and is a great alternative to rice.
Oats: One cup of oats gives you about 6g of protein. Oatmeal is a perfect way to add protein to your breakfast or baked goods.
Brown Rice: Such an easy, versatile food. Brown rice contains about 5g of protein per cup.
Hemp Seeds: Another one of the few plant-based sources or protein considered to be a complete protein and an ideal option in terms of digestibility. Roughly 2 tablespoons gives you 11 grams of protein.
Chia Seeds: Commonly added to smoothies and morning oats. Chia seeds are the edible seeds of a flowering plant in the mint family native to Central America. 1 oz of chia seeds gives you almost 5g of protein so go ahead and sprinkle some at breakfast.
Nuts like almonds and walnuts: 1/4 cup of almonds gives you about 7g of protein. I love adding nuts and seeds to my salads, morning oats or even just as an afternoon snack.