Throughout my decade+ of veganism, I've managed a high daily protein intake, at times exceeding 200g. This was not by accident, and I didn't get it right the first time. In this article, I'm going to share how vegans (and anyone else for that matter) can more easily reach their protein goals without sacrificing their general health goals, or deviating from veganism even a little bit.
Get ready. After this article, you won't have any more excuses.
(See link at bottom of page for PDF version containing all footnotes)
Laying Out the Problem
When vegans try to increase our protein intake, we often rely on foods like beans, nuts, and seeds. Our thinking is that whole foods, when eaten adequately, should provide enough protein, and research bears this out.
But what if all of the added calories from carbohydrates in beans, and the fat in nuts and seeds lead to unwanted weight gain or the inability to lose weight?
In this analysis, we are putting aside whether these foods contain “good carbs,” “good fats” or “good whatever.” They probably are “good” in terms of being healthy. The deciding factor is not the foods themselves, but whether they serve your goals.
Add to this a vegan diet stipulation (in which there are objectively fewer protein sources available) and it definitely gets tricky. For a female body, for whom caloric limits are lower, it can be even trickier.
This concern is especially relevant to someone trying to increase or support muscle mass without adding an excessive amount of bodyfat (keeping in mind that some fat gain can be inevitable and okay).
In order to avoid this unwanted outcome, caloric intake must be controlled. As Kim states pretty unequivocally in their meta-analysis from 2020, “An energy deficit is the most important factor in weight loss.”
Sometimes the truth hurts. But lies feel good now and hurt later, while truth hurts now and feels good later, once you’ve acted on it.
As a sidenote, what if we wanted to increase our protein intake but these highly fibrous foods (and all plant foods like beans, nuts, seeds, potatoes, and everything else contain some fiber) are so satiating that we have trouble reaching our protein intake goal, or indeed our caloric goal?
The solution is to utilize my Tier System for vegan protein sources. Let's get into it.
The Three Tiers
Tier One Proteins are the most protein-dense. They generally also have the highest ratio of protein to the other two macronutrients (carbs and fats). These include foods like tofu, tempeh, seitan, protein powder, and some processed meat substitutes like Tofurky sausages.
Let’s say you want to increase your vegan protein intake to 100g or more per day while maintaining a caloric deficit.
(The following values are approximate).
If you ate only Tier Ones as your primary protein sources, you could hit 100g a day with relative ease. Example: Half a block of tofu in a breakfast scramble: 20g. Five-eighths of a pound of seitan for lunch: 37g. Protein powder snack after workout: 23g. Tofurky Italian sausage fried in a little oil: 23g. Total: 100+
Tier Two Proteins include of our go-to protein sources as vegan, which contain a good amount of protein (say, 5g or more per serving) but are predominantly comprised of either carbohydrates—in the case of beans (including soybeans), lentils, and legumes—or fats, in the case of nuts, nut butters, seeds, some vegan dairy products, and certain other meat subs like Beyond Beef (which is about equal in protein and fat).
If you relied more heavily on Tier Twos, you could probably exceed the Recommended Daily Allowance of 50g a day fairly easily. Example: For breakfast, 1/2 cup of oatmeal with chia and hemp seeds, plus peanut butter: 20g. For lunch, chickpeas curried in coconut milk on brown rice with seared veggies and salad: 15g. Vegan soymilk yogurt snack with chia: 13g. Pasta fagioli for dinner with white beans, carrots, tomatoes, and vegan sour cream with wheat bread: 12g. Total: 60g
This is making me hungry. LOL
Anyway, just for a moment, let's look at all of the other calories you get with this day of eating. Remember, chickpeas and hempseed and so on are not “bad” calories; they are fine in and of themselves. These are nutrient-dense foods, after all. But have you reached your protein goal AND maintained your caloric deficit?
It’s less clear.
Tier Three Proteins include plant foods of which the vast majority is another macronutrient. These include whole grains and other starches like potatoes and corn, greens and other vegetables like peppers, carrots, cucumbers, onions, and the like, and fruits including avocados.
