All plant-based protein sources for a healthy vegan diet. Include these delicious vegetable protein sources to get your protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamins on a whole food plant-based diet. Are you worried you are not getting enough protein on a plant based diet?

You might have heard all the benefits of a whole food plant based diet and how it can heal your body. There are so many questions when switching to a vegan diet. Many individuals believe that milk, eggs, and meat are essential for our nutrition, simply because that is what we were taught. Studies show the western diet that contains a high consumption of animal fat and protein causes not only health issues but also environmental damage.

Many doctors who promote a plant based diet and many studies have found that we don’t suffer from a deficit of protein, rather a deficit of fiber. I am not saying protein is not important, because it is for maintaining and building muscles and tissue, for skin, blood, and cartilage. But we do not need as much protein as we thought. This study found that children today consume 4 times too much protein: “A higher intake of protein, especially animal protein, at 1 y of age was associated with a greater height, weight, and BMI in childhood up to 9 y of age.”

Women in general need about 46g of protein a day and men about 56g. If you drink a smoothie in the morning with 1 cup soy milk, 1 oz hemp seed plus fruits, eat one bowl of oats with nuts and pumpkin seeds plus fruits, and add 1 cup beans to your dinner, you already met your protein need for the day (women). If you add 2-4 cups of vegetables to your meal(s) you have used a variety of plant based protein sources filled with other important vitamins and minerals. You can add 1-2 cups leafy greens to your morning smoothie and 1-2 cups mixed vegetables to your dinner. Of course, you can add more plant-based protein to your diet if you are an athlete, but it is really simple to reach the recommended protein intake if you follow these few tips.