How to get enough protein on a plant-based diet

If you haven’t already, take a look at “Protein and the plant-based diet” to get some background.

One of the most common questions my friends who follow a plant-based diet get asked is “Where do you get your protein from?”.  

Plants.

Let’s put things into context.  The ‘average, healthy adult’ needs between 45– 80 grams protein per day.

‍

The following table shows how much protein is in everyday serves of plant foods and how you may include them.

Foods with 10 - 15 g protein

100g tempeh - include with some vegies in a stir fry

100g firm tofu - thinly slice and add to a sandwich or crackers with chutney

1 cup soy milk - use in cereal or with coffee

Handful (30g) - almonds / cashews - sprinkled on cereal or plant based  yoghurt

‍

‍

Foods with 8 - 10 g protein

½ cup lentils - in a Dahl or in sprinkled in a salad

2 slices wholemeal, grain bread - serve under your baked beans

1 cup cooked amaranth - serve porridge-style

‍

‍

Foods with 5-7 g protein

Small tin (140g) baked beans

1 cup brown rice - add to stir fry or dahl

½ cup untoasted muesli

1 cup cooked oats / quinoa

1 tbs peanut butter - on toast or dip in some veg

Handful walnuts - snack time

Say you had some soy milk with muesli, sprinkled on some nuts and seeds; a peanut butter sandwich and a tofu stir fry with rice.  Boom -  that’s at least 50g protein right there.

‍

Our next article explores whether protein combining is required on a plant based diet.