If you ate predominantly Tier Threes, you’d have difficulty getting more than 50g a day. Example: Breakfast: oatmeal with bananas: 7g. Lunch: hummus sandwich on wheat, an apple, arugula salad with avocado: 18g. Snack: raw fruits and veggies: 10g. Dinner: rice and beans with plantains: 15g. Total: 45g, barely.
This strange and rather eyebrow-raising scenario is more common than we vegans would like to admit. It's very possible that neither the protein goal nor the overall caloric goal were even reached, resulting in inadequate nutrition.
An alternative version of the same situation is when the Tier Three-dependent vegan loads up on butter and syrup to make the oatmeal more palatable, salad dressing to kick that hummus sandwich and arugula up a notch, peanut butter to elevate those raw veggies, and vegan sour cream to make that bowl of rice and beans really pop.
This eater might also snack on french fries, breakfast cereals, or other processed carbohydrates just to feel full, or the “odd” spoonful of peanut butter a few times a day.
In this case, rather than getting too little, this person is more likely to actually EXCEED their caloric limit while still falling short of their protein, with very little to show for it.
Let me be clear: there's nothing inheretly wrong with oatmeal or salad dressing or peanut butter or even french fries. Wrongness is defined by what is counter to your goals. That's all. It's subjective, not objective.
So, both of these outcomes—the undernourished carrot-cruncher and the "overnourished" french-fry vegan—are two versions of the same unhealthy stereotype that we want to get away from: under- or overweight, irritable, brain-foggy, or tired, thin hair, brittle bones, low frustraion tolerance, and looking for a way out of this “unhealthy” “lifestyle.”
If this doesn't describe you at all, and you're content with yourself, your diet, and your life, I applaud you. A lot!
However, if you relate to what I'm saying, even a little bit, I feel for you, I love you, and I want to help you. Please read on.
How to Do It Right (where "right" means "in alignment with your goals")
If you build your protein-increasing efforts around Tier Ones, you will have a much easier time reaching your goals without the unwanted side effects.
The beauty of it is that Tiers Two and Three proteins are not “bad.” They are GOOD, as I mentioned. As a nutrition professional since 2013, I don’t view foods or behaviors as “bad” or “good” in a moral sense. Morality, believe it or not, has nothing to do with it. (If you're curious how I can supposedly separate veganism from morality, please read the Afterword below). Rather, I evaluate foods and behaviors based on whether they align with your goals and values, or they don't.
As an example, while Tier Ones can raise your protein intake into the 60s or 70s, Tier Twos bump it into the 90s or 100s, and Tier Threes edge the total number between 110 and 120.
Does that align with your goal? Then it's "good."
On the other hand, let's say your doctor diagnoses you with a sensitivity to a certain amino acid and instructs you to limit your protein intake. Obviously, in this case, "good" refers to foods and actions which allow you to do this. See what I'm saying?
Protein Tiers are not objective measurements intended to complicate your life. Rather, they are an analytical tool to help you determine whether you’re increasing your protein in the most efficient, effective, and non-self-defeating way, and doing it as a vegan.
Cuz I’m sayin: if you want to “go vege,” and add in some eggs, some dairy, maybe even some fish down the line, go for it. It's your journey.
But if you don't want to do that, Protein Tiers will make living in alignment with your principles much easier.
Now on to some basic protein-related information to help you put this idea into practice.
Protein requirements
The Wu study iterates that the Recommended Daily Allowance of protein is 0.8g per kilogram of bodyweight. Put into Standard measurement, that equates to .36 grams per pound.
So, according to this standard, a person weighing 150 pounds would require 54 grams of protein a day. (150 x .34)
Seems kinda low, doesn’t it? So what if you’re trying to increase protein levels?
Well, the Wu study has you covered:
To meet the functional needs such as promoting [muscle growth] and physical strength, dietary intake of 1.0, 1.3, and 1.6 g protein per kg bodyweight per day is recommended for individuals with minimal, moderate, and intense physical activity, respectively. Long-term consumption of protein at 2 g per kg bodyweight per day is safe for healthy adults, and the tolerable upper limit is 3.5 g per kg of bodyweight per day for [advanced] subjects.
