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Can vegans get enough protein from their diet?
Fly Fitness UK • June 19, 2020
Can they get enough protein?
Where do they get protein from?
What are the main sources of protein?
The short answer is ‘YES’ they can. You will discover as you continue reading this blog on why ‘protein’ isn’t issue for vegans.
In recent years, there has been an increasing number of debates as to whether vegans consume adequate levels of protein, alongside the restricted choice in order for them to do so from. For example, there’s often a misconception that food such as tofu, is the main source of protein in a vegan diet, which is completely untrue. Another topical debate surrounding veganism is whether the quality of protein consumed on a plant-based diet is the same to that found in animal protein.
Protein is the most important macronutrient for your body, made up of twenty amino acid; nine of these are essential. An essential amino acid must be provided from your diet, the other eleven amino acids can be created by your body which are non-essential. Unfortunately, human body is not capable of storing additional amino acids, hence we must consume essential amino acids through the diet.
Again, it has been proven that as long as vegans consume a varied and balanced diet, they can obtain all the essential amino acids needed to build and repair muscles. Many world-class vegan athletes such as: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Serena Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Jermaine Defoe and Kendrick Farris; have been able to fulfil their nutritional needs on a vegan diet, whilst being at the top of their game!
Let’s work out your daily protein intake:
| Goal | Weight (lbs) × X = Protein Intake (grams) |
|---|---|
| Cutting | Weight (lbs) × 1.1 |
| Lean Bulk | Weight (lbs) × 1 |
| Maintenance | Weight (lbs) × 1 |
Top three sources of protein for vegans:
Having been a lacto-vegetarian all of my life and, more recently a vegan, I have found that obtaining adequate levels of protein to be both highly accessible and varied.
Seitan is also known by the following names: wheat protein, wheat gluten and vital wheat gluten. It is made by washing the wheat flour dough with water until all the starch granules have been removed, leaving only sticky insoluble gluten.
Once cooked, it has a dense and meaty texture. It is one of the only meat alternatives that is completely free of soy. In addition, Seitan has almost three times the amount of protein, to that found in chicken and beef, making it a very high source of protein food choice for vegetarians and vegans.
However, despite seitan being high in protein, it does not include all nine essential amino acids that our bodies require to function. Thus, it is crucial that you pair seitan with a balanced diet to ensure that your body gets all the essential micronutrients and complete amino acid profile.
| Per 100 grams | Carbohydrates | Protein | Fats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seitan | 9 grams | 81 grams | 5 grams |
2. Soy products – Tofu, Tempeh and Edamame
For vegetarians and vegans, soy is one of the few plant-based proteins that is considered a complete protein, as it contains all the essential amino acids for body functioning.
Soybeans are mainly composed of protein but also contain good amounts of carbs and fat. In addition, they are a good source of various vitamins and minerals, including vitamin K1, folate, copper, manganese, phosphorus, and thiamine. Whole soy products, which are the least processed form of soy, include: edamame, soybeans, soymilk and tofu. To fully reap the benefits of soy, it is best to opt for and consume whole and minimally processed soy products. You can consume about three servings of soya a day.
Soy is one of the only foods studied widely for its estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects on the human body. Many studies concludes that soy has either a beneficial or neutral effect on numerous health conditions. Soy is a protein dense food and likely to provide more health benefits, largely when taken instead of red and processed meat. The bottom-line is everything in moderation.
| Per 100 grams | Carbohydrates | Protein | Fats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tofu | 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Tempeh | 9 | 19 | 11 |
| Edamame | 10 | 11 | 5 |
3. Wholegrains – Ancient grains and pulses.
Ancient grains have recently grown in popularity, largely due to their high fibre content, alongside obtaining a wealth of minerals and vitamins.
Some ancient grains include: Teff, Freekeh, Barley, Quinoa, Bulgur, and Rye.
For those who can’t tolerate gluten, ancient grains also come in a gluten-free form, such as: quinoa, millet, fonio, sorghum, amaranth, and teff.
Pulses are a low-fat source of protein, whilst boasting lots of fibre, vitamins and minerals. They are edible seeds that grow in pods, which count towards your recommended 5 daily portions of fruit and vegetables.
Pulses include all beans, peas and lentils, such as: kidney beans, butter beans (Lima beans), haricots, cannellini beans, flageolet beans, pinto beans and borlotti beans, red, green, yellow and brown lentils, chickpeas and black-eyed peas. They are easy to incorporate in your diet; through salads, soups and curries.
Similarly, to Seitan, wholegrains when consumed on their own, are not complete sources of protein, with the exception being soy. Hence, in order to produce complete proteins sources, whole grains should be paired with rice, corn, or barley.
