Protein - Why We Need It, How Much We Need & Some Great Vegan Sources
It is essential to get sufficient good-quality proteins in your diet as they help to build and maintain muscles and bones. They also help regulate your hormones and antibodies, thus supporting your immune system.
How much protein do you need?
The amount of protein you need to consume every day will depend on your weight, lifestyle, and age. Experts’ recommendations for daily protein consumption vary and are in the range 0.75 – 2 grammes of protein per kilogramme of body weight. Because most vegan protein is incomplete and can vary in digestibility, vegans should aim to consume at least 1 gramme of protein per kilogramme of body weight per day. People who exercise a lot or who are trying to gain muscle need extra protein so should look to consume a bit more than this, as should older people, who need to compensate for natural loss of muscle mass.
What are the best vegan protein sources?
There are many excellent vegan protein sources, and some of the best ones are listed below. The protein amounts shown are based on typical serving sizes.
|
Food
|
Protein Per Serving
|
|---|---|
|
Kidney beans (tinned, drained)
|
20 g per 250 g
|
|
Cannellini beans (tinned, drained)
|
19 g per 250 g
|
|
Butter beans (tinned, drained)
|
15 g per 250 g
|
|
Baked beans
|
20 g per 400 g
|
|
Chickpeas (tinned, drained)
|
18 g per 250 g
|
|
Tofu (Nigari, firm)
|
20 g per 250 g
|
|
Quorn vegan fillets
|
13 g per 84 g (2 fillets)
|
|
Cashew nuts
|
8 g per 50 g
|
|
Peanuts
|
13 g per 50 g
|
|
Almonds
|
11 g per 50 g
|
|
Walnuts
|
8 g per 50 g
|
|
Pecans
|
5 g per 50 g
|
|
Hazelnuts
|
7 g per 50 g
|
|
Brazil nuts
|
8 g per 50 g
|
|
Chia seeds
|
4 g per 20 g
|
|
Sunflower seeds
|
4 g per 20 g
|
|
Pumpkin seeds
|
6 g per 20 g
|
|
Soya milk
|
6g per 200 ml
|
|
Brown rice (uncooked)
|
8 g per 100 g
|
|
Quinoa (uncooked)
|
14 g per 100 g
|
|
Pearl barley (uncooked)
|
10 g per 100 g
|
|
Buckwheat (uncooked)
|
7 g per 50 g
|