So, intakes of up to 1.6 grams per kilogram, or approximately .75g per pound, are effective—and, in fact, strongly recommended—to build muscle and strength.
Just as a handy key:
Minimal Activity: 1.0g per kilogram=0.45g per pound
Moderate Activity: 1.3g per kilogram=approximately 0.6g per pound
Intense Activity: 1.6g per kilogram=approximately .75g per pound.
So to determine your protein goal within this framework, just multiply your bodyweight by one of these amounts. If you measure your bodyweight in Metric, use Grams Per Kilogram. If it's in Standard, use Grams per Pound.
Lastly, you might ask: what defines Minimal, Moderate, and Intense? When in doubt, start with the least. If you're reaching your goals (weight loss, muscle/strength gain, more energy, better sleep), then that's enough.
Key Question: Do I Need to Combine Protein Sources as a Vegan?
The myth of complementary proteins, protein combining, amino combining, or whatever you want to call it, has long been debunked in research. Organizations like the American Heart Association echo these findings.
This research indicates that getting a variety of protein sources throughout the day, rather than consciously combining sources at meals into “complementary proteins,” is adequate for reaching protein intake goals.
Key Question: Does it Matter if Protein Sources are Processed?
In a study from 2024, Leitão et al found that many higher-protein vegan diets relying on ultraprocessed foods like protein powder and textured soy protein resulted in BETTER protein intake, whereas those that relied entirely or predominantly on unprocessed protein sources had more difficulty reaching their protein goals.
So, if YOU want to be an unprocessed-food-purist vegan, eating nothing but rice, beans, potatoes, bananas, and the like, be my guest. I mean it!
In my experience, however, (and that study I referenced bears this out), it’s more constructive to see food processing on a spectrum rather than as two extremes.
“Minimally Processed” Tier One proteins could include tofu, homemade seitan, and tempeh.
The “highly processed” Tier One proteins might include Tofurky sausage, soymilk, protein powder, nutritional yeast, and textured soy protein.
“Ultraprocessed” Tier One proteins could be said to include meat substitutes like Daring chicken, Gardein entrees, or Dr Prager burgers.
Going back to the first Key Question, maintain a variety and don’t rely on ultraprocessed, and both your protein level and your general health will be fine.
Don’t allow any meat sub with 20 things on its ingredients list to become a daily protein staple. Rely on, and learn to cook with, the minimally processed Tier Ones I mentioned, and everybody wins.
What About Beyond/Impossible?
You might be asking, "where do Beyond/Impossible beef fit into this list?" Well, I don't view them at Tier Ones because their fat content is too high. Last I checked, there are equal amounts of protein and fat in Beyond beef, around 20g. Since protein contains 4 calories per gram and fat contains 9 calories per gram, this means...80 calories come from protein while 180 CALORIES come from fat. Hardly a favorable ratio. They are more like Tier Twos. Keep them occasional.
More on Beyond and Impossible below.
Key Question: What about protein powder?
Protein powder consisting of a blend of plant proteins is the only thing I recommend as a daily supplement. If you’re getting most or all of your protein from protein powder, though, that’s not good. At that point, it is no longer a supplement; it is a staple. You don’t want that, precisely for the reason I’m about to expound upon in the next section.
(And before you say, “well, if you take it everyday, isn’t it a staple then?” And the answer is, no. You take a D-12 supplement every day. Want to split hairs? Call a barber.)
Higher Protein Diet Complications
Losing Out on Micronutrients
Increasing your protein intake generally comes at the expense of the other macronutrients, and with them, many of the micronutrients found in those foods. So, if you cut carbs, you’ll get less vitamin A from sweet potatoes and carrots, less vitamin C from oranges and strawberries, less fiber, et cetera.
This is especially true when focusing on Tier Ones. Interestingly, this is a reason NOT to rely ENTIRELY on Tier ones ALL THE TIME, but to include Tiers Two and Three to make sure you get those ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL nutrients for your best heart, brain, lung, muscle, body, and overall health.
