Your ultimate guide to plant based protein

Plants contain protein – who’d have thought it?!

‘Good’ protein sources are often presented to us in the form of big, juicy steaks or lean chicken breasts, but the truth is, you can get all the protein you need by eating plants.

So, whether you’re trying to cut down on animal products for ethical, environmental or health reasons, you don’t need to panic. You can get all the protein you need with plants.

We've put together this guide on plant-based protein to explain:

• What plant protein means
• Why you need protein
• The differences between animal protein and plant protein
• Which plant-based foods are highest in both complete and incomplete protein
• 6 of the best plant protein powders, should you need to increase your protein intake

What is plant protein?

Plant protein is just the same as any other protein – an essential part of our nutrition that helps us create and look after our skin, muscle, internal organs, eyes, nails and hair, as well as support our natural immunity. The only difference is that a plant-based protein must come from a plant!

What plants are high in protein?

Most plants contain protein, even if it is just a little. Some are more protein-rich than others, though, here are 32 of the best high-protein, plant-based foods:

1. Red lentils, approx. 7.6g protein per 100g¹
2. Chickpeas, approx. 8.4g protein per 100g²
3. Wheat flour, approx. 12.6g protein per 100g³
4. Buckwheat flour, approx. 13g protein per 100g⁴
5. Barley, approx. 12g protein per 100g⁵
6. Oats, approx. 10.9g protein per 100g⁶
7. Rice (easy cook boiled), approx. 2.6g protein per 100g⁷
8. Brown rice, approx. 7g protein per 100g⁸
9. Polenta (raw), approx. 7g protein per 100g⁹
10. Brown bread, approx. 7.9g protein per 100g¹⁰
11. White bread, approx. 7.9g protein per 100g¹¹
12. Pasta, approx. 6.6g protein per 100g¹²
13. Oatmeal, approx. 11.2g protein per 100g¹³
14. Black beans, approx. 24g protein per 100g¹⁴
15. Butter beans, approx. 7g protein per 100g15
16. Kidney beans, approx. 6.9g protein per 100g¹⁶
17. Cannellini beans, approx. 7.3g protein per 100g¹⁷
18. Baked beans, approx. 5.2g protein per 100g¹⁸
19. Tofu, approx. 8.1g protein per 100g¹⁹
20. Tempeh, approx. 18g protein per 100g²⁰
21. Soya milk, approx. 3.3g protein per 100ml²¹
22. Edamame beans, approx. 11g protein per 100g²²
23. Almonds, approx. 21.2g protein per 100g²³
24. Cashew nuts, approx. 18g protein per 100g²⁴
25. Pumpkin seeds, approx. 30g per 100g²⁵
26. Walnuts, approx. 14.7g protein per 100g²⁶
27. Hazelnuts, approx. 14.2g protein per 100g²⁷
28. Hemp seeds, approx. 32g protein per 100g²⁸
29. Chia seeds, approx. 17g protein per 100g²⁹
30. Peanut butter, approx. 22g protein per 100g³⁰

Read more about the best vegan and vegetarian protein sources here.

Plant protein vs animal protein

Protein can be broken down into 22 natural amino acids, aka the ‘building blocks’ of protein. 9 of these amino acids are classed as ‘essential’, meaning our bodies can’t make them and we must therefore get them from our diet.³¹

Now, most animal sources of protein e.g. eggs, meat, fish are complete proteins – meaning they contain all the essential amino acids we need from our diet all in one handy foody package.

