Vegan Protein Sources Chart

Protein is often a main talking point with vegan diets since there aren’t as many high-protein options compared to diets that include meat and other animal-based foods. Most foods contain protein, but the volume needed to match the protein in meat is often greater for plant-based foods. For that reason, we compiled a review of the best vegan protein sources (chart included) to help you meet your needs.

Make sure to download our FREE Vegan Protein Sources Chart (PDF).

Importance of protein

Protein is essential for:

• Building and repairing cells and tissues (like internal organs, bone, muscle, blood, skin, hair, and nails)
• Supporting the immune system
• Growing muscle mass
• Recovering from illness, injury, and surgery

Protein requirements

Your protein needs mainly depend on your age, sex, body composition, activity level, overall health, and goals. People who strength train frequently, have high muscle mass, are older than 50 years, or are pregnant or breastfeeding often need more protein. (1, 2, 3)

General protein needs:

• Sedentary adults
  • Maintain weight: 1.2-1.8 g/kg
• Active adults
  • Maintain weight: 1.4-2.0 g/kg
  • Build muscle: 1.6-2.4 g/kg
  • Lose fat: 1.6-2.4 g/kg
• Adults with BMI ≥ 30
  • Lose fat: 1.2-1.5 g/kg
• Adults ≥ 50 years old
  • Maintain weight: 1.2-1.5 g/kg
  • Build muscle: 1.7-2.0 g/kg
  • Lose fat: 1.5-2.2 g/kg
• Pregnancy: 1.7-2.0 g/kg
• Lactation: 1.5-1.9 g/kg

Effects of consuming too much protein

Usually, your body will flush out excess protein in the urine, but in some cases, excess protein can lead to unwanted side effects and increase your risk for some diseases.

If you eat greater than 2 g/kg protein, you may experience constipation, dehydration, hyperinsulinemia, kidney failure, weight gain (due to excess calorie intake), or bad breath (if your body is in ketosis).

Long-term intake of excess protein can increase the risk of kidney stones, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, and heart disease. This is not a concern for most people and the benefits of consuming adequate protein outweigh the risks of overdoing it.

Effects of consuming too little protein

Eating less protein than your body needs can lead to loss of muscle mass, longer muscle recovery, increased risk of infection, slow wound healing, and increased risk of bone fracture. These issues can further increase your risk of falls, injuries, hospitalizations, and decreased independence.

Plant vs animal protein sources

The main differences between plant and animal protein sources include the amino acid profiles and digestibility of the protein. These together impact bioavailability which is the capacity for our bodies to digest, absorb, and utilize the protein. 

Bioavailability

Complete vs incomplete proteins

Humans require 20 amino acids (AAs) which help form our cells, tissues, organs, enzymes, hormones, and chemicals. While our bodies can make 11 of these, we must get the other 9 from food. Essential amino acids (EAAs) describe the 9 AAs that we need in our diets. Below are some common terms regarding amino acids:

• Complete proteins: food sources that contain all 9 EAAs in adequate amounts; these foods are considered more bioavailable than incomplete proteins
  • Examples: meat, fish, dairy, soy, quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, and spirulina
• Incomplete proteins: food sources that are low in at least one EAA; most foods contain many or all of the EAAs, but they don’t always have an amount high enough to be used optimally by the body
  • Examples: fruit, vegetables, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, wheat, rice, and oats
• Conditionally essential amino acids: AAs that are needed in greater amounts than the body can produce, usually during times of high stress, like pregnancy, wound healing, post-injury, post-surgery, and intense physical activity
  • These include arginine, cysteine, glutamine, tyrosine, glycine, ornithine, proline, and serine
• Complementary proteins: food sources that are separately incomplete proteins but when combined, form a complete protein
  • Examples: rice + beans, wheat bread + peanut butter, and hummus + pita bread

Digestibility

Animal sources of protein are generally considered to be easily digested, absorbed, and used by the body. On the other hand, plant sources of protein are a little more difficult to digest because they naturally contain antinutrients which are compounds that block the absorption of some nutrients and are meant to protect the plant from infections and being eaten by insects. (4)

Antinutrients decrease the bioavailability of protein in plant foods, so it may be necessary for people eating a vegan diet to consume a little extra protein each day.

There are ways to decrease the antinutrients found in plants, including soaking, sprouting, fermenting, and boiling. These methods can help break down or eliminate antinutrients. (5)

Check out our thorough review of whey protein vs plant protein.

Specific amino acid considerations

Many plant proteins are low in lysine, except for legumes, quinoa, and seitan. You may need to consume 2-3 servings/day to meet your needs (6)

Leucine is the most important amino acid for building muscle because it’s heavily involved in muscle protein synthesis. Make sure you are consuming enough leucine within 1-2 hours of strength training for maximal influence on muscle growth. The best vegan sources of leucine are legumes (lentils and beans, including soybeans), nuts, seeds, vital wheat gluten (used to make seitan), leafy greens, and seaweed.