And if you’re really trying to cut calories or get shredded, take a multivitamin or other specific nutritional supplement. Regardless, you should be taking Vitamin D, Vitamin B-12, and unless you're eating flaxseeds, chia seeds, hempseeds, walnuts, edamame, or algae/seaweed every day, maybe take Omega-3s (EPA + DHA) as well.
D, B, and 3. You don't want to mess with these.
Blood Nitrogen Levels
Higher protein intake results in higher blood nitrogen levels due to the breakdown of protein. The burden this places on the kidneys to remove this nitrogen from the blood can be dealt with through greater hydration levels. So drink up!
Complementary Aminos
As mentioned, while the need to combine proteins at mealtime in order to obtain all of the amino acids is, indeed, unnecessary, it is still important to get a variety of protein sources. Why? Because unlike meat protein which tends to be high in every amino, plant proteins tend to be higher in one or two and lower in others.
Therefore, if you rely entirely on only one or two main sources of protein, you may experience lower levels of necessary amino acids like tryptophan and lysine while receiving excessive amounts of aspartic acid and/or glutamic acid, for example.
The easiest way to avoid this is to consume some soy regularly. According to multiple metrics, soy has been shown to possess the most robust amino acid profile among all plant-based protein sources that are widely available. (Yeast, algae, duckweed [water lentils], and non-dairy whey proteins, or indeed labgrown meats, are not yet widely available, but when they are, it will be a good thing for protein intake.)
And if you’re worried about the effects of soy on your testosterone levels, don’t be. Get some soy, fill the gaps, live your life.
Another option is to do exactly what the complementary aminos myth tells us to do: combine protein sources. For people trying to reach athlete-level protein intakes, I do sometimes recommend it, despite its mythiness.
For example, seitan is the main Tier One I consume. But wheat protein, which is what seitan is made from, is low in Leucine. So in order to counter this, I will sometimes have some pistachios, sesame seeds, or mung beans with it, since they are all reportedly high in leucine.
Notice how these are all whole food sources of leucine. Taking a leucine supplement is also an option. Now this part is just my opinion, but I try to avoid relying on single amino acid supplements. I have two reasons for this. A) I feel that individual amino acids may be less effective in isolation, sort of like how cannabinoids are less effective when separated from one another. And B) eating a whole-food source will not only close that amino acid gap but will probably improve on another one as well.
If you must supplement because you're cutting calories, or because you just want to, taking a full-spectrum vegan amino acid supplement containing all nine essential amino acids (usually dominated by the BCAAs [leucine, isoleucine, and valine], lysine, and those not satisfactorily supplied by many vegan protein sources) can also address this concern. I’ve done this many times.
Try to find a supplement that is labeled with CGMP, GMP-certified, FDA-registered, USP, Informed Sport, NSF, or something to indicate that it's not just baby laxative stuffed in a capsule. And make sure the capsule is vegan. Gelatin is not vegan.
Keep in mind: if you are getting your vegan protein sources, and you are working out in the gym, and you are getting stronger and reaching your goals, then you don’t need to worry about complementary proteins or amino supplements. You are doing things right.
Nonessential Nutrients Not Found in Vegan Sources
Some people, especially nonvegans and carnists, like to worry about the lack of certain nutrients in vegan protein sources. Three of the ones they worry about are:
Creatine
Carnitine
CoQ10
The thing to remember is that these nutrients are considered “nonessential,” meaning the body creates its own creatine, carnitine, et cetera, just as it creates its own cholesterol (which is why excess cholesterol consumption can lead to high cholesterol in some people).
With regard to creatine in particular, assuming the standard 5g of creatine per day is required to see a muscle-building benefit, even heavy meat eaters would need to supplement with creatine. According to one study, the most creatine-dense protein source is herring at 6.5g to 10g per kilogram.
Need I remind you how many pounds are in a kilogram? About 2.5.
