Protein - milk and meat come to mind first? There is another way! There are a number of delicious vegan protein sources that you should include in your diet!
Less meat, fish and other animal products - it's good for our body. You don't have to be afraid of not getting enough protein when you eat plant foods.
Whether you're an athlete or not, everyone should keep an eye on their protein needs. Because without proteins, our body doesn't run smoothly.
Here you can find out which vegan protein sources should land on your plate regularly and which are just bursting with protein!
I also try to eat few animal foods. I turned my back on meat a long time ago. And I've also cut down on milk, eggs and the like. I'm not afraid that I won't get enough protein because of that.
And you don't have to.
Table of contents
Very many vegans regularly faced with the fact that you can never get enough protein without animal foods.
And that you can't become strong without meat - at least that's what my mom always says. I'm sure you know that too.
But let's put an end to that.
There are so incredibly many delicious vegan sources of protein that are not only delicious, but pumped to the top with protein.
You're guaranteed to love these plant-based foods with a high protein content!
Want more protein? Check out this High Protein Bowl!
Vegan protein sources - 47 protein bombs you need to know about
Our body needs protein replenishment every day. It cannot produce protein itself, so you have to supply it through your diet.
If you want to build muscle, shakes can help you do that. There is now a whole range of very tasty vegan protein shakes. At first, they were all a bit questionable in taste. Fortunately, this has changed a lot :)
Very high quality vegan shakes you can find at Foodspring. You can choose from 6 flavors and depending on the season, new and fancy ones are always added. The basis of these shakes are peas, hemp seeds, rice and sunflower seeds. Sweetened with stevia.
If you are interested in Foodspring products, I can give you a Foodspring discount code give. With the code WGW15FS you get 15% on your order!
To give you a comparison between meat and vegetable protein, beef is considered the #1 protein-rich meat, coming in at 21.4 grams per 100 grams.
Many foods now featured beat beef hands down.
So that you know what you can conjure up from the food, we have prepared delicious recipes from it. Get lots of inspiration here! :)
Spirulina
100 grams of spirulina contain 57 grams of protein
Spirulina is absolutely unbeaten in first place. You can add the green algae to smoothies. Or stir it into soy yogurt. You can also add it to spreads or gnocchi.
With almost 60% protein, it has the highest protein content of all plant and animal foods. What is also interesting for vegans are vitamin B12 and iron.
Almond flour
100 gram Almond flour* contain 53 grams of protein
Nuts are wonderful sources of protein. However, they also provide quite a lot of fat. But not if they have been processed into flours.
Thus, 100 grams of almonds provide 21 grams of protein and 635 calories. Almond flour* on the other hand 53 grams of protein and 350 calories.
That's just right for those with a sweet tooth. Replace white flour with nut flour when baking, and you're already getting a big load of protein. On top of that, it tastes much better.
Good alternatives for white flour
- Lupine flour - 40 gram
- Flaxseed meal - 28 grams
- Lentil flour - 23 Gram
- Coconut flour* - 21 gram
- Chickpea flour - 20 grams
- Quinoa flour - 13,5 gram
Try this cake with coconut flour and almonds!
Sweet lupine
100 grams of sweet lupine contain 40 grams of protein
Absolutely record-breaking!
Have you ever tried sweet lupine flour? In the meantime, you can already find vegan sweet lupine yogurt in most supermarkets. I love it! Give it a try! Tastes really mega delicious.
And you fill up your protein stores properly with it.
But not only that. Because sweet lupins are packed with vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, iron and phosphorus. Those who do not like soy products or are allergic to them should reach for lupins instead.
Yummy! Try these sweet lupine pancakes!
Soybeans
100 grams of soybeans contain 38 grams of protein
One of the only plant sources of protein that truly contains all 9 essential amino acids is the soybean.
It is therefore an excellent meat substitute and perfect for muscle building.
If you really want to absorb all the power of the bean, you should combine it with pasta, rice or bread.
By the way: You can also eat soybeans in the form of "edamame". These are unripe soybeans that are harvested with pods and eaten. Similar to pea pods. Only then the bean contains less protein.
Other very high protein beans
- Kidney beans - 24 Gram
- Mung beans - 24 Gram
- Black beans - 22 Gram
- White beans - 21 Gram
- Azuki bean - 20 Gram
How about some delicious kidney bean patties?
Hemp seed
100 grams of hemp seeds contain 31 grams of protein
The small light green seeds of the hemp plant taste slightly nutty and bring the special extra in smoothie, bread, muesli and Co.
