A vegan diet plan doesn’t include eggs, meat, or dairy products. So primarily, people may think that there are restrictions on the consumption of protein. But there are plenty of vegan protein options.
A person following a vegan diet plan cannot intake protein from an omnivorous diet. However, a person following an omnivorous diet is free to eat both plant-based and animal-based products.
Fortunately, there are numerous plant-based protein sources that a person can add to his/her custom diet plan—for example, nuts and grains. In addition, some certain vegetables and seeds are enriched with protein.
Here in this article, we have mentioned almost everything about protein. Why it is essential, how much protein is required, and what are the vegan protein foods. So, keep scrolling down!
How Much Protein You Should Consume Every Day?
The protein intake is wholly based on several conditions like age, weight, gender, and daily physical activities. For example, if you want to grow your muscle size or be quite active, you might require more protein.
A pregnant woman should need to consume extra protein daily. A pregnant woman should increase her protein intake by 10% than the regular days.
Vegan-Based Protein Sources
You can consider adding the following vegan-based protein sources into your healthy vegan meal plan. Whole Grains contain grain kernel. They are good sources of proteins and the following:
- Quinoa contains 4.38g of proteins per 100g of serving.
- Oats are enriched in an amount of protein. In 100g of oats, there is 13.2g of proteins. It is good to soak oats for a day before consuming them; otherwise, it is difficult to digest them.
- Spirulina is a blue-green alga that contains protein in high quantity. For example, 7g of spirulina contains 4.02g of protein, i.e., 57.5g in 100g of serving.
Vegetables are also considered a good source of protein.
- Broccoli itself does not contain high protein, but it can increase the protein meal when added to a meal. For example, 100g of cooked broccoli in oil contains 2.84g of protein.
- 100g of mushrooms cooked in oil contains 3.74g of protein.
Following are some of the pulses and legumes that contain protein.
- Chickpeas contains about 9g of proteins when 100g are boiled. Hummus is an excellent source of protein, and it contains 8.18g in 100g of serving.
- Peanuts are significantly enriched in protein. About 100g of peanuts contains 25.8g of proteins. You can add peanut butter to your weekly meal plan.
- Almonds and hemp seeds are protein-rich food. For example, 100g of almonds and hemp seeds contain 20.33g and 31.5g of proteins, respectively.
Why Intake Protein?
Insufficient consumption of protein in your regular diet can cause health problems. For example, it can cause muscle loss. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the following daily amounts of protein intake is necessary for better body growth.
- Up to 4 years of children: 13 grams
- 4 to 8 years of children: 19 grams
- 9 to 13 years of children: 34 grams
- Over 14 years of children(female): 46 grams
- 14 to 18 years of children: 52 grams
- Over 19 years of children: 56 grams
Protein Intake Strengthen Your Bones
Growing age can weaken your bones. That is also another reason why you need to intake protein every day. According to a new study, intake of protein regularly maintains bone mass well into older age.
Protein Helps in Weight Loss
Consuming more protein can help to reduce weight because it improves metabolism. Increased protein and exercise can improve muscle mass, which boosts metabolism. In addition, protein encourages thermogenesis function in the body, increasing body temperature and increasing the fat-burning process.
Regulates Hormones
Regular intake of protein regulates body hormones. By increasing protein consumption, you will increase peptide YY, GLP-1, and cholecystokinin hormones level in the body.
Helps to Recover Faster
You can’t pump iron in the gym when your body hasn’t recovered from the last gym session. If your body doesn’t get enough protein, then your body takes a longer time to recover. Muscle fibers usually break during muscle training and heavy workout session. Protein intake and proper hydration before, during, and after exercise helps your body to recover faster.