If YOU want to eat two-and-a-half pounds of herring per day, you’re welcome to. But SANE human beings (and/or those not living in Scandinavia or Eastern Europe or who are professional strongmen), might want to just take a supplement and call it a day.
However, as a vegan, I can't very well tell you, in good faith, that complicating your life for a principle is a waste of time. I mean, "complicating one's life for a princple" is exactly what veganism is. So if getting your creatine the way our spear-wielding fore-fore-fore-fore-forefathers did gives you that epic feeling of mythic purpose, I support you.
Just don't judge me harshly for what gives me that feeling. 'Kay?
FYI, according to this study, pork has 5g/kg, beef and salmon have 4.5g/kg, tuna has 4g, cod has 3g, milk has 0.1g, and shrimp has even less than that.
So whether you get creatine from meat or not is irrelevant if that is the main concern. You’d still need to supplement anyway. So there goes that excuse.
Categorizing Processed Meat Substitutes
In the world of “meat substitute” products, which I refer to fully as “processed meat substitutes,” there are three categories that I refer to.
NextGen products include Beyond, Impossible, their derivatives, and any other product made in a lab in order to come as CLOSE AS POSSIBLE to replicating the experience of eating meat.
As mentioned, these products are typically higher in fat than the other two, often to such an extent that the fat content is equal, gram for gram, to the protein content. This protein-to-fat ratio renders them Tier Two proteins in many cases.
However, NextGen subs are also often heavily enriched with “meat nutrients” like iron, Vitamin B-12, and so on. Does this added nutrient-density offset the negative impact of the high fat content? I’ll let you be the judge, based on your goals.
But in general, NextGen products should be occasional indulgences, not everyday staples.
The NewGen subs include things like Tofurky sausage, Field Roast sausage, vegan cold cuts, Gardein entrees and Ultimate Chicken line, and other items made predominantly of either soy or wheat gluten protein, oils, spices, and salt.
These products are often lower in fat—let’s say, “medium fat”—and higher in protein than their NextGen counterparts. They are also usually more affordable.
The downside to them is twofold: the salt content, and the ease with which a vegan becomes dependent on them for their protein.
As Tier One proteins, this makes sense. But since they are, after all, heavily processed (whereas tofu and seitan are mildly processed), they tend to be nutrient-deficient in terms of the micronutrients (a category in which NextGens are actually often ahead).
So feel free to use them a good amount. Just make sure to get your Tier Twos and Threes, explore cooking with tofu, seitan, and tempeh to avoid dependency, and drink plenty of water.
The last category of meat subs is what I call the NoGen subs. These are old-fashioned “veggie burger” products like Boca and certain Dr Prager burgers that are made of vegetables, mainly, or sometimes chickpeas or other whole Tier Twos, but little else. They tend to be lower in fat than either NextGen or NewGen, but commensurately lower in nutrients including protein.
If a person was “bulking,” I still wouldn’t recommend them for that purpose, because they are fiber-rich (which is a good thing for everyone else but just makes life harder for someone who’s bulking) but also generally low calorie, like in the 150s to 190s.
I wouldn’t really consider them protein sources in general. Eat them if you like them, but don’t rely on them for protein.
Lightning Round: Tips for Higher Protein Lifestyles
-Don't think of beans, corn, or potatoes as "veggies." These are "starchy carbs." So what are veggies then? Well, "fibrous carbs," also known as vegetables: greens, bell peppers, tomatoes, radishes, asparagus, et cetera. So when you're structuring your meals, do so in terms of “protein, veggie, and starch," instead of “protein and veggie."
-Batch Cooking: Tofu and seitan take a long time to cook properly. So, batch cook them in advance and add them to meals as needed. This will precent you becoming reliant on Heavily Processed Tier Ones like Torfurky sausages because you don't feel like waiting 30 minutes to eat.
-Bring protein powder with you when you're not sure food protein will be available.
-Establish “breakfast Tier Ones” (like Mornigstar Sausage Patties or protein powder), “Lunch Tier Ones” (like marinated tofu) and “Dinner Tier Ones” (like steak-seasoned seitan).