Hemp seeds also look great on salads or pasta. Just sprinkle a teaspoon in your food.
By the way: Hemp seeds are particularly interesting for our body because they contain many different amino acids. Hardly in any other plant food you will find such a balanced ratio.
That is why the protein from hemp seeds is very well utilizable.
Also very tasty vegan protein sources
- Flaxseed* - 29 gram
- Sunflower seeds - 21 Gram
- Pumpkin seeds - 19 Gram
- Sesame - 18 Gram
- Chia seeds* - 16 gram
- Psyllium - 15 Gram
This is how easy it is to make your own protein muesli!
Lenses
100 grams of dried lentils contain 26 grams of protein
Don't just let lentils play a supporting role, make them the star on your plate. With lentil fritters, lentil stew, lentil salad and co, they finally get the role they deserve.
It doesn't matter if you go for red, yellow, green or black lentils. Each color increases the amount of protein on your plate.
By the way, legumes should end up on your plate in large quantities. They are not only protein bombs, but also contain a lot of healthy fiber, which is very good for your digestion.
On top of that they score with a lot of iron, potassium and magnesium.
Lentils, by the way, additionally with B vitamins. And that they can lower your cholesterol, which is very healthy for your heart.
Other very high protein dried legumes
- Peas - 23 Gram
- Chickpeas - 20 Gram
- Mountain lentils - 25 Gram
- Red lentils* - 23 gram
Try this delicious lentil stew!
Peanuts
100 grams of unsalted and unroasted peanuts contain 26 grams of protein
Peanuts also contain more protein than beef or pork.
Nuts are mega healthy. Whether as a snack, on a salad, in muesli or as a mush. Peanuts are among the most protein-rich nuts. They are very healthy - provided you eat them unsugared and unroasted.
Especially delicious: peanut butter on apple slices!
Or a tablespoon of peanut butter in a smoothie or cereal.
You benefit from the large amount of B vitamins and magnesium. And of course the taste :)
Nuts as vegan sources of protein
- Almonds - 21 Gram
- Pistachios - 20 Gram
- Hazelnuts - 15 Gram
- Walnuts - 15 Gram
Click here for peanut butter talers with apple and nuts!
Amaranth
100 grams of amaranth contain 15 grams of protein
Have you ever heard of pseudeo grains? If you want to eat vegan sources of protein, you will hardly get around them.
And that's a good thing.
Because they are really healthy. And at the same time bring a lot of variety to the plate.
You can prepare many dishes from amaranth. Starting from porridge up to roastings, pretty much everything is possible from sweet to spicy. The small grains are porridge-like and slightly sticky.
Amaranth is rich in calcium, iron and magnesium, making it a real power grain.
Try it. Amaranth is available in health food stores and organic stores.
Other protein-rich pseudeo cereals
- Chia* - 20 gram
- Quinoa - 13 Gram
- Millet - 11 Gram
- Buckwheat - 9 Gram
Fancy an amaranth porridge with pear and nuts?
Tempeh
100 grams of tempeh contain 19 grams of protein
Have you ever heard of tempeh? This is fermented soybeans. You can buy it in many health food stores. I love it! Especially seasoned with chili, paprika or fresh herbs.
Just chop, sauté and then enjoy with pasta or on a salad. Yummy!
Tempeh also cuts a very good figure in salad bowls. It is a very healthy source of protein with a hearty flavor.
By the way: Originally, the fermented soybeans come from Indonesia.
Vegan meat substitute with lots of protein
- Seitan - 25 Gram
- Tofu - 14 Gram
Treat yourself to this DIY Tofu Bolognese!
Oatmeal
100 grams of soybeans contain 12.5 grams of protein
From tempeh and amaranth to a food that I'm sure everyone has at home: Oatmeal.
They do not contain as much protein as the other foods. But they can convince with many other arguments.
Thus, oatmeal is fully loaded with complex carbohydrates that saturate for a very long time. And on top of that, there's a very good portion of fiber. This makes them a very good source of protein for anyone who wants to build muscle or lose weight.
Their high magnesium content makes them very interesting as a fitness food.
Other high quality vegan protein sources
- Spelt - 15 Gram
- Kamut - 15 gram
- Barley - 12 Gram
- Rye - 10 Gram
You have to eat these oatmeal muffins for breakfast!
