When it comes to building a leaner physique and losing fat it is important to eat protein.
Protein is essential to help you build muscle, repair your body, and it keeps you satiated so you don’t cheat on your diet.
Protein is often found in animal meat or animal products like eggs. Some people think it is hard for vegans to get protein in diet.
more: The Top 14 High Protein Foods To Eat Healthy
However, it’s not as hard as people think. Here are the top 15 best vegan foods to give you plenty of healthy protein along with numerous other benefits!
The 15 Best Vegan Sources Of Protein
1. Non-dairy milk (soy)
Vegans cannot eat animal products, but that shouldn’t stop you from drinking milk. Just drink soy milk!
A cup of soy or almond milk has as much as 7-9g of protein and can be eaten with your fiber cereal, oatmeal, or mixed in your protein shake with fruit for a delicious smoothie.
more: The Best Foods For Fast Weight Loss
2. Lentils
This food packs a punch of protein! One cup has as much as 18g of protein.
In addition, lentils are high in fiber which will keep you satiated and help you lose more weight and improve your cholesterol.
Toss them into your salad or eat them as a side.
3. Beans
Eating ½ a cup of beans has 7-10g of protein which not only helps your heart and brain, but they digest slowly so you stay full.
Try making a bean burger or mix them with your salad.
more: How To Lose Weight As Fast As Possible
4. Peanut Butter
Creamy and delicious. Yes, it contains fat, but in moderation this can help you keep a slim waist.
Just two tablespoons of peanut butter has 7 grams and you can easily add it to your whole wheat bread in the morning.
Just eat it slowly so you can savor that taste. Or mix it with your breakfast smoothie to thicken the protein shake.
5. Greek Yogurt
There are so many yogurts out these days that you can get lost choosing the right one. But if you stick to Greek Yogurt that is low in fat or fat free, you can get as much as 20g of protein in one 7oz serving of yogurt!
Pack a fat free or low fat yogurt in your bag and bring it to work to eat between breakfast and lunch to keep you full.
Try any of these vegan yogurt brands: So Delicious, Daiya, Amande, Forager Project, Hain Celestial, or Silk.
more: 5 Foods With More Protein Than Eggs
6. Almonds
We all want to snack. Now you can snack without guilt.
An ounce of almonds has 6g of protein and healthy fats to aid in your weight loss efforts.
They are also great to eat before the gym since they contain high amounts of the amino acid L-arginine to fuel your workout. Almonds have also been shown to help in weight loss.
7. Vegan Protein Powder
No list is complete without protein powder. Typically whey protein is a derivative made from milk.
However, you can still get the benefits of a protein supplement by using a vegan protein powder.
Each scoop can contain 15-20g and you can drink it as a meal replacement at any time. However, it is best to drink as a post-workout meal to repair your muscles.
more: Scientifically Proven Ways To Lose Belly Fat
8. Hemp Powder
Approximately 30g of hemp powder is 10g of protein. Mix this with your vegan protein shake to add more protein and more flavor.
9. Quinoa
Just like lentils, this is a powerful food that tastes great and is filled with protein.
Just one cup has 9g of protein. This versatile grain has also plenty of unsaturated fats, and loaded with fiber.
Make yourself a quinoa bowel by mixing it with veggies and beans, or make yourself a veggie quinoa burger.
more: 25 Vegan Sources Of Protein
10. Ezekiel Bread
When we diet all too often you’ll hear that bread is bad. Not true!
Ezekiel bread is made of sprouted grains, wheat, barley, beans, lentils and contains 18 amino acids!
Each slice of bread contains 4g of protein and plenty of fiber. Make yourself a tofu sandwich for lunch or eat a slice of bread as a side with your meals.
more: Take The Quiz – Do You Know The Unique Veggies That Burn Abdominal Fat?
11. Spinach
Yes, Popeye the Sailor was definitely onto something. One cup of this delicious green has 5g of protein – almost as much as an egg with half the calories!
Toss away the iceberg lettuce and make all your salads with spinach. In addition, the spinach contains plenty of vitamins.
