{"id":2274,"date":"2020-04-30T17:56:28","date_gmt":"2020-04-30T17:56:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.veganfriendly.org.uk\/?post_type=food&p=2274"},"modified":"2023-01-26T18:50:58","modified_gmt":"2023-01-26T18:50:58","slug":"high-protein-vegan-foods","status":"publish","type":"food","link":"https:\/\/www.veganfriendly.org.uk\/food-drink\/high-protein-vegan-foods\/","title":{"rendered":"High Protein Vegan Foods"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"HighVegans often face scepticism from friends and family members who arm themselves with all kinds of questions, misconceptions and half truths about a plant-based diet. One of the most common lines of attack (and it often feels like an attack from a vegan perspective) is that vegans cannot get sufficient protein without consuming meat and dairy products.<\/p>\n

Obviously, this is nonsense, as we explain in great detail in our Vegan Protein<\/a> article. There are plenty of high protein foods that are perfectly vegan friendly, as we shall highlight in this article.<\/p>\n

Jump To:<\/strong> High Protein Vegan Foods<\/a> | Combining Plant Proteins<\/a> | High Protein Vegan Meals<\/a> | Vegan Protein Powders<\/a> | Vegan Protein Vs Meat & Dairy<\/a><\/p>\n

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Buy Vegan Protein Online<\/h3>\r\n
\r\n \r\n \r\n \"MyProtein\r\n \r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n

If you're looking to supplement your protein intake then MyProtein are a great place to start. They have a dedicated Vegan section that covers protein powder and shakes, bars and meal kits. Plus plenty of other vegan friendly health products.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n \r\n See The Full Range Here<\/a>\r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\n

Best High Protein Vegan Foods<\/h2>\n

\"Plant<\/p>\n

Here are some of the best high protein vegan-friendly foods around, along with some of the other nutritional benefits each foodstuff possesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Food<\/th>\nProtein* (g per 100g)<\/th>\nOther Nutritional Benefits of Foodstuff<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Spirulina<\/a><\/td>\n55-70<\/td>\nPacked full of protein, as well as iron and B vitamins, this super food is actually a type of bacteria, and hence neither plant nor animal (but definitely fine for vegans).<\/p>\n