Sprouts and seedlings
A whole load of vitamins and power can be found in sprouts and seedlings. They contain everything the plant needs to grow big and strong. If you reach for sprouts, you can pimp salt, soups and co.
Sprouting greatly increases the mineral content and slightly increases the protein content. And at the same time the usability for our body increases.
Put them on your menu every now and then. Tastes delicious and provides mega many nutrients.
Don't let the content confuse you. It works less. But: from 100 grams of dried lentils you get almost 3x as many sprouts.
But what is better now? Sprouts or seedlings? Well, it depends on what you want. The larger the sprout, the less starch and fat it contains. But it contains 2-5 times as much vitamin C.
- Wheat germ - 24 Gram
- Lentil sprouts - 9 Gram
- Alfalfa sprouts - 4 gram
It's that easy to grow mung sprouts without a sprouting jar!
What you need to know about animal and vegan protein sources
I don't want to make you a vegan now. But I would like to get you to think a little about your diet.
Overall, you should always eat more plant-based foods than animal-based foods. No matter if you eat low carb, keto, paleo, vegetarian or whatever.
You don't necessarily need animal proteins to meet your protein needs. This is also possible with plant foods.
Just replace a glass of milk or a piece of meat with plant-based foods every now and then.
Many vegan protein sources are even considered to be of higher quality. They contain less saturated fatty acids and our body can digest them more easily.
Do you decide for vegetable proteins
- you consume less unhealthy animal fats
- you will eat fewer calories
- you consume less cholesterol
- you eat - unlike animal foods - no uric acid
- your body will not overacidify, because vegetable keeps the acid-base balance in equilibrium
On top of that, there's a load of vitamins, minerals and fiber. I personally notice the difference in digestion. In the past, I was often caught in the typical midday slump after lunch. Since I've been consciously reducing animal foods, I no longer have that problem. Try it.
Can you really lose weight with protein shakes?
Animal vs Vegan Protein Sources - Now What?
Eggs, meat, fish, milk and the like contain a lot of saturated fatty acids, little fiber, a lot of cholesterol and purines, which can trigger gout. Nevertheless, they are good sources of protein.
When we eat protein-rich foods, our body breaks them down into small components - they are called amino acids. There are 21 amino acids in total. 9 of them are vital for our body - they are also called essential amino acids.
These essential amino acids provide animal and vegan sources of protein.
Animal sources of protein are considered to be of higher biological quality. Our body can better absorb the protein from eggs, meat and co, because animal proteins are more similar to our body's own proteins.
But vegetable protein is far from being a bad protein. It has the edge in very many areas.
So: There is no such thing as good or bad. Just make sure not to eat too many animal products. Because that brings our body sooner or later out of balance.
What your body needs protein for
Whether animal or vegetable - our body needs a regular load of protein. Proteins are involved in many processes. This begins with cell structure and cell regeneration, and extends to the hormone system and finally to the immune system.
Without protein, by the way, our brain cannot perform at full capacity either. Protein makes the brain powerful and vital.
And the best known is protein for muscle building. Especially if you want to build muscle and fight body fat, you should eat enough protein.
During sports, microscopic tears can form in the muscle fibers. You recognize this as muscle soreness the next day. Our body starts to repair the muscle fibers and needs protein for this.
Over time, your muscle mass will increase. This ensures that you burn more energy, boost your metabolism and thus lose weight more easily.
At the same time, vegan protein sources keep you full for a very long time. So we have less appetite and eat less as a result. Which of course also keeps the body fat percentage in check.
How big the portion of vegan protein sources should be
So: legumes, nuts, grains. Yummy. But how much of it do you really need to eat?
This depends on these factors, among others
- Gender
- Age
- Weight
- Sport activity
- Goal: build muscle, lose weight
The German Nutrition Society recommends that adults eat 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
So if you weigh 60 kg and are moderately to infrequently active in sports, you should eat 48 grams of protein today.
It's a little different if you want to build muscle. Athletes are recommended 1.3 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. So at 60 kilograms, your body needs 78 to 90 grams daily.
But beware: if you eat a lot of protein and don't exercise, you will build body fat.
Our conclusion
Vegan protein sources should not only land regularly on the plate of vegans. The vegetable protein bombs also provide plenty of fiber, minerals and vitamins. And they bring a lot of variety to our plates. Just try it! You certainly won't regret it! :)
To browse further:
* Advertising & affiliate links: Our website is financed by advertising and affiliate links. As a partner of linked stores (e.g. Amazon) we earn from qualified sales.
Read more