Getting adequate protein from plant foods

Getting adequate amounts of protein on a plant-based diet is easier than we are often lead to believe. Unlike other nutrients (e.g. iodine), protein is found commonly in plant-based foods. Beans, nuts, seeds, soy and setian, the list is endless.

Why is it important?

Proteins are made up of amino acids, which are the building blocks of a protein. Some amino-acids are naturally occurring in the body (non-essential amino acids), where as some must be consumed from the diet (essential amino-acids). For a complete protein to be made, all amino acids should be present. Protein is essential for muscle growth and repair as well as hair, nails and all cells of the body. When we lack protein it can lead to serious health conditions, muscle wastage, brittle hair, skin and nails, and prevent injury recovery.

How much is needed?

The daily recommendation is 0.75g of protein per kilogram of body weight. For example: 60kg x 0.75 = 45g per day. It is suggested that for those following a vegan diet, intake should be increased to 1g per kilogram of body weight.

Amino-acids and dietary sources of protein

Unlike meat and dairy proteins, plant-based proteins do not always contain a complete amino-acid profile. For example, tempeh, seitan, quinoa and soy beans are complete proteins. This means these can be eaten alone and still provide a complete protein for the body to utilise. However, legumes are high in an amino acid lysine but low in cysteine and methionine. As a result, their amino-acid profile is incomplete. Likewise, this is the same for other beans, legumes and lentils.

Food combining

Food combining is a great way to provide you with all the amino acids you need to form a complete protein. Protein is found in many plant-based foods like soy, tempeh, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds. However, small amounts of protein are found in wholegrains like cereals, wholemeal bread, brown rice and peas.

In order to get a complete protein you can combine these foods together. For example: beans on wholemeal toast, red lentil dhal with brown rice, peanut butter with brown toast, or hummus with wheat crackers. The research into whether or not food combining is strictly essential remains unclear. However, there are still advantages and it is a sensible way to approach a balanced and complete diet.

Conclusion

Protein is found widely in plant-based foods, especially with the rise in seitan and mycoprotein products. Approach your plant-based diet with a variety in plant proteins and ensure that each meal has a source of protein with it. Protein deficiency isn’t a clinical term however, the effects of protein deficiency are common and must not be dismissed.