-Proteins on meat-filled holidays: This could be its own article, but for now, bring your own. Protein powder, a sausage or two, a slab of cooked seitan, or whatever. Eat it alone if you don't want to invite comments and questions, or fly your freak flag high and let them wonder. You'll probably get an "I could never do it" or "don't you miss meat?" or something more implicitly or explicitly critical. Do what you have to do.
Higher Protein Complications
-Digestive discomfort (including gas): it can take a while for your body to get used to more protein. Increase it slowly if needed. Feel free to use digestive enzymes to help. Generously.
-Constipation: don't forget your veggies and water. Without them, your body will have trouble.
-Sweats (caused by protein digestion): protein digestion can increase core body temperature. These "meat sweats" are common to meat-eaters as well. Take it a little slow and you'll get used to it. (By the way, increased core temperature="higher metabolism=more calories burned).
-Blood nitrogen/BUN/Creatinine levels: as mentioned, you NEED more water if you increase your protein intake. (Only medical bloodwork can diagnose any issues with blood nitrogen, BUN, or creatinine.)
-Relying too heavily on Tier Ones may result in nutrient deficiencies elsewhere, so tier 2s and 3s are also important
Wrapping Up
While too much protein is definitely a thing, too little protein is also a concern for us plant-eaters. We do ourselves and our community a disservice when we assert that vegans can get the same amount of protein as meat-eaters without really trying.
Only through a well-planned and diverse vegan diet can we A) reach our health goals, B) maximize personal performance and self-reliance into old age, and C) do all of this within the bounds of our principles.
Just like not eating animals is our way of working to liberate them, finding ways to sustain veganism healthily, sustainably, and NOT at the expense of our own health, is how we can liberate ourselves.
Afterword: Separate Veganism From Morality?
What is this magic trick? Well here it is, and it is just my opinion.
Our society is informed by very old Judeo-Christian values, as well as Western philosophical values. This culminates in ideas of morality that are tied to some objective, overarching concept of "right" and "wrong."
While this can be okay unto itself, much of human neurosis is caused by the internalization of moral judgments that derive from external society. That is, we judge ourselves based on socially constructed ideas of right and wrong, to which we have "subjectified" ourselves. We have made ourselves subject to these ideas.
Or subjects of them, as one is the subject of a monarch. "The king and his subjects."
This externally derived value system has many positive benefits, providing a moral framework for everyday social, legal, and other forms of life. But it can also obstruct the individual process of identifying what is right or wrong FOR US as individuals, thereby complicating the process of satisfying our own greater physical, psychological, and spiritual needs.
In such cases, we judge our decisions and their outcomes based on what society views as right and wrong. But because we have no personal investment in the outcome, and are only doing it because society says we should, we often fall short of our potential.
Why? Becasue it's not what WE believe. We do it to conform, and human nature aches to be free.
It is only when we can determine what is right and wrong FOR US and BY US and in relation to WHAT WE VALUE that we can ensure the highest degree of commitment to our endeavor, a "great devotion to this deed," as Shakespeare wrote.
So, coming back to veganism, if I abstain from animal foods because the SOCIETY OF VEGANS tells me it's bad, I'm not to likely to remain a vegan for very long, because animal consumption might still feel VERY MUCH RIGHT to me, inside, in my "heart of hearts."
A person in this situation has not developed their own sense of right and wrong as it relates to what they value, and learned to live in alignment with that sense.
But this alignment is exactly what philosophies like true ethical veganism provide.
If the cause of animal liberation speaks to you, if the cognitive dissonance of doing what you KNOW IN YOUR HEART to be against your values leaves you feeling weak and disempowered, if the plight of the animals lights up the compassion center in your heart or the logic center of your brain, then you would be wise to listen to it. Far from being a restrictive way of living, to do so is a form of personal liberation, and in my opinion, an essential one.
Without it, or some form of it, I don't believe happiness with oneself—and by extension, the ability to do the most good for others—is possible.
LISTEN TO THE THUNDER OF CONSCIENCE, AND FIND SHELTER IN ACTION
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