Embrace your inner vegan: A plant-powered guide to protein
🌿 Discover My Top Protein Favorites for a plant-based Journey to Feeling Amazing Every Day
Ever wondered why protein is a powerhouse in our nutrition game? It's not just about muscles – protein plays a key role in our hair, nails, skin, eyes, and even our organs, like the brain and heart. It's the force behind muscle repair, the builder of a robust immune system, and the MVP in our blood, with hemoglobin waving the protein flag.
Plant-based protein is where the magic happens, and in my latest blog post, I'm breaking it all down for you. From muscle-building to immune-boosting, I share the lowdown on plant-based protein. After all, whether you're diving into a veggie stir-fry or savouring a vegan dessert, there’s so much plant-powered goodness.
Ready to explore the protein-packed world of plants? If you need to learn more about protein, click here to check out my latest blog post, where I spill the beans (and lentils, and chickpeas...) on all things plant-based protein.
In this post, I share with you, by category, my top five (5) favourite ways to get protein (and so much more) from plant-based foods - most of these you likely include in your diet today. The eight categories are fruit, vegetables, grains, seeds, nuts, legumes, soy, and other (processed) options. Brace yourself for 40 different ways to add protein to your day.
Ok, let's make your plate a powerhouse of plants together!
Category crunch:
the plant-based protein edition
Fruits
Fruit is the convenience food that nature quite willingly drops into our hands. It’s low in fat, high in fibre, and satisfies that sweet craving. Maybe they’re not a great source of protein, but they offer us ample antioxidants, fibre, vitamin C, and other key nutrients. Think of fruit as rounding out your day. Taking you from 50g to 54g - you get the idea. Frozen fruit in a protein-powdered smoothie is a fantastic way to add flavour, fibre, and nutrients, while still adding some protein.
HOT TIP: Focus on colour over protein for fruit. Consider raspberries and kiwi to increase your fibre and keep you regular.
Nuts
Nuts are absolute gems for vegans and vegetarians. Sure, they’re high in fat but offer access to MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids), PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids), and Omega-3 & -6 fatty acids. They’re packed with protein, fibre, omega-3s, B vitamins, vitamin E, calcium, zinc, and other minerals, such as magnesium, selenium, and potassium.
HOT TIP: Keep nuts in closed containers in the fridge/freezer to maximize shelf-life.
Seeds
Seeds are the origin of life for so many plants we enjoy in our diet. Pumpkin seeds are a great addition to any salad or trail mix for protein, fibre, and nutrients! They punch in some nice minerals like magnesium, zinc, manganese, iron, copper, plus vitamin K. Seeds offer a good source of fat in whole food form, and vitamins A, D, & E. Seeds are generally a great way to add iron, zinc, magnesium, copper, calcium, and potassium to your diet.
HOT TIP: Aim to eat raw over salted & roasted seeds. Use raw seeds, like sunflower in sauces to thicken and create a creamy texture.
Vegetables
Vegetables come in many forms: stems, leaves, roots, flowers, sprouts, and those we steal from the sea. We also tend to lump mushrooms into this category, despite them falling under an entirely different kingdom of organisms.
Eating an array of vegetables (and other plants) will provide you with all nine essential amino acids very easily. Spinach, artichoke, avocado, asparagus, kale, and potatoes are some that top the list in terms of protein.
Mushrooms have protein as well, offer ample B vitamins and the shiitake mushroom has eight of the nine amino acids. Functional mushrooms (reishi, maitake, shiitake, turkey tail) have beta-glucans, phytonutrients that help to stabilize blood sugar and cholesterol levels, activate immune and healthy inflammation responses, support satiation, promote healthy gut bacteria and even go so far as to firm up the skin!
HOT TIP: Aim to have at least 5 servings a day. Mix up the variety throughout your week for diversity in your diet AND your gut’s microbiome!
leaves (kale, lettuce)
stems (celery, asparagus)
roots/bulbs/tubers (potatoes, onions, carrots)
vegetable flowers (broccoli, cauliflower)
flowering vegetables (pumpkin, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes)
‘shrooms (button, portabello, oyster)
ocean-derived (dulse)
Grains
When we think of high-protein foods, we don’t generally think of grains. However, it’s the gluten in wheat that is a protein and as a result, wheat (often it can just be gluten) tends to be a main ingredient in vegan “meat” products. Other grains like oats, buckwheat, amaranth, brown rice, millet, and spelt offer great sources of fibre, and a decent amount of B vitamins, potassium, magnesium and other minerals.
Grains provide versatility and when combined with legumes, provide good levels of all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa (actually a seed) falls under grains due to how we eat this amino acid-diverse staple. Including whole grains (considering allergies, of course) is a very healthy way to add protein to your plant-based nutrition plan.
HOT TIP: Look for whole grain (not to be confused with multi-grain) options in the grocery store. This provides you with access to way more nutrients naturally (such as: B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, potassium, iron, selenium, and vitamin E).
Grains quickly add to your daily fibre goal (30g+)!