Best vegan protein sources

Vegan meats

• Beyond Meatballs
• Gardein Black Bean Burger
• Impossible Burger Patties
• Seitan (vital wheat gluten)
• Tempeh
• Textured vegetable protein
• Tofu (firm)

Check out our review of tofu vs chicken.

Legumes

• Beans: adzuki, black, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, edamame, fava, kidney, mung, navy, pinto, soybeans
• Lentils
• Peas

Check out our review of pea vs soy protein.

Nuts & seeds

• Nuts: almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts
• Seeds: chia, flax, hemp, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower
• Peanuts (technically a legume but more similar to nuts nutritionally)

Check out our review of hemp vs whey protein.

Grains & pseudograins

• Grains: brown rice, millet, oats, rye flakes, spelt, teff
• Pseudo-grains: amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa

Vegetables

• Non-starchy: artichoke hearts, broccoli, collard greens, mushrooms, spinach
• Starchy: corn, sweet potato, white potato

Fruits

• Apricots
• Bananas
• Blackberries
• Guava
• Kiwi
• Plantains

Non-dairy milk

• General: almond, cashew, coconut, flax, hemp, oat, rice, soy
• Commercial: Califia Farms Protein Oatmilk, Good Karma Flaxmilk + Protein, Ripple Oatmilk + Protein, Ripple Plant-Based Milk, Shroom Junkie Original Plantmilk, Silk Protein Nutmilk

Check out our review of the best high-protein milk options.

Other vegan foods

• Dave’s Killer Bread Epic Everything Bagel
• Food for Life Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Bread
• Forager Probiotic Cashewmilk Yogurt
• Just Egg
• Maca root powder
• Nutritional yeast
• Seaweed
• Spirulina powder

Vegan protein powders, shakes, & bars

• Vegan protein powder
  • Brown rice protein powder
  • Brown rice & pea protein blend
  • Hemp protein powder
  • Pea protein powder
  • Soy protein isolate
• Vegan protein shakes
  • ALOHA Protein Shakes
  • OWYN Protein Shakes
• Vegan protein bars
  • Bare Performance Nutrition Field Bar
  • GoMacro Macrobar

Check out our review of these vegan protein powders, shakes, and bars.

Vegetarian protein sources

• Cheese
• Cottage cheese
• Eggs
• Greek yogurt
• Milk

Vegan protein sources chart

The following table shows the protein and calories for a typical serving of the above-listed foods, or you can download our Vegan Protein Sources Chart (PDF).

