Overview

The popularity of vegan and plant-based diets has surged in recent years; the number of people identifying as vegan has increased by 360% in the UK between 2006 and 2016. Vegan diets show many health and nutritional benefits over an unrestricted diet,¹ however, vegan foods are naturally lower in protein compared to animal products such as steak, chicken breast and salmon.² While this makes insufficient protein intake a concern,² it’s very feasible to get enough protein on a vegan diet. Athletes typically need far more protein than a sedentary adult,³ and famous sportspeople and bodybuilders like David Haye, Venus Williams and Patrik Baboumian have achieved huge success on a vegan diet. In this article, we’ll show you some of the best high-protein vegan foods and recipe ideas to help you incorporate them into your diet. 

The vegan diet and protein

The growth of veganism 

Veganism is the practice of avoiding foods derived from animals, including meat (be that from livestock like cows, or other meat sources like fish, shellfish or insects), dairy, eggs and honey. You may have also heard terms like ‘plant-based’ or ‘flexitarian’, where people instead focus on foods derived from plants, but do not entirely exclude animal products. 

A global survey of over 12,500 vegans cited the ethical concerns of farming and slaughtering livestock, the impact of animal products on health, and the greater impact of livestock versus crop farming on the environment,⁴ on their decision to become vegan. The environmental impact of farming animal products is well documented; in 2009 it was estimated that at least 51% of greenhouse gas emissions came from livestock.⁵ The health benefits are also supported by research; plant-based diets are associated with lowering cardiovascular disease deaths, obesity prevalence and severity, and supporting weight management in comparison to animal-based diets.¹

Despite these benefits, experts have raised concerns that vegan diets may not provide enough protein.² But what is protein and why is it very important for our diet? 

Protein and its dietary importance 

Protein is one of the three ‘macronutrients’, alongside carbohydrates and fats. These are essential nutrients required in large quantities to maintain our bodily functions and keep us alive. Protein is required for a vast array of structures and processes in our bodies. It makes up our muscles, tendons, internal organs, and keratin which is a key part of our hair, nails and skin. It also keeps our immune system functioning, the main component of enzymes, neurotransmitters, and some hormones, and is key to messaging both within and between cells.⁶

Thanks to its broad role in our bodies, a high-protein diet has received increased public and media attention in recent years, with many science-backed benefits. It helps us to build and maintain muscles to aid physical strength and mobility, especially for the elderly.² Foods high in protein and fibre are best for reducing appetite and keeping us feeling full, and a high-protein diet aids fat loss,⁷ making it ideal for those looking to lose weight. 

The UK government recommends 0.75 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (g/kg/day), so a person assigned female at birth (AFAB) weighing 72 kg would need 54 g of protein per day.⁴ However, your true recommended intake varies depending on factors like age, weight, gender, physical activity and whether you’re pregnant. For example, those 65 years or older need 1.2 g/kg/day,⁴ and those looking to grow their muscles need 1.6-2.2 g/kg/day.³ This brings us to another issue with vegan protein; it’s less readily absorbed into our bodies than that from animal products. Experts recommend a daily vegan protein intake of >1 g/kg/day to account for this reduced absorption.⁸

Protein structure, amino acids and the vegan diet

Proteins are made up of building blocks called amino acids. These are stitched together in long chains, like beads on a string. Our bodies need 20 different amino acids; we can make 11 of them but we must get the other nine from our diet. These are the ‘essential amino acids’. Most animal products have all the essential amino acids, and these we call ‘complete proteins’. 

However, some foods don’t have all nine and are termed ‘incomplete proteins’. This brings us to the final concern with vegan protein sources; most are incomplete proteins.² We have to be thoughtful in how we eat vegan foods, whether that’s choosing complete proteins, or pairing incomplete proteins to get a full profile of amino acids. 

The rest of this article gives you some ideas to reach your recommended vegan protein intake and ways to pair incomplete proteins. 

Plant-based protein sources 

Grains

Grains are small, hard seeds or fruits harvested from grasses like wheat, oats, quinoa (“keen-wah”), barley and rice. While you may associate these foods with carbohydrates, they’re also a great protein source. Seitan (“Say-tan”) in particular has the highest protein of almost any food. It’s made from wheat gluten and is the basis for many commercial meat alternatives thanks to its similar texture and plain savoury flavour that allows it to be easily adapted.

For recipe ideas, you can make seitan yourself and substitute it into your favourite meat-based dish. Alternatively, grains like quinoa and rice are traditionally served as an accompanying dish in cuisines like Indian and Chinese, or you can use oats in overnight oats for a convenient and tasty breakfast. 

Legumes

A legume refers to any plant from the ‘Fabaceae' family and covers thousands of different varieties across the world. Legumes include:

• Pulses (lentils, chickpeas, and beans like black and kidney beans)
• Garden peas
• Fresh beans like runner beans
• Soybeans (which we’ll cover separately)
• Peanuts. 

Legumes are typically low fat, high fibre, high in micronutrients like iron, and comparatively cheap versus other protein sources. 

Although they are incomplete proteins, they are only missing the amino acid methionine. Many grains are also incomplete proteins, being low in lysine but high in methionine. This means legumes and grains are fantastic complementary protein sources. 

Lentils can substitute for mince in a bolognese, or be used in curries like dhal. Chickpeas can also be used in a curry called chana masala. You can then add grains like wholewheat spaghetti or rice to these recipes to create a complete protein dish.

Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds are a great source of fibre, protein and unsaturated fats, making them very filling. While unsaturated fats are healthier than saturated fats like butter and cheese, they still make nuts and seeds calorie-dense foods that should be eaten in moderation, particularly if they have added salt or sugar.

Nuts like almonds are great as a topping for breakfast or as a snack on their own. Nut butter like almond butter can be eaten on toast, rice cakes or with crudites like celery sticks. Chia seeds readily absorb water, giving a pudding-like consistency to overnight oat recipes like the one mentioned earlier.

Soy products

Soybean products like tofu, tempeh (fermented pressed soybeans) and edamame beans have some of the highest protein concentrations for their calories. They’re also complete proteins, making them excellent on their own. 

Soy products are some of the most versatile vegan foods, useful in a variety of savoury and sweet applications including stir-fries, soups and desserts. Look here for tofu inspiration. Both shelled and unshelled edamame beans are delicious when roasted with salt and pepper, and tempeh can be crumbled up to substitute for ground mince e.g. in tacos.

Protein powders and mycoproteins

Besides the more traditional vegan protein sources covered so far, modern innovations have made it even more convenient to incorporate into your diet. Protein powders like peas and soy can be used in quick, portable protein shakes. Another example is mycoprotein; a protein extracted from an edible fungus. It’s a sustainable, complete, high-fibre, versatile protein source that lowers cholesterol and can mimic all kinds of meat from chicken to beef mince.¹⁰

Summary

Both vegan and high-protein diets have seen an increase in popularity in recent years. While vegan diets have some advantages over animal product-based diets, experts are concerned that vegans may not get sufficient high-quality protein. There are three main concerns; many vegan foods are low in protein, are incomplete proteins, and aren’t absorbed into the body as readily as animal products. Research suggests at least 1g of vegan protein per kg body weight per day for the average person, and potentially more depending on factors like age, activity level and gender. To help you achieve this we’ve outlined some of the best sources of vegan protein and recipe inspiration. When cooking, ensure any incomplete protein sources (e.g. legumes and some grains) are combined to provide a complete amino acid profile. 

Keywords

• Protein
• Amino acid
• Vegan
• Macronutrient
• Legumes
• Soy 
• Complementary proteins
• Plant-based
• Mycoprotein