Protein is an essential part of any diet, regardless of your lifestyle or health goals. Yet there is still a misconception that vegan diets can be detrimental to your health due to a lack of protein.
While this is not true, it can be difficult to identify plant-based protein sources that suit your dietary preferences and how to successfully increase your daily protein intake.
So here are the top five ways to optimize protein intake on a vegan or plant-based diet.
1. Focus on plant-based proteins
People usually associate a vegan diet with a "low protein" diet because of the absence of meat and animal products. However, the reality is that vegans have many protein-rich food choices.
Increase your protein intake significantly by incorporating a range of gut-friendly plant proteins into your diet. Protein-rich options include edamame beans, chickpeas, lentils, seitan, nut butters, broccoli, quinoa and rice.
While you may need to eat larger meals to achieve a high protein intake, it's easy to incorporate several high-quality protein sources into a single vegan dish.
2. Snack throughout the day
Even though they are eating more, new vegans may feel like they are always hungry. The main reason for this is that they don't diversify their diet enough to cover the nutrients typically found in animal foods.
In fact, science shows that calcium, vitamin D, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids are more important when following a vegan diet. Deficiencies in these nutrients can lead to a lack of satiety.
To avoid this, get into the habit of listening to your hunger cues and snacking throughout the day. Opt for seeds and nuts - peanuts are high in protein and healthy fats, cashews are high in zinc, and chia seeds are great for a calcium boost.
3. Mix in a plant-based protein powder.
For a quick protein boost when you're short on time or on the go, smoothies are the perfect option. Not only are they convenient to make, but they're also easy to supplement with healthy additions like soy milk, oats, chia seeds and greens.
For a delicious and healthy protein boost, we recommend adding a high-quality vegan protein powder to your smoothies.
For example, Naked Shake's Chocolate Vegan Protein Powder provides 20 grams of pea protein in each serving, along with MCT oil to prolong satiety.
Thanks to the pea protein, this flavored protein powder also provides a superior amino acid profile to ensure quality nutrition.
4. Don't be afraid of meat alternatives
In recent years, plant-based alternatives to meat have gained popularity. With many brands offering new food options for vegans, it's becoming easier and easier to maintain a protein-rich, plant-based diet.
While you probably won't like every veggie burger you come across, try to be more experimental with your diet and explore new vegan options when available.
Meat alternatives are also generally high in protein, fiber and carbohydrates, making them an excellent source of essential nutrients.
5. Be creative with your meals
With a vegan diet, it can be easy to fall into the pattern of eating the same meals without trying to vary your diet. While this can make meal prep easier, it can also leave you feeling hungry and bored with your daily routine.
In this case, think about your regular meals and how you can add protein to them. Add a scoop of chia seeds and protein powder to your smoothies, add nuts to your salads, and pair whole grains (like brown rice) with meat alternatives.
By adding more variety to your meals, you're much more likely to cover all your nutritional bases and meet all your protein needs.