Soy
Soy is a legume and depending on how it's processed offers a variety of nutrients including healthy fats, potassium, oodles of protein, fibre, calcium, magnesium, vitamin B6, quercetin, isoflavones (which are a phytestrogen).
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve been asked if soy will give some dude “man-boobs”, I could buy every man concerned about his man-boobs a lifetime supply of tofu. No, it will not cause man-boobs. Yes, you can eat soy if you’ve had, or have breast cancer. In fact, phytoestrogen from soy is a healthy choice that you should have in your diet. Yes, you can eat soy if you have a thyroid problem. Some old myths about that need to be addressed, as soy is one of the finest food forms we have on this planet.
Isoflavones are the primary phytoestrogens in your tofu that prefer to bind with beta-estrogen receptors. The estrogen hormone that your body produces prefers to “connect” with alpha-estrogen receptors.
Phytoestrogens (from soy) may dramatically improve menopausal symptoms and drastically reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. Soy milk has actually been shown to prevent bone loss in women during menopause (sourced below). Be grateful for these phytoestrogens, they are mini-superheroes in your own body. And to the guys out there worrying about their man-boobs: “Maybe you should be worrying about the hormones & hormonal factories you have going on inside your own body”.
HOT TIP: Women who consume soy have been shown to have less severe menopausal symptoms, reduced risk of breast cancer, and less bone loss.
Reach for smoked tofu when starting your tofu journey. It’s firmer and satisfies the craving to chew on something meaty.
Legumes
Here’s where it gets a bit windy. Legumes are the edible seeds of a pod. There are adzuki, black beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, green peas, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans, mung beans, navy beans, peanuts, pintos and soybeans.
Since most legumes lack or have less tryptophan and methionine than their essential amino acid counterparts, food combining and portions are important. Enjooying beans with grains such as rice, is an easy fix. Well, it’s also worth talking about the added air received from these beans. This gas is caused mainly by oligosaccharides fermenting in the lower intestine. A general rule of thumb is to soak the beans overnight and then rinse and cook in fresh water. Again, combining black beans, lentils, mung or adzuki with a grain like rice or millet (1:3 bean:grain ratio) will provide complete protein and less gas.
HOT TIP: Beans are an affordable and ample protein source. Combine with your favourite grains (brown rice, millet, wheat) to complete the essential amino acid profile.
OTHER: Processed Products
The variety of vegan products on the market is incredible. There is everything from plant milk, and vegan chick-un nuggets to full-on steaks made from mushrooms, feta-style cheeze, yogurt, and pulled “pork” made from jackfruit. Every day there’s a new vegan option on the menu, in the grocery aisles and some stores are brave enough to add these protein substitutes in the meat section.
“A side of guilt does more harm than a quick, tasty meal. ”
Most of these products have a blend of protein sources (wheat, pea, soy, and are fortified with some blend of vitamins and minerals. We generally think of Beyond Meat and meat alternatives, but there’s so much more in this category. Oat milk fell from the heavens, and have you had oat ice cream?
Let's talk about processed foods – they get a bad rap, right? But here's the scoop: it's totally cool to crave a burger, especially the plant-based wonders like Beyond or Impossible. Don't stress if your meal is a bit more on the convenient side. Toss in a side salad, steam some veggies, or go all-in with the fries. Remember, a side of guilt does more harm than a quick, tasty meal. Your health matters, and sometimes, quick and easy is just what you need.
HOT TIP: Moderation with any food is key. Add before you take away.
Ditch the guilt, savour the flavours, and if you're curious about your nutrition needs, let's chat!
Click here to schedule a one-on-one with me.
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Sources:
Haas, E. M., & Levin, B. (2006). Staying healthy with nutrition medicine 21st century edition. Celestial Arts.
Table 1.1: Institute of Medicine, Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fibre, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids (Macronutrients). Washington, D.C. The National Academies Press, 2005.
Gardner, C. D., Hartle, J. C., Garrett, R. D., Offringa, L. C., & Wasserman, A. S. (2019). Maximizing the intersection of human health and the health of the environment with regard to the amount and type of protein produced and consumed in the United States. Nutrition Reviews, 77(4), 197–215. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuy073
FoodData central. (n.d.). Usda.gov. Retrieved November 22, 2023, from https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/index.html
Faclm, M. G. M. (2016, November 25). Who shouldn’t eat soy? | Nutritionfacts.org. NutritionFacts.org.
Lydeking-Olsen, E., Beck-Jensen, J.-E., Setchell, K. D. R., & Holm-Jensen, T. (2004). Soymilk or progesterone for prevention of bone loss: A 2 year randomized, placebo-controlled trial. European Journal of Nutrition, 43(4), 246–257. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-004-0497-8
Boutas, I., Kontogeorgi, A., Dimitrakakis, C., & Kalantaridou, S. N. (2022). Soy isoflavones and breast cancer risk: A meta-analysis. In Vivo (Athens, Greece), 36(2), 556–562. https://doi.org/10.21873/invivo.12737
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