However, only certain high protein plant foods are complete proteins though, like:

• Soy (tofu, tempeh, edamame beans, protein powder, soya milk & some mock meats)
• Pea protein powder
• Buckwheat
• Quinoa
• Amaranth
• Chia seeds
• Spirulina
• Hemp seed
• Ezekiel bread – made with wholegrains like wheat, barley, lentils, and spelt, then combined with sprouted legumes
• Nutritional yeast
• Mycoprotein (Quorn)

Other plants high in protein contain varying amounts of essential amino acids, which when combined with another plant-based protein source, can become complete. For example, eating the following foods together provides your body with complete protein:

• Hummus and wholemeal pitta
• Rice and beans (or rice and peas if you’re Caribbean)
• Peanut butter on wholemeal toast
• Wholemeal pasta and peas
• Bean soup and crackers

This means that as long as you’re eating a range of healthy plant protein foods, including some complete plant proteins, you should be getting all you need and more!³²

Plant proteins usually come with an abundance of other healthy goodies, like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre, carbohydrates, so you can take your plant protein with a side of extra health benefits.

How do you get enough protein in a plant based diet?

It is recommended that most people should consume 0.75g of protein per kg of their bodyweight every day. To put this into perspective, a person who weighs 72kg would need 72 x 0.75g of protein per day, which equals 54g.³³

However, if you are working out often, want to lose weight or are an athlete, you may need a little more. See the table below to discover how much protein per kg of bodyweight is recommended for you.

As long as you try and stick to these guidelines and make sure you’re eating a varied lot of plant proteins to get all your essential amino acids, it doesn’t matter if you get them from plants or animals.

What is the best plant based protein?

The best way to hit your protein goals is to eat a varied and abundant diet, and most people who don’t exercise on a regular basis and only need the minimum 0.75g of protein per kg usually get enough protein without really trying.

But we get it, sometimes life gets in the way and it’s hard to be so precise with your meal planning if you need extra protein, especially if you’ve ditched animal products or are training heavy. This is where protein supplements can come into play – providing you with a quick and easy protein hit before / after working out, in between meals or even in place of them.

We’ve put together 6 of our best plant protein powders for you if you need a little extra help.

6 of the best plant based protein powders

1. Soy protein powder

One of the best plant protein powders is made from the long-standing plant-based hero: soy.

It’s usually made from soy bean flakes that go through a process of fat removal and being washed in water or alcohol to remove their sugar and dietary fibre so that you can enjoy them in a pure-protein form.

As we have mentioned above, soy is a complete protein all by itself – it has all of the essential amino acids our bodies cannot make, making it a great protein powder. Here are some of its benefits:

• Promotes muscle growth
• High protein percentage
• Contains little fat and no cholesterol
• Can help raise ‘good’ HDL cholesterol and lower ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol
• Suitable for vegans and those with dairy / lactose allergies

Our soy protein pick

2. Pea protein powder

Another of the highest plant based protein foods is pea protein. Yes, you heard that right, peas = protein! Even more impressive, it’s considered a complete protein and contains all the essential amino acids.

Pea protein powder is usually made by isolating the protein of yellow peas, e.g. taking out their natural carbohydrates and fats, to make sure all you’re getting is the protein goodness. Here are some benefits:

• High and complete protein powder
• Great plant protein for those allergic to soy and dairy
• Easy to digest
• Rich in iron

Our pea protein pick

3. Hemp protein powder

Hemp protein powder is made from pressed and ground seeds from the hemp plant. This process removes most of the fat, while keeping all of the essential amino acids, as well as a small amount of essential fats and fibre. Here are some of the benefits:

• Rich in fibre
• Easy to digest
• Naturally contains BCAAs
• High in protein
• Contains some healthy fats, like omega 3 and 6
• Full of essential minerals like iron and magnesium
• Produced more sustainably than animal / dairy protein

Our hemp protein pick

4. Diet plant protein powder/meal replacements

Protein can help you to feel fuller and more satisfied for longer, which can help you maintain a healthy weight as if you are feeling full, you probably won’t be riffling through the biscuit draw so much!

That’s why some people like to incorporate a high-protein meal replacement shake into their diet. Luckily, there are some super plant-based meal replacement shakes available, which work just the same.

Our meal replacement pick

6. Other protein snacks

Like to enjoy your protein out and about – no shaker required? A plant-based protein snack could be right up your street.

Take this one by Misfits for example:

Last updated: 15 April 2021