Why plants = protein!

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By The Gut Health Doctor Team

Dr Megan Rossi in a lab looking through a microscope

Newsflash: most studies show vegans and vegetarians actually get plenty of protein (approx 1 g per kg of body weight daily). I’ve known many a plant-based bodybuilder or endurance athlete!

 

Sure, animal products – not just meat, but fish, eggs and dairy – are ‘complete’ proteins (i.e. they contain all 9 amino acids, essential building blocks of protein that our bodies can’t make on their own).

 

But getting protein from plants really isn’t much harder – you just need a range of sources to ensure you get those essential 9.

 

If you want to put on extra muscle on a vegan diet, you might have to be a little bit clever about the plant sources of protein you consume.

 

But for the vast majority of us non-athletes, just making sure we eat a variety of plant-based foods is all it takes.

 

Here are just a few surprisingly protein-rich plant foods – and there’s much more on this in my new book Eat More, Live Well (pre-order link in my bio, out in Jan 2022!)

 

1. Firm tofu (125g) = 21.5g

2. Lentils (100g cooked) = 9g

3. Oats (40g raw) = 7g

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