Protein Source	Serving Size	Protein (g)	Calories
Vegan Meats
Beyond Meatballs	4.3 oz	19	290
Gardein Black Bean Burger	1 patty (67 g)	9	170
Impossible Burger Patties	4 oz	19	230
Seitan (Vital Wheat Gluten)	4 oz	37	185
Tempeh	4 oz	24	213
Textured Vegetable Protein	4 oz	26	180
Tofu (firm)	4 oz	8	70
Legumes (Cooked)
Adzuki Beans	1/2 cup	8.5	147
Black Beans	1/2 cup	8	114
Black-Eyed Peas	1/2 cup	7	99
Chickpeas	1/2 cup	7	134
Edamame	1/2 cup	9	190
Fava Beans	1/2 cup	6.5	94
Kidney Beans	1/2 cup	8	112
Lentils	1/2 cup	9	101
Mung Beans	1/2 cup	7	106
Navy Beans	1/2 cup	7.5	127
Peas	1/2 cup	4	59
Pinto Beans	1/2 cup	11	197
Soybeans	1/2 cup	15	149
Nuts & Seeds
Almonds	1 oz	6	163
Brazil Nuts	1 oz	4.1	186
Cashews	1 oz	4	162
Chia Seeds	1 oz	5	138
Flaxseeds	1 oz	6	140
Hazelnuts	1 oz	4.2	178
Hemp Seeds (shelled)	1 oz	10	180
Peanut Butter	1 Tbsp	7	188
Peanuts	1 oz	7	166
Pecans	1 oz	3	196
Pine Nuts	1 oz	3.9	191
Pistachios	1 oz	6	161
Pumpkin Seeds	1 oz	9	159
Sesame Seeds	1 Tbsp	1.6	52
Sunflower Seeds	1 oz	6	140
Walnuts	1 oz	4	185
Grains (Cooked)
Amaranth	1/2 cup	2.5	125
Buckwheat Groats	1/2 cup	2.9	78
Brown Rice	1/2 cup	2.5	108
Millet	1/2 cup	3	103
Oats	1/2 cup	2.5	70
Quinoa	1/2 cup	4	111
Rye Flakes	1/2 cup	4	98
Spelt	1/2 cup	5	123
Teff	1/2 cup	5	127
Vegetables (Cooked)
Artichoke Hearts	1 cup	3	42
Broccoli	1 cup	4	54
Collard Greens	1/2 cup	5	62
Corn	1/2 cup	2.5	76
Mushrooms	1 cup	3.4	44
Spinach	1/2 cup	3	41
Sweet Potato	1 cup	4	180
White Potato	1 cup	1.5	57
Fruit
Apricot (dried)	1/2 cup	2.2	157
Banana	1 cup (sliced)	1.6	133
Blackberries	1 cup	2	62
Guava	1 cup	4.2	112
Kiwi	1 cup	2.1	110
Plantains	1 cup (sliced)	1.9	181
Non-Dairy Milk (General Options)
Almond Milk	8 oz	1	40
Cashew Milk	8 oz	4	130
Coconut Milk	8 oz	0	45
Flax Milk	8 oz	3	50
Hemp Milk	8 oz	3	60
Oatmilk	8 oz	3	80
Rice Milk	8 oz	0.7	115
Soy Milk	8 oz	6-9	90-100
Non-Dairy Milk (Commercial Options)
Califia Farms Protein Oatmilk	8 oz	8	140
Good Karma Flaxmilk + Protein	8 oz	8	70
Ripple Oatmilk + Protein	8 oz	6	150
Ripple Plant-Based Milk	8 oz	8	80-100
Shroom Junkie Original Plantmilk	8 oz	10	140
Silk Protein Nutmilk	8 oz	10	130-150
Other Vegan Foods
Dave's Killer Bread Epic Everything Bagel	95 g	13	260
Food for Life Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Bread	34 g	5	80
Forager Probiotic Cashewmilk Yogurt (plain)	150 g	3	150
Just Egg	44 g	5	70
Maca Root Powder	1 Tbsp	3	60
Nutritional Yeast	1 Tbsp	2	15
Seaweed (dried)	1 oz	5	68
Spirulina Powder	1 Tbsp	5	25
Vegan Protein Powders, Shakes, & Bars
Brown Rice Protein Powder	30 g	25	120
Brown Rice & Pea Protein Blend	30 g	23	120
Hemp Protein Powder	31 g	12	120
Pea Protein Powder	30 g	27	120
Soy protein isolate	19 g	16	70
ALOHA Protein Shakes	12 oz	20	170
OWN Protein Shakes	12 oz	20	180
Bare Performance Nutrition Field Bar	60 g	12	290
GoMacro Macrobar	69 g	10-12	270-290
Vegetarian Foods
Cheese, Part-Skim Mozzarella	1 oz	7	72
Cottage Cheese (2%)	4 oz	13	90
Eggs	1 large	6	72
Greek Yogurt (non-fat, plain)	5.3 oz	18	110
Milk (non-fat)	8 oz	8	80

Nutritional benefits of vegan protein sources

Many vegan protein sources contain fiber, especially legumes, grains, fruits, and vegetables, which can help keep blood sugar stable, lower cholesterol, and promote healthy gut bacteria and bowel movements.

Some nuts and seeds, like walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and flax seeds, contain omega-3 fatty acids, which promote cardiovascular and brain health.

Plant-based foods also contain a wide range of vitamins and minerals which are important for supporting the body in its many functions.

Tips for incorporating vegan protein sources into your diet

In addition to eating vegan protein sources on their own, here are some ideas of how to include them in your favorite dishes

• Vegan meats: add to breakfast scrambles, stir-fries, burritos, sandwiches, soups, salads, grain dishes, tacos, and pasta
• Legumes: add to burritos and burrito bowls, quesadillas, nachos, soups, and bean brownies
• Nuts & seeds: add to vegan yogurt, oatmeal, trail mix, smoothies, salads, grain dishes, granola bars, homemade veggie burgers, and baked goods
• Grains: add to homemade veggie burgers, granola bars, salads, soups, stuffed bell peppers, breakfast bowls, and burritos
• Vegetables: add to burritos and burrito bowls, breakfast scrambles, stir-fries, soups, salads, grain dishes, and pasta
• Fruit: add to smoothies, oatmeal, cereal, and vegan yogurt
• Non-dairy milk: add to oatmeal, smoothies, cereal, soups, cream sauces, and baked goods
• Other vegan foods (maca root, nutritional yeast, seaweed, spirulina): sprinkle on top or stir into savory dishes for an added protein boost

You can also check out our article, High-Protein Vegan Snacks, for easy recipes and store-bought options.

Final thoughts

While most vegan foods contain protein, there is some strategy involved to ensure you are consuming enough, and more specifically, consuming adequate amounts of all essential amino acids. Since there are only a few vegan foods that are complete proteins, it’s important to consume a variety of plant foods to meet your body’s needs.

Our vegan protein sources chart is intended to help you find the best options and encourage you to try new protein sources if you are struggling with getting enough protein or need more variety.

Plant-based diets don’t have to be low in protein, and we hope you feel empowered to create a well-balanced diet.

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