How I ate double my protein requirement, on a vegan diet

The Buzz around protein

As a vegan dietitian I often get people asking me if it is even possible to get enough protein on a vegan diet.

High protein diets are SO popular right now. We seem to be obsessed with protein, as a society, and many processed foods are marketed as ‘healthy’ because they are good sources of protein.

But, the reality is that, in North America and in Europe where we hear so much about high protein snacks and shakes and bars, protein deficiency is almost non-existent (exceptions may include people with severe eating disorders and some institutionalized elderly people).

I’m going to share a ‘what I ate in a day’ post, covering a day where I met double my protein requirements, without even touching a protein powder.

How much protein do you need?

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein, is 0.8 grams per kilogram (0.36 grams per pound) of body weight per day.

I weigh about 125 lbs, so I require at least 46g of protein per day. That is only about 10% of calories per day required from protein.

Honestly, it is almost impossible to not meet this requirement! Protein is abundant in our foods from whole grains, to fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds and pulses. If you want to see if you are meeting your protein requirements, try setting up a free profile at www.cronometer.com and entering your daily intake.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women require increased protein to support the growth and development of their babies and athletes may require between 1.2- 2.0 g/kg/day depending on the type of activity they undertake. These increased requirements are still easy to meet on a healthy, vegan diet.

Do I need protein powder?

Let’s cut to the chase on protein powders and protein bars. Many people have been told by their trainers that they won’t build muscle if they don’t consume a protein-rich shake without 30 mins of completing a workout.

It is true that post-workout nutrition including a combination of carbohydrates and protein can aid muscle building and repair, but this is really only required after an intense gym session; with heavy weights or high intensity interval training or a long endurance run. A yoga or zumba class or treadmill or light weights session likely does not require a post-workout nutrition boost.

Even if you did want to have a post workout snack, a banana and some almonds or hummus and pita will meet your needs, with added fibre and other nutrients. Whole foods for the win!

If you love the taste of protein powder, or if you like to start your day with a morning smoothie, and you find that protein powder helps you feel fuller for longer – enjoy in moderation! But, most of us don’t require the stuff. If you are iffy on protein powder, but looking for a boost, try adding hemp hearts or peanut butter to your smoothie – yum!

Let’s get to the good stuff…

What I ate to meet DOUBLE my protein requirement (without even really trying)

Breakfast: 31.7g protein 

Steel cut oats (¼ cup dry, cooked with water and cinnamon) 5.3g
Soy milk, 1 cup 8.0g
Blueberries ½ cup 0.3g
Ground flax seed 1 tbsp 1.5g
Pumpkin seeds ¼ cup 3.0g
Hemp hearts 2 tbsp 6.4g
Peanut butter 2 tbsp 7.2g

Snack: protein 3.9g

Banana 1.3g
Almonds (10 nuts) 2.6g

Lunch: 23.7g protein

Baked beans 1 cup 12.1g
Whole grain bread 1 slice 4.6g
Broccoli ½ cup 1.9g
Tahini 2 tbsp 5.1g

Snack: 0.5g protein

Apple 0.5g

Dinner: 36.6g

Whole wheat pasta  1 cup cooked8.4g
Field Roast veggie sausage 25.0g
Spinach 2 cups raw 1.7g
Tomato sauce 1 cup 1.5g

That is 96.4g in one day! More than double my 45g minimum requirement.

What about protein quality?

Protein is made up of amino acids, and we need to get enough of the nine essential amino acids to ensure that we have all the building blocks we need to build and repair muscle and tissue. The good news is – the protein quality of this day in the life was excellent. Chronometer can give you a picture of your protein quality too, I’ve included the a summary below. Note that I met over 200% of my protein requirement, and at least 100% of each amino acid.

What can we learn from this?

Here are my top 5 tips for getting all the protein you need on a vegan diet

1. Veggie meats can be your friend: Don’t be afraid of the occaional veggie burger or sausage. They are yummy and protein packed! They can be great sources of zinc too.

2. Don’t avoid soy: tofu, tempeh and edamame are your friends when it comes to meeting your vegan protein needs. Check out this great article to help dispel your soy concerns.

3. Eat all the legumes: Bean and lentils are the BEST sources of protein. They just can’t be beaten for versatility, cost, and nutrient quality. Just look at all that fibre you are gonna get! Try my vegan meatballs for a delicious vegan protein boost.

4. Protein is everywhere: Protein is abundant in our food supply. I got 7.2g of protein from fruits and veggies on this day and a whopping 18.3g from grains!

5. Get nutty and seedy everyday: Nuts and seeds are not only sources of healthy fats, they also are good protein and fibre sources. I love pumpkin seeds because they are good sources of lysine, an amino acid that can sometimes be scarce on a vegan diet.