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What to Look Out for in a Plant-Based Protein

NOVI Team

Key Takeaways:

  • Getting enough protein on a vegetarian or vegan diet can be challenging.

  • Some of the highest sources of protein for vegetarians and vegans include seitan, soy-based products, and nuts.

  • However, not all plant-based sources of protein contain adequate amounts of all nine Essential amino acids (EAAs) to make it a complete protein. This means you need to eat a variety of complementary protein sources. 

  • Just because a protein source is plant-based doesn’t mean it’s healthy. The cooking method matters, too. 

  • If you struggle to meet your protein requirements through whole foods, consider supplementing with a vegan protein powder.

People on plant-based diets often wonder if they're getting enough protein. Studies show they probably are, but just marginally.

Assuming you weigh 65 kg and eat 2,000 calories daily, that’s ~21% of your energy intake. So, to help you bridge the gap between your current and ideal daily protein intake, this article covers the following:

  • Highest sources of protein for vegetarians and vegans 

  • Key things you should look out for beyond the quantity of protein a source provides

Highest sources of protein for vegetarians and vegans 

Although both vegetarian and vegan diets exclude meat, poultry, fish, and seafood:

  • Vegetarian diets: Can include eggs and dairy products (e.g., lacto-ovo-vegetarian), while

  • Vegan diets: Eliminate all animal-derived ingredients 

Considering that, for inclusivity's sake and simplicity’s sake, we’ll exclude eggs, milk, yogurt, and whey protein powder from our list of high-protein plant-based sources. 

But before we get to that, it’ll be helpful for you to familiarize yourself with the difference between a complete versus an incomplete protein. On a molecular level, all dietary protein is made up of tiny, organic building blocks called amino acids. 

There are 20 different kinds, which can be split into two main groups:

  • Essential amino acids (EAAs): Your body cannot make these on its own; you must get them from the food you eat. The nine EAAs are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.

  • Non-essential amino acids: These refer to the 11 amino acids your body can make on its own. 

Protein sources containing an adequate supply of all nine EAAs are called complete proteins. On the other hand, those low or lacking in one or more EAAs are classified as incomplete proteins. 

Unfortunately, unlike animal proteins (all complete proteins), most plant-based proteins are incomplete. The silver lining: getting a good supply of all nine EAAs on a vegetarian or vegan diet isn’t as tricky as it appears. All you need is a simple fix — more details later.

For now, let’s move on to the first plant-based protein on our list.

Seitan

  • What is it? A vegan meat alternative made from vital wheat gluten (which, in turn, is made by processing flour to remove most of its starch, leaving behind almost pure gluten).

  • How to eat seitan? You can substitute seitan into any recipe that calls for animal-based proteins, such as stir-fries, curries, sandwiches, and more. 

Soy-based products 

Soy stands out as one of the few complete plant-based proteins. Examples of soy-based products include:

  • Tempeh: A traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans. Contains 20.3 grams of protein per 100 grams. Tempeh is a versatile plant-based protein that works well in various dishes, including stir-fries, kebabs, and stews. You could even enjoy steamed tempeh on its own.

  • Soy milk: Made by blending soaked soybeans with water and straining the solids, leaving a smooth, milk-like liquid. Contains 3.3 grams of protein per 100 grams. Ways to enjoy soy milk include drinking it on its own, swapping cow's milk with fortified soybean milk in your lattes and cappuccinos, and pairing it with cereal. 

  • Tofu: Made by coagulating soy milk and pressing the resulting curds into blocks. Contains 8.1 grams of protein per 100 grams. You could prepare tofu in many ways, from stir-frying to scrambling to grilling — feel free to get creative!

Grains 

Grains are the seeds of grass-like plants. 

Although they are primarily carbohydrates, they are still a significant source of protein. Examples include:

  • Oats and oatmeal: The oat is a cereal grain from the Poaceae grass family of plants. Technically speaking, oats refer to the whole grains themselves, and oatmeal to the porridge-like dish made from oats, but the terms are often used interchangeably these days. Oats contain 16.9 grams of protein per 100 grams. You can top your favorite yogurt with oats, blend them into a smoothie, or soak them in milk to make overnight oats. Low on lysine and threonine.

Green peas

  • What is it? A small, edible legume.

  • How to eat green peas? As incredibly versatile ingredients, green peas are delicious on their own, steamed, or stir-fried. 

Lentils 

  • What is it? Dried seeds of the lentil plant.

  • How to eat lentils? You can treat them like beans, use them in soups, as fillings for burritos, or enjoy them on their own merits with a bit of vinegar and oil. 

Nutritional yeast

  • What is it? A dried, deactivated form of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, an ancient yeast species.

  • Is it a complete protein? Yes.

  • How to eat nutritional yeast? Sprinkle on pasta, salads, and roasted vegetables. You could also use it to thicken soups and stews. 

Spirulina 

  • Is it a complete protein? Yes.

  • How to eat spirulina? Add it to smoothies, sprinkle on salads or soups, or stir it into your favorite beverages.

Chia seeds

  • What is it? Tiny seeds of the Salvia hispanica L. plant.

  • Is it a complete protein? Yes.

  • How to eat chia seeds? Stir them into water or any beverage, sprinkle them on smoothies or oatmeal, or add them to your usual pancake mix. 

Nuts

Examples of high-protein nuts you could eat on their own, blend into nut spreads, or sprinkle on yogurt include:

Note: nut proteins are often recognized as incomplete proteins because they’re low on methionine. 

To give you an easy reference point for the highest sources of protein for vegetarians and vegans, here’s the above information summarized in a table:

Looking beyond grams of protein from plant-based sources

As you can see, some plant-based protein sources are incomplete.

Meaning? In addition to trying to hit the ideal daily protein intake, you should also make a conscious effort to eat a reasonably diverse variety of plant-based proteins so you don’t miss out on any of the nine EAAs your body needs. 

For example, a dollop of peanut butter (low on methionine) perfectly complements the amino acids profile of overnight oats (low on lysine).

Beyond that, you should also be mindful that a plant-based protein isn’t healthy just because it’s derived from plants. The preparation method matters, too; in general, when cooking plant-based proteins, you should still follow healthy cooking practices. 

Use low-fat cooking methods like boiling or steaming instead of deep-frying. Minimize added sugars, sweeteners, and salt. Limit usage of processed foods.

Supplementing with vegan protein powders

While it’s best to meet your daily protein requirements through whole foods, it’s not always realistic, especially for time-starved individuals. In this case, you could always top up the difference with a vegan protein powder. 

Just make sure it’s a high-quality one that:

  • Boasts a complete amino acid profile (it could be soy-based or a blend of complementary plant-based proteins, like brown rice and pea protein)

  • Contains minimal added sugars, fat, and calories (you want most of the calories to come from protein)