Vegan Protein Sources
It is easier than you think to reach your protein intake on a vegan diet. This vegan protein sources chart below will help you identify the best sources of protein to add to your shopping list.
WHERE CAN I FIND THE BEST PROTEIN SOURCES FOR VEGANS?
First, did you know you need only 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight per day? This is actually not that much and it is easily achievable eating 100% plant-based protein. So, let’s see what are the main protein sources for vegans and how much protein each ingredients will brings you per 100 grams.
Nuts – almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts
Seeds – pumpkin seed, flaxseed, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds
Grains – rice, amaranth, quinoa, wheat, spelt
Pulses – chickpeas, black beans, cannellini beans, lentils
Vegetables – spinach, broccoli, artichokes, asparagus
Soy product – mung beans, edamame, soy milk, tofu, tempeh
Some fruits – avocado, apricots, blackberries, banana
The vegan protein sources chart below gives you more details about how much protein you will get per 100 grams of each ingredient.
WHAT ARE THE HIGH PROTEIN VEGAN FOODS?
The highest protein vegan foods per 100 g of foods are :
SEITAN (75G)
Seitan is a very popular vegan protein source. In fact, it is not only high in protein but also a tasty meat replacement with a meat-like texture when cooked. However, watch out if you are sensitive to gluten, seitan contains a large amount of vital wheat that won’t be suitable for you.
SPIRULINA (57G)
Spirulina is a cyanobacteria also knows as the blue-green algae. It is available in powder or tablets and can be eaten in smoothie, ice cream or protein shake to boost your protein intake. It has a lovely blue green color with a light savory sea flavor that is barely noticeable if used in small amount. Therefore, use about 1 tablespoon per 2 cups of smoothie.
NUTRITIONAL YEAST (52G)
Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast, meaning that there is no more living yeast in the final product. You can buy nutritional yeast in flakes or powder and it is often used in vegan meals to add a cheesy flavor. Add 1 tablespoon in any sauce to create a cheese like vegan sauce. Check out our vegan nacho cheese dip recipe to see how to use nutritional yeast.
HEMP SEEDS (31G)
Hemp seeds are the seeds from the hemp plant and shows a very high nutritional profile. They are high in protein but also in healthy fats and minerals. The best way to enjoy them is for breakfast mixed with your favorite vegan cereals or onto a plain dairy free yoghurt. You can also add 1 tablespoon of hemp seed in smoothie or shake.
PUMPKIN SEEDS (30 G)
Pumpkin seeds can be used in breakfast cereals, so make sure to check out our grain free breakfast cereals recipe for inpiration. Roasted in olive oil, they make a delicious soup topping !
RAW BEANS (22G – 26G)
Lentils (26 g)
Kidney beans (24g)
Mung beans (24 g)
Canneli Beans (22 g)
Black beans (22g)
ALMONDS (21G)
Almonds are great snack, raw, roasted or salted there is many way to enjoy them daily. They also act as a vegan, gluten-free flour in bakings like in those almond flour chocolate chips cookies.
SUNFLOWER SEEDS (21G)
Roasted sunflower seeds are delicious and add some crunch to salads, wraps or breakfast smoothie bowl. Check out our roasted cauliflower salad recipe to see how to incorporate them into an healthy meal.
CHICKPEA (19G)
There are many ways to use chickpeas, either as whole beans or as flour also known as besan flour. The beans are also available dry or canned. If you want to make curry or roasted chickpeas, buy canned chickpeas because you can use them straight away. Dried chickpeas require a minimum 24 hours soaking time. Also, you can get you protein from chickpea flour like in our vegan protein pancakes recipe.
FLAXSEEDS (18G)
Flaxseed is the most amazing seed for a vegan diet. Besides their high protein content, they also contains a high amount of fiber that gives an egg-like texture when soaked in water. In fact, you can easily use flaxmeal to create a ‘vegan egg’ also known as flaxegg to replace eggs in any vegan recipes. Simply combine 1 tablespoon of flaxmeal with 3 tablespoons of water. Then stir and set aside for 10 mintues to let the magic happened. Try our spelt strawberry muffin recipe to see how you can use flaxegg to create bakery style vegan muffins.
Original article: https://www.theconsciousplantkitchen.com/vegan-protein-sources-chart/
