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I’m Eating a Plant-Based Diet – How Can I Get Enough Protein?
By Rebecca Gilbert
When my friends first learned that I was following a 100% vegan diet, their first question was, “How do you get enough protein?”
In response to their genuine concern for my well-being, and for all of us whose families want to make sure that we are eating in a healthy way, I decided to write this article. It’s wonderful that people care about us, so let’s make sure to tell them we’re ok!
Many people know about nuts and beans, hummus and tofu, but there are so many more choices and sources available. Did you know that plants actually contain protein? Yes, mushrooms, carrots and even kale contain protein. There are many delicious plant-based protein choices out there, and by making conscious choices, you can have a delicious, satisfying and nutritionally balanced meal.
Try sauteed portabello or shiitake mushrooms with peppers and peas over a bed of wilted spinach. That would give you approximately 12g of protein!
By combining your vegetables with whole grains like quinoa, millet, kamut and brown rice, we really can meet all of our protein needs while eating 100% plant-based (vegan) meals. Let’s share this article with all the people who love us – it’s time for them to stop worrying… :)
While I was researching this topic, I found a great video on vegan protein sources from Expert Village:
I also found useful information from Weightloss for All and the Vegetarian Resource Group to make a chart that shows the protein and fat content of many common vegetables.
| Vegetable (100g) about 3.5 oz | Protein content (g) | Fat (g) |
| Asparagus | 3 | less than 1g |
| Eggplant | 1 | less than 1g |
| Broccoli | 3 | less than 1g |
| Brussels sprouts | 3 | 1.4g |
| Cabbage | 1 | less than 1g |
| Carrot | 0.5 | less than 1g |
| Cauliflower | 3 | less than 1g |
| Celery | 0.5 | less than 1g |
| Fennel | 1 | less than 1g |
| Squash | 1.5 | less than 1g |
| Leek | 1.6 | less than 1g |
| Lettuce | 0.7 | less than 1g |
| Mushroom | 2 | less than 1g |
| Okra | 2.4 | 1g |
| Onion | 0.7 | less than 1g |
| Peas | 7 | 1g |
| Peppers | 1 | less than 1g |
| Potato | 1.6 | less than 1g |
| Pumpkin | 0.5 | less than 1g |
| Raddish | 0.7 | less than 1g |
| Spinach | 2 | less than 1g |
| Sweetcorn | 2.5 | 1.5g |
| Tomatoes | 2 | 1g |
| Turnip | 0.8 | less than 1g |
| Watercress | 3 | 1g |
| Yam | 2 | less than 1g |
Protein values may vary between different varieties and cooking methods.
8 Responses to “I’m Eating a Plant-Based Diet – How Can I Get Enough Protein?”
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[...] or your friends are interested in more information on veggie protein sources please check out a post I wrote on the topic. Today's post will answer a common question: “Isn’t it more expensive to [...]
[...] or your friends are interested in more information on veggie protein sources please check out a post I wrote on the topic. Today's post will answer a common question: “Isn’t it more expensive to [...]
[...] or your friends are interested in more information on veggie protein sources please check out a post I wrote on the topic. Today's post will answer a common question: “Isn’t it more expensive to [...]
[...] is passionate about helping others explore a plant-based life. You’ll learn tips for an easy transition to a vegan diet and strategies that make it easy to follow a vegan diet at home, at work, and at parties with [...]
Here is the recipe: http://yummyplants.com/vegan-recipe/vegan-mac-and-cheese/
Enjoy!
Please post the recipe!
Thanks Paige! It’s actually vegan mac and cheese …. SO good! I make it with unsweetened coconut milk. Hmmm… maybe I’ll post the recipe!
Thanks for the great article, Rebecca! By the way, what is the picture up top of? It looks really good…