If you feel up for it, toss it in the blender and make yourself a green monster spinach smoothie with vegan protein powder!
more: Top 10 Vegan Protein Sources
12. Guava
Believe it or not but some fruits can be sources of protein too.
A cup of guava has 4g of protein, 9g of fiber and is 110 calories. When it comes to fruits, you should be eating this every day.
Did I mention that one guava fruit has as much Vitamin C as seven medium oranges!? Eat this as a snack every day or add it to your salad.
13. Peas
These little peas look very innocent. But don’t let the look deceive you.
One cup of peas has 8g of protein and provides you with 100% of your recommended daily value of Vitamin C. You can eat your peas as a side dish or even mix them with your salad.
more: Meatless High Protein Foods
14. Shelled Pumpkin Seeds
Did you know that an ounce of pumpkin seeds contains 9g of protein, but is also rich in magnesium, phosphorus and zinc? Mix them in your salad or munch on them raw throughout the day.
15. Edamame
This is a very popular appetizer at Asian restaurants and healthy too! Just one cup of edamame has 17g of protein!
You can add this to salads, soups, burger, noodles, or just eat them alone.
So if you are vegan do not be alarmed. You can still get a strong, healthy and lean physique without changing your diet. So what are you waiting for? Get to the store and stock up on these delicious and healthy vegan foods!
In summary…
These Are Some Of The Best Vegan Sources Of Protein
- Non-dairy milk (soy)
- Lentils
- Beans
- Peanut Butter
- Greek Yogurt
- Almonds
- Vegan Protein Powder
- Hemp Powder
- Quinoa
- Ezekiel Bread
- Spinach
- Guava
- Peas
- Shelled Pumpkin Seeds
- Edamame
Rajiv M Mallipudi, md, mhs is an internal medicine resident physician, personal trainer, athlete and author. He has over a decade of personal training experience and helped hundreds of clients of all levels achieve their weight loss and fitness goals. This inspired him to work as a clinical researcher at the nationally recognized, Johns Hopkins Hospital Weight Management Center. During medical school he and his classmates created the health and wellness organization, med fit, which provided personal training and nutrition counseling to the medical student body. In his spare time, Dr. Mallipudi enjoys playing ice hockey, dancing, and training for his next bodybuilding and powerlifting competitions. Dr. Mallipudi serves as a contributing writer for the Diet and Fitness sections.
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guava and spinach are not really my thing but i can try them to achieve this and to improve my protein intake.
i love edamame, they’re packed with protein and i can just eat them anytime & anywhere. i also sometimes add them to my salad.
there are many other sources of protein but if you’re vegan, these sure are good options. thanks for sharing this.
i love spinach for its good benefits and other vegetables. i trained my kids to eat vegetables from when they’re young because i don’t want them to struggle eating them when they grow up. now, i see the benefits in their overall health.
spinach smoothie! sounds yummy!
these all sound great! thanks for posting this, i can have more great options.
spinach is one of my favorites because of all its healthy goodness!
this is perfect! i’m always on the look out for things i can try and these are just awesome finds. thanks! (=
i love soy and i drink it almost everyday.
you only need to be resourceful most of the time. i’m always happy to find great options on this page.
quinoa and almonds are my favorites among these.
quinoa is still the best for me.
most of these are my favorites, i love it!
thanks for sharing these items
i love yogurt and almonds especially when they go together. i can have this everyday for breakfast or snack.
it’s one thing to prioritize protein on your diet, it’s another to choose vegan sources.
lentils and quinoa are my favorites from this list.
wow, these are all great!
these are going to be very exciting and healthy to eat!
thanks for sharing this, i’ll look for more options as healthy as these.
instead of using regular milk, i learned that soy milk is the healthier choice.
i love greek yogurt, it’s my favorite!
quinoa and edamame, my faves!
thanks for sharing this. there’s really not much options for me
greek yougurt is <3!
these are all perfect
i love guavas and they’re packed with vitamin C too!
i now use soy milk and quinoa for my meals
wow, i love these!!
wow, this is really awesome! thanks for sharing this!