Protein Powder: Which Are the Best Protein Sources for Vegans?

One of the most controversial topic these days haunts around the question: Which are the Best Protein Sources for Vegans? While some people say that humans need to ingest animal products to get full protein, others claims that you can get all the protein you need from plants. As a Sustainable Warrior I do believe that almost everything we need can easily be found in plants. So, I'm going to let you know about the Best Protein Sources and protein powder for Vegans, in this article.

Unlike what livestock industry has made us believe through several years, humans can get all of the protein that we need only from plants, vegetables and fruits. There are many plants that are known for having a high content of protein such as beans.

When carrying a fully vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, you can still get all the nutrients your body needs and also reduce the risk of having many different chronic illnesses.

“On a vegetarian or vegan diet, you can get enough protein if you eat an adequate number of calories from a variety of whole foods,”

Registered dietitian Nancy Geib, RD, LDN.

But do we know what protein is? and how many protein we need?

Basically, protein is an organic compound that works as a muscle, tendon and skin builder. It also helps the body to recover by producing antibodies and fight infections when needed. A protein could be made from amino acids and live organisms.

Ideally, one person should ingest at least 0.36 grams of protein per pound on the body per day. This is just a starting point because different people have different needs. For example, a pregnant woman will need more protein because her body is building another body as well, and as I said before, protein is a tissue builder. Another example would be athletes, they need a larger supply of protein because their bodies need to more protein to recover from high performance training.

If you are not sure about how many protein your body need according to your lifestyle, I always suggest to consult your regular doctor or a registered dietitian. Professional advise is always better because it will match exactly you needs.

There are different signs that your body will give you if it is needing extra protein, like feeling hungry right after you ate, or feeling tired or exhausted often.

When switching to a Vegan or vegetarian diet, you need to make sure that you replace the animal products with something that gives you a healthy balance and all the proteins that you need. It is not just a matter of stop eating animal products, it is a change in your entire diet and how you ingest the protein before present in animal product, matters.

Moreover, if you are still not getting enough protein from your meals, you can always get some Vegan Protein Powders that will help you ingest the amount of protein that your body needs per day. As I mentioned before, it is always better to check with a registered dietitian or you regular doctor just to be cautious that this is a good option for you.

The following is a short review of the Best Protein Sources for Vegans. Below you can find a fully and deeper review of each product.

Our Top Pick: Vegan Protein

Best Powder Shake Vegan Protein: Vega Protein and Greens

If you are looking for a dietary supplement to get more protein, the Vega Protein and Greens Vanilla is a super healthy option. This powder will allow you to make yourself some shakes to boost your protein levels while tasting something great. Buy on Amazon

Best Smoothie Powder Vegan Protein: Purely Inspired Organic Protein Powder

For all smoothie fans, this is one of the best options in the market. Just mix the Protein Powder with your favorite fruits and smoothie ingredients, blend it and voila! you can now enjoy a high protein smoothie! Buy on Amazon

Best Sustainable Vegan Protein: No Cow Vegan Protein Powder

What I liked most about this Vegan Protein is the fact that it comes in an aluminum packaging. Thus, a super sustainable and vegan option which is not only good for your body but also for the environment. Buy on Amazon

Best Chocolate Vegan Protein: KOS Organic Plant Based Protein Powder

Who doesn't love chocolate? Well, I bet most of us would love to try a chocolate vegan protein which is also organic. If that is the case, you should totally give this one a chance. Buy on Amazon

The following is a deeper and full review of each product.

Best Powder Shake Vegan Protein: Vega Protein and Greens

The Vega Protein and Greens Powder comes with 20 grams of plant-based protein from a multi-source blend of pea protein, brown rice protein, and sacha inchi protein. VEGA protein is a complete vegan formula that will allow your body to get the extra protein it needs.

Also, this plant-based protein powder not only provides protein from pea, rice and sacha inchi, it also includes some green ingredients such as organic alfalfa powder, spinach, broccoli and kale powder. Alongside with the ones mentioned before this could be your ally at meal times.

your body will feel empowered to recover and get all the proteins you need, by just adding one scoop to your shakes or meals. Its unique Vanilla flavor can work along with different fruits and you can easily add it to a shake before or post work out.

If you are looking for an unique Vegan Protein Source to add to your pre or post workout routine, the VEGA Protein & Green can be your best option. Vega is a non-GMO Project Verified, Certified Vegan, plant-based, gluten free, keto-friendly, made with no dairy, no soy, and no artificial flavors or preservatives. It will help you build up your body and stop being tired at all times.

Best Smoothie Powder Vegan Protein: Purely Inspired Organic Protein Powder

Is there any way you can improve a smoothie? Well, there actually is! You can add a scoop of the Purely Inspired Vegan Protein powder to any smoothie and it will increase its amount of protein.

Purely Inspired is an organic protein you can feel good about. Made with 100 percent pure ingredients, each serving of this delicious clean and healthy shake contains 22g of plant based protein, 2g of fiber and 2g of sugar.

Whether you’re a healthy professional, a busy mom, an athlete or a student, with Organic Protein there’s no need to guess whether you’re making the right choice. Just add a scoop to water for a quick and easy protein boost. Or even better you can toss in the blender with your favorite fruits and veggies for an incredible smoothie kick.

It is also a great Vegan Protein Powder to bake muffins, pancakes and cookies. you can add protein to your favorite baked goods and they will turn into a great healthy choice for snacking.

This is a GMO's verified product. It has been naturally sweetened with no artificial flavors, colors or sweeteners added. Also, It’s gluten free, with active probiotics as well. Besides all the certification, there is not a real VEGAN certificate on any labels, which means that there might be milk traces in the content.

