Vegans! Make Sure You Are Getting Enough Protein!

One of the biggest concerns of vegetarians is getting enough protein. Thankfully most foods that exist have a great deal of protein in them. Foods that do not provide protein are alcohol, sugar and fats.

Excellent sources of protein for vegans include lentils, chickpeas, peanut butter, almonds, spinach, rice, potatoes, broccoli, kale and quinoa.

The following food vegan food suggestions meet the daily recommended daily amounts for protein for a grown adult male if eaten on their own:

·      1 cup oatmeal with almond milk

·      2 tablespoons peanut butter

·      1 cup beans

·      1 cup broccoli and 1 cup brown rice

Although strict protein planning and food combining to make proteins is not necessary on a vegan diet you may want to combine foods that they have a complete amino acid profile into one meal. Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein.

The amino acids necessary to stay healthy are –

·       Histidine

·       Isoleucine

·       Leucine

·       Lysine

·       Methionine

·       Phenylalanine

·       Threonine

·       Tryptophan

·       Valine

Animal proteins contain every single one of these essential amino acids, which is why meats and eggs are considered to be whole proteins.

Plant proteins are a bit different because they can be high in some amino acids and low in others. For instance, grains and cereals are low in lysine but if you throw a few lysine rich nuts or legumes into the mix then you end up with a complete amino acid profile.

As a general rule all grains and legumes are called complementary proteins because once combined you get a full protein.  Nuts and seeds are also complementary to legumes.

You do not have to eat these nuts and grains or nuts and legumes together at every meal. You just have to consume at least all of this once a day.

However if you do choose to food combine then here are the vegan solutions –

Combining grains and legumes to get a full protein -

·      Black beans and rice

·      Pasta and peas

·      Bread and peanut butter

·      Beans soup and bread or crackers

Combining nuts and seeds to get a full protein –

·      Seeds, nuts and peanuts

·      Hummus (chickpeas and sesame seed paste a.k.a. tahini)

·      Lentils and almonds

Both soy and quinoa contain all of the amino acids and qualify as complete plant proteins.  Soy is also sold as tempeh, tofu or soymilk. However of the two sources quinoa is a bit healthier as it less likely to be contaminated with GMOs. 

For more information or to book a consultation about anti-aging, diet and weight loss programs or any health issue you may be experiencing, visit the Pinewood Natural Health Clinic website that has a list of full services and products at www.pinewood.ca or call our Toronto Office at  (416)-656- 8100.  We also have an office in Pickering, Ontario at (905)-427-0057. You can also email us at info@pinewoodhealth.ca and we would be happy to answer any question that you have about our holistic health services.