| Per 100 grams | Carbohydrates | Protein | Fats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black beans | 23 | 10 | 0.5 |
| Soybeans | 30 | 36 | 20 |
| Pinto beans | 63 | 21 | 5 |
| Kidney beans | 60 | 24 | 0.8 |
| Cranberry beans | 60 | 23 | 1.2 |
| Red lentils | 12 | 7.5 | 0.8 |
| Yellow lentils | 13 | 11 | 0.9 |
| Green lentils | 20 | 11 | 0.6 |
| Brown lentils | 18 | 11 | 1 |
| Quinoa | 64 | 14 | 6 |
| Teff | 70 | 13 | 3.7 |
| Freekeh | 70 | 15 | 3.5 |
| Farro | 65 | 12 | 3 |
| Spelt | 75 | 13 | 6.4 |
Be smart about your food choices, you will realise that it’s not a big deal to get protein from the food alone. However, to ensure that vegans consume all the vital nutrients needed in their diets, they need to eat varied and balanced diet. To maximise this, will mean having a well-planned diet that limits processed foods and replacing them with nutrient-rich ones. Here is how you can plan your daily meal plan:
Breakfast – Scramble tofu, oatmeal topped with mixed seeds & nuts
Snack – Cup of edamame pods seasoned with a salt
Lunch – Seitan salad with roasted potatoes and grilled vegetables
Snack – Hummus with wholegrain crackers
Dinner – Lentil pasta with vegetables, rice and beans or tempeh tacos
What is flexible dieting? “Flexible dieting” also knows as “If It Fits Your Macros” (IIFYM), allows the “flexibility” of indulging in the foods that you love and enjoy, as long as it fits within your macronutrient needs. Macronutrients consist of three key food groups: carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Carbohydrates provide the main source of fuel to the body. Healthy carbohydrates includes; vegetables, fruit, unsweetened dairy products, pulses and wholegrains such as brown rice, quinoa, wheat and oats. Fats are needed by the body for energy and to function; such as: hormone production, nutrient absorption and body temperature maintenance. Good sources of fat includes; nuts, seeds, olive oil and avocado. Protein, unlike fat and carbohydrates doesn’t get stored by the body, hence needs to be supplied consistently. It helps to build and repair muscles, thus it is vital that the body is fuelled with sufficient amounts. Good sources of protein includes; Seitan (wheat gluten), tofu, tempeh, lentils & beans, dairy products and nuts. Despite there being an ever-increasing range of diets for people to now follow, it is crucial that YOU, find the one that works best for YOU! Some of these diets includes; Atkins diet, Dash diet, Keto diet, Mediterranean diet, Paleo diet, Raw food diet, Vegan diet, Vegetarian diet, Whole30 diet and Intermittent fasting. How important is your diet in achieving your fitness goals? Over the years it has become debatable as to what percentage your diet plays in achieving fitness goals. Some people state that is 70%, whilst others state it’s 80%, and some even state it is 90%. However, from personal experience, I would suggest that both your diet and training should be 100 percent, in order to achieve your fitness goals. Therefore, fuelling your body with the right nutrition is essential, in aiding you to perform to the best of your potential, in your chosen training programme. In addition, it is your diet that will help you to maintain a level of body-fat and enhance muscle growth, which when coupled with the right training, will help you to maintain and gain muscle mass. Let’s not ignore getting adequate rest and sleep, as these are also important factors in achieving your goals too. How to be successful on a “Flexible Diet” Should you choose to devote to “flexible dieting”, you need to be committed like you would to any other diet. The combination of carbohydrates, fats and proteins will vary according to your goals; whether these are: fat loss, gain lean muscle mass or weight maintenance. Flexible dieting enables you to adapt macronutrients to suit your lifestyle and changing needs. 1. Consume clean calories. Hitting a drive through every now and then or, even biting a cookie or doughnut here and there; won’t hurt you in the long run if the majority of your calories are clean. You should aim to get at least get 80% of the calories from nutritious and unprocessed foods. In simple terms, this means getting most of what you eat, from healthy source of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Having a well-balanced macronutrient diet provides your body with sufficient nutrients in order to achieve optimum health and wellness. Not forgetting the relevance of eating adequate levels of fibre. Eating a variety of high-fibre foods, aids towards keeping your digestive system healthy. You should aim to consume at least 14 grams of fibre for every 1000 calories you eat. Overall, you should eat food that “fits your macros” in a healthy way. 2. Consume meals on a schedule that suits your lifestyle Most people often say that “dieting sucks!” This is largely due to them consuming too little calories, causing them to feel miserable, alongside them not knowing exactly how much protein, carbs, or fats they are eating. As a result, this eventually leads to muscle-loss and a decrease in endurance. “Flexible dieting” provides a new method of dieting which sets you up for both physically and psychologically. In flexible dieting, the timings of your meals or the frequency of them, isn’t going to have a huge detrimental effect on your results if you’re sticking to your macros and total calories. However, there are some unique benefits of having specific pre-workout and post-workout meals, but the bottom line is, you can still achieve your goal eating three or six meals a day. 3. Eat foods that you enjoy No diet will work for you, if you can’t stick to the diet. When you’re eating food that you enjoy, it’s doesn’t become a diet, it becomes a lifestyle. Flexible dieting eliminates boredom, as you can still enjoy the foods that you want, sensibly. Instead of depriving yourself of the foods that you like, flexible dieting allows you to incorporate your indulgence within your diet plan. Hence, most people find it is a smooth and painless experience. There is more to the diet than just calories and macros, it should also provide body with all essential micronutrient that are needed to keep us strong, happy and perform at best. 4. Quantity over Quality - how much you eat is more important than what you eat. As discussed earlier, consuming nutritious food is important, however this doesn’t take-away from over-eating food, even if it is deemed as healthy food. It is only once your calorie intake has been calculated, the correct macros for your goals can be manipulated, in order for you to achieve your fitness goals. The finer details of the types of calories that you consume, plays a vital role when wanting to optimise your body composition, therefore, what you eat also matters.