As we explain in our Spirulina article, it has plenty of nutritional benefits, but you shouldn\u2019t eat too much of it.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Yeast Extract (e.g. Marmite)<\/td>\n40.7<\/td>\nGreat source of B vitamins: Thiamin (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), Folate (B9), B12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Soya Beans (dried, raw)<\/td>\n35.9<\/td>\nHigh in fibre, complete protein<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Yeast<\/a> (dried)<\/td>\n35.6<\/td>\nOffers a complete protein; fortified versions often good sources of iron and B vitamins<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Seaweed (nori, dried)<\/td>\n30.7<\/td>\nGood source of vitamin A, vitamin C and iodine, and contains moderate levels of iron and zinc<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Whole Earth Smooth Peanut Butter<\/td>\n26.3<\/td>\nGood source of fibre, convenient and tasty!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Peanuts (dry roasted)<\/td>\n25.7<\/td>\nGood source of vitamin E, B vitamins, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous and zinc, also contains moderately high levels of fibre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pumpkin Seeds<\/td>\n24.4<\/td>\nExcellent source of magnesium, manganese and phosphorous, good source of iron and zinc<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mung Beans (dried, raw)<\/td>\n23.9<\/td>\nGood source of B vitamins, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium and zinc, and high in fibre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tofu<\/a><\/td>\n23.5<\/td>\nHigh quality protein, often classed as complete protein (depending on processes used to make it)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Almonds<\/a> (toasted)<\/td>\n21.2<\/td>\nExcellent source of vitamin E, high in fibre, source of various minerals including manganese and copper<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tempeh<\/td>\n20.7<\/td>\nCan offer complete protein, good source of manganese and other minerals<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chia Seeds<\/td>\n20.3<\/td>\nExcellent source of fibre and Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, good source of vitamins B1 and B3, as well as magnesium, manganese and phosphorous<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Quorn<\/a> Vegan Pieces<\/td>\n15.3<\/td>\nLow in fat compared to the meat it attempts to replace, and with a decent fibre content, this is a healthy protein source for vegans<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tesco Meat Free Mince<\/td>\n15.1<\/td>\nWith a fraction of the fat content of even lean steak mincemeat, this vegan-friendly alternative is another convenient vegan protein source<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Walnuts<\/td>\n14.7<\/td>\nGood source of fibre and various minerals, including manganese and phosphorous<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hazelnuts<\/td>\n14.1<\/td>\nExcellent source of vitamin E and manganese; also high in fibre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Buckwheat<\/td>\n13.2<\/td>\nAn excellent low-fat energy source, as well as offering good levels of B vitamins, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous and zinc<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Edamame Beans<\/td>\n12.1<\/td>\nGood source of fibre, vitamin K, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Greggs Vegan Sausage Roll<\/td>\n12.0<\/td>\nOkay, not the healthiest option on the list, but tasty and convenient<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bread (wholemeal)<\/td>\n11.2<\/td>\nGood source of fibre (plus vitamins and minerals if fortified)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bread (wheatgerm)<\/td>\n11.1<\/td>\nGood source of fibre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Oats (unfortified)<\/td>\n10.9<\/td>\nGood source of fibre, B vitamins, manganese, zinc and phosphorous<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bread (white)<\/td>\n9.7<\/td>\nGood energy source (plus vitamins and minerals if fortified)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pita Bread<\/a> (white)<\/td>\n9.1<\/td>\nGood energy source (plus vitamins and minerals if fortified)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pinto Beans<\/td>\n8.9<\/td>\nGood source of folate (vitamin B9) and fibre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Blackeye Beans<\/td>\n8.8<\/td>\nAs above<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lentils (green and brown)<\/td>\n8.8<\/td>\nAs above<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chickpeas<\/td>\n7.7<\/td>\nAs above<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lentils (red)<\/td>\n7.6<\/td>\nAs above<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rice<\/td>\n7.1<\/td>\nGood energy source, contains some minerals including potassium and phosphorous<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pasta<\/a> (fresh)<\/td>\n6.6<\/td>\nGood energy source<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hummus<\/a><\/td>\n6.1<\/td>\nComplete protein with a decent amount of fibre and vitamin B6 and manganese, among other nutrients<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Green Peas (frozen)<\/td>\n5.5<\/td>\nGood source of B vitamins (B1, B5 and B9), great source of fibre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Baked Beans<\/a> (in tomato sauce)<\/td>\n5<\/td>\nComplete protein when eaten with toast \u2013 great quick, cheap and tasty lunch<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Quinoa<\/td>\n4.9<\/td>\nGood source of fibre, B vitamins and various minerals including manganese, phosphorous and magnesium<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sweet Corn<\/td>\n3.6<\/td>\nContains moderate levels of B vitamins and fibre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Spinach (baby)<\/td>\n3.2<\/td>\nExcellent source of vitamin K, good source of vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin C and carious minerals<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Spinach (frozen)<\/td>\n3.1<\/td>\nAs above<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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*Note that the data for the generic items listed were mainly taken from McCance and Widdowson\u2019s The Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset 2015<\/a>,\u00a0which was compiled for Pub Health England (PHE) and the FoodData Central Database of the US Department of Agriculture<\/a>. For branded products mentioned, we used the nutritional information from the labels or the relevant manufacturer\u2019s\/retailer\u2019s website. Where there is a range of possible protein contents (e.g. for rice) we\u2019ve generally used the upper value.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

As you can see, most of the high protein vegan foods in our table are either ready to eat (such as nuts, seeds, bread, and so on) or very easy to prepare or add to recipes. The fact that hardly any of these food has undergone much (if anything) in the way of processing means that in most cases it is very unlikely that any colours, flavourings or preservatives have been added (though supermarket-bought bread could be the exception to this, so choose wisely).<\/p>\n

Combining Plant Proteins: High Protein Vegan Combos<\/h2>\n

\"Grains,<\/p>\n

In an article written by a Nutrition Specialist for the Oklahoma branch of the Cooperative Extensive Service<\/a> (which is the \u201clargest, most successful informal education organization in the world\u201d), it explains that combining foods from two or more of the following plant groups can improve the overall protein quality:<\/p>\n