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Where’s your protein?

Where do you get your protein from? Did you ever hear that question before you went vegan, thought about going vegan or looked into it at all? Did you ever worry about it? No? Good, you still don’t need to – even on a vegan diet. The protein consumed by animals that is transferred to those eating meat comes from the abundance of proteins in the plant world. We’ve all heard the sound bites such as broccoli containing more protein per calorie than steak, and there is no smoke without fire, but the truth is we don’t need these facts and figures to prove we are getting enough goodness from our food. Animal proteins are ‘complete’ proteins, as they contain all the essential amino acids your body needs. Plant proteins are incomplete, lacking one or more amino acid, so you need to combine sources of different amino acids to get everything your body needs. If you have a balanced, varied diet, protein deficiency is not something you will likely ever suffer from, with or without animal products. A main reason why people can suffer from a protein deficiency is due to issues with absorption of nutrients, which is something that must be addressed, regardless of your chosen diet.

However, if you are embarking on a meat- and dairy-free diet for the first time and are still concerned, or want to get some extra protein in for a long day or pre- or post-workout, here are some great sources that can be added to pretty much any dish:

• QUINOA

• BUCKWHEAT

• SOY AND TOFU

• BROWN RICE

• BEANS AND LENTILS (SEE HERE)

• NUTS AND NUT MILK

• OATS

• SEITAN

• TEMPEH

• SPIRULINA

• HEMP SEEDS

• PEAS AND OTHER LEGUMES

• CHIA SEEDS

• LOTS OF VEGETABLES, BUT THE REAL PROTEIN HEROES ARE BROCCOLI, KALE, SPINACH, SPROUTS AND MUSHROOMS

• HIGH-PROTEIN BREAD- such as Ezekiel Bread – a type of sprouted bread made from whole grains and legumes that have begun to ‘sprout’. Compared to white bread, made with refined wheat flour, Ezekiel bread is much richer in nutrients and fibre, with no added sugar.