The Best Plant Based Protein Sources to Add to Your Diet

Whether you're plant based and looking for more protein sources or animal based and looking to add different types of protein rich foods to your diet, you've come to the right place.

Although plant proteins aren't as complete as animal proteins, you can still add them to your diet to increase your protein intake, cause as you know, we all need protein.

Take a look at these high protein plant sources:

• Seeds: Hemp seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds
• Legumes: Lentils, beans, and peas
• Whole Grains: Quinoa, brown rice, oats, and buckwheat 
• Veggies: Broccoli, artichokes, spinach, asparagus, and brussels sprouts 
• Nuts: Almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, cashew nuts, pecans, brazil nuts, and walnuts

Keep reading to learn more...

ARE PLANT PROTEINS COMPLETE SOURCES OF PROTEIN?

...most are not, but that doesn't mean you can't eat them.

Plant proteins don't have adequate amounts of these nine essential amino acids to make it a complete protein source:

• Threonine 
• Isoleucine 
• Histidine 
• Leucine 
• Lysine 
• Methionine 
• Phenylalanine 
• Valine 
• Tryptophan

Your body can’t produce these essential amino acids on its own and they must be obtained through your diet.

WHY YOU NEED ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS AND HOW TO GET THEM

First off, you need essential amino acids as they're the building blocks of protein.

In other words, dietary protein is converted into amino acids, which then perform vital processes in your body, including:

• Repairing and building muscle, bone, cartilage, tissue, skin, hair, and nails
• Regulating immune function 
• Producing hormones and enzymes

Secondly, if you're a plant based athlete, you'll need to eat a variety of plant protein sources in order to get enough amino acids through your diet.

Take a look at this table and how certain plant proteins complement each other to create a complete protein.

SUPERIOR PLANT BASED PROTEIN SOURCES

• Beans
• Chia Seeds
• Lentils
• Green Peas
• Nuts

BEANS

• White Beans
• Kidney Beans
• Lima Bean
• Black Beans
• Chickpeas

...you get the idea.

Beans are high in protein and commonly used as substitutes in plant based recipes and for good reason.

Take a look at the table below and protein content of these popular beans:

Beans are also great sources of antioxidants, carbohydrates, fiber, and other critical vitamins and minerals. 

CHIA SEEDS

The protein content of chia seeds accounts for 18–24% of their mass AND they are a complete source of protein, would you look at that!

100 grams of dried chia seeds providing 16.5 g of protein.

You can easily add chia seeds to:

• Chia Pudding
• Smoothies
• Dressing
• Yogurt and Smoothie Bowls

Chia seeds are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus. In addition to being gluten-free, chia seeds are also rich in antioxidants, vitamin B, as well as polyphenols such as quercetin, kaempferol, gallic, ferulic acid, and isoflavones.

The following table shows a variety of high protein seeds that you can add to your diet:

LENTILS

Lentils come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors and are another excellent source of plant-based protein. Although different types of lentils can help you meet your protein needs, some are higher in protein than others.

For instance, French green lentils contain 26 g of protein per 100 g. Raw red or pink lentils, on the other hand, contain 23.9 g of protein per 100 g.

Cooked or boiled lentils contain 9.02 g per 100 g, while 100 grams of raw lentils contain 24.6 g of protein.

Other types of lentils and their protein content per 100 g include:

• Black beluga lentils: 25.71 g 
• Brown lentils (Cedar Phoenicia): 27.08 g

You can boil lentils and eat them alone. Alternatively, you can consume them as a side dish with rice, or add them to soups, stews, and salads.

Lentils are also rich in other key nutrients, including iron, potassium, calcium, folate, and magnesium. 

GREEN PEAS

The green pea is a protein powerhouse.

Green peas contain 5.36 g of protein per 100 grams cooked or boiled, while raw peas contain 5.42 g.

Also rich in fiber, antioxidants, and micronutrients, including vitamin C, K, and manganese, green peas are a great source of protein to add to your dishes, salads, snacks, and more.

Here is a list of other types of peas and their protein content per 100 grams, according to the USDA:

• Yellow split peas: Often used to make pea protein powder, they contain 20 g of protein.
• Green split peas: Made from peas that have been dried, peeled, and split. Cooked or boiled green split peas contain 8.34 g of protein, while raw ones contain 23.1 g
• Snow peas or sugar snap peas: Flat with small peas and an edible pod, containing 2.35 g of protein
• Cowpeas: Cooked or boiled cowpeas contain 7.73 g of protein, while raw cowpeas contain 23.8 g
• Pigeon peas: Raw pigeon peas contain 21.7 g of protein, while cooked or boiled ones contain 6.76 g
• Chickpeas/garbanzo beans: Cooked or boiled chickpeas contain 8.86 g of protein

NUTS

Nutrient-rich and delicious, nuts are valuable sources of protein.

Peanuts have the highest amount of protein compared to other nuts, at 25 g per 100 g.

Almonds contain the second-highest protein content per serving. Just 100 grams of raw almonds contains 20 g of protein, while oil-roasted almonds contain 21.2 g.

See the table below for more protein rich nut options:

Nuts are also good sources of various macronutrients, as well as energy, fiber, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium.

They also contain phytochemicals and heart-healthy unsaturated fatty acids, which help to lower cholesterol levels. 

BOTTOM LINE

TLDR;

Here are the some of the best plant based protein sources:

• Beans
• Chia Seeds
• Lentils
• Green Peas
• Nuts

Although plant proteins aren't complete sources of protein, meaning they don't contain all nine essential amino acids, you can eat a variety of plant based proteins to complement each other and ensure you're ingesting enough amino acids to support your muscles.

If you're looking to add more plant based protein sources to your diet, give these a shot.

If you're on the go and strapped for time, our cocoa plant protein is for you. Packed with protein and superfoods, we made it easy for you to hit your protein goals.