How to eat more protein as a vegan

by Lucy Moore | 7 July 2015

When people start out on a vegan diet, there is often the misconception that certain products are no longer available to them, such as protein shakes for the gym goers.

Gym goers need even more protein than those who don't exercise

Here's the good news- you can still enjoy a protein shake if you go vegan- you just need to know where to look!

It's worth using a shake as a means of getting in your protein intake for the day if you are a vegan, as it can be a challenge to find the right quantities from other non-meat sources. Every article on protein sources for vegans will tell you to eat the following foods;

Green peas

Quinoa

Nuts and nut better

Beans

Chick peas

Tofu

Edamame

Leafy greens

Hemp

Chia Seeds

Sesame, sunflower and poppy seeds

Seitan

Non Dairy milk

Unsweetened cocoa powder

That said, they may not come close to giving you the required 50g of protein you need every day if eaten on their own.

Cassandra Barns, nutritionist at NutriCentre.com tells us about the benefits of vegan's supplementing with additional protein.

Despite the health benefits of a vegan diet, one of the primary nutrients vegans can fall short in is protein. Our body needs protein for many vital functions, including for muscle, bones, skin and for all our organs to work properly. It's also needed for our body to make enzymes (that catalyse millions of biochemical reactions that happen in all your cells), hormones, antibodies that help us fight off bugs, and neurotransmitters that transmit nerve signals. Protein is generally found in higher concentrations in animal foods than in plant foods. To add to the problem, animal proteins are generally better quality proteins, better matching what our body needs, and tend to be more easily absorbed than plant sources. So even if vegans are getting the quantity of protein they think they need, it may not actually absorbed or utilised as well. If you're a vegan and you fall short of 50g of protein a day (this amount can increase with body weight, exercise levels and with certain health conditions) then getting in some additional protein with a good quality vegan-friendly protein shake can be very helpful for all the reasons above.

Nature's Plus SPIRU-TEIN PureTrition is a real fitness essential. Drink before the gym to make the most of your workout, take some on the go for a burst of energy on the move or keep in the office for a morning nutrition boost.