Best Sustainable Vegan Protein: No Cow Vegan Protein Powder

I might need to say that this is my favorite choice for a Vegan Protein Source. It comes in a 100% recyclable and sustainable aluminum packaging. No more non-recyclable plastic tubs and packaging. This is the main reason why I really like thi brand, besides the high quality protein.

Each can content is 22 grams of non dairy, plant-based, gluten free protein. The protein powder is great for muscle recovery and building lean muscle. Each serving of protein powder has at least 20g of protein and only 1g of sugar. This plant based protein powder is great for active lifestyles of men, women, and kids.

You can find it in two different flavors: Vanilla and Chocolate. All flavors are indulged with natural sweeteners. What could be best than low calorie naturally sweetened protein powder? I would always recommend this to drink it just by mixing it with water or to add to your shakes, smoothies or breakfasts. This protein powder uses a proprietary blend of stevia, monk fruit, and erythritol, which are all natural sweeteners.

Each container has 2.12 lb of plant based vegan protein powder and includes an aluminum scoop, which looks great, for accurate measuring. No Cow protein powder is great for bodybuilding, weight management, or for a good post workout recovery. It is also certified gluten free, GMO-free (Non-GMO Project verified), soy free, refined sugar free, and kosher.

Best Chocolate Vegan Protein: KOS Organic Plant Based Protein Powder

I really like products when what I see on the outside of the packaging matches the actual product. If the outside can clearly represent what the product is, I kinda know it is going to be a good product. And this is the case of COS organic plant-based protein. The packaging is super friendly and funny matching the idea of chocolate, in my opinion.

This is a plant based protein which has been Infused with organic Peruvian cacao, Himalayan salt, organic coconut milk, a dash of stevia & monk fruit. All the instructions are simple, just need to add 2 scoops to cold water for tasty shakes or mix into smoothies & snacks. The soluble fiber in plant protein will give you that “full” feeling for a longer period of time.

Main ingredients of the Organic vegan protein powder are 5 protein blend of Pea, Flax Seed, Quinoa, Pumpkin Seed & Chia Seed + essential vitamins & minerals.

It is also a super healthy protein powder because it is enhanced with powerful digestion support by DigeSEB, a proprietary digestive enzyme blend. DigeSEB aids digestion & helps the body maximize absorption by embracing & capitalizing on its ingested nutrients.

Moreover, it is a super sustainable plat based protein as it is responsibly sourced, almost all of the ingredients are certified organic and free of gluten, dairy, soy, hormones, artificial sweeteners, colors, and GMOs.

Which are the Best Protein Sources for Vegans?

Beside all these amazing products, there are different food products that contains vegetable protein. Some of the Best Protein Sources for Vegans are:

• Beans: Only one half cup of any bean contains 6 to 9 grams of vegetable protein. Also, most of the beans contains 6 to 8 grams of fiber. Beans are also known for helping lower cholesterol and promoting healthy gut bacteria.
• Tofu: OMG don't we all love tofu? Tofu is basically made from soybeans and it is so versatile that you can use it in many recipes. On the one hand you can use it to replace meat, on the other hand you can use it for your dessert preparations for example as a whip cream. You can get 8 grams of protein per 3.5-ounce of Tofu serving.
• Lentils: Lentils are really popular among vegans because it doesn't matter if they’re brown, green or red, because adding half a cup of cooked lentils to soups, tacos or salads sums up about an extra of 12 grams of protein to your meal.
• Green peas: Peas are a great source of protein: Just one cup of cooked peas has 8 grams. how good is it? Also you can use mashed green peas in any recipe.
• Edamame: This funny named pea is usually used boiled or steamed and it is often served within its shell. You can find edamame snacks in almost every supermarket. One cup of edamame beans contains 18 grams of protein. Edamame is one of the most complete beans there is.
• Tempeh: have you ever heard of it? It is made from soybeans that are fermented and pressed into a block. Normally, Tempeh is used as a meat substitute for BBQ's or roastings. Tempeh is high in protein, prebiotics and other nutrients. A three ounce serving or Tempeh will give you 15 to 16 grams of protein. Wow! The texture of Tempeh is firm but chewy so it makes a good ingredients for any sandwich.
• Grains: Unlike wha most of people think, grains contain lots of protein besides its high amount of carbohydrates. For example, one half-cup of oats adds 5 grams of protein to your morning meal. Other grains that you should consider could be, rice and quinoa.
• Nuts: Nuts are part of the legumes world, the same as lentils. But they come with a high level of protein and they are super healthy. Peanut offers the most protein out of all the commonly known nuts (9 grams per quarter-cup serving). Almonds and pistachios are close behind with 7 and 6 grams, respectively. Mix your nuts with your grains in the morning and you will get a highly protein breakfast without any animal products on it.
• Seeds: Seeds are also a great source of protein. Moreover they contain high levels of unsaturated fats which are great for the organism. You can also mix them with your grain and nuts and have a super healthy high protein breakfast or post workout snack.
• Plant-based beverages: Some milk substitutes, such as soy milk and pea milk, have nearly as much protein as cow’s milk. Look for unsweetened or lightly sweetened varieties.
• Nutritional yeast: The secret ingredient in many rawmesan, which means vegan parmesan. yeast is a great source of protein and B vitamins. One tablespoon sprinkled on top of your meal adds two grams of protein.
• Vegetables: Vegetables are not popular for giving the body protein. But this is it if you eat a small amount of them. If you are carrying a Vegan Diet or a Plant-based diet, the amount of vegetables consumed will give you lots of protein. Always accompany you veggies with some grains and beans to get a fully protein meal.

There are also lots of meat substitutes products that come with higher amounts of protein for you to replace.

So... now that you know that you can get protein from almost every plant and veggies around, which Vegan Protein Source are you going to choose?

You may be interested at: Organic Vitamins: 6 Options to Supplement Your Vegan Diet