How do you get enough protein on a plant-based diet?

How much protein do we actually need?

Well, in the United States, the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for protein is 0.8 to 1.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. To calculate your weight in kilograms, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2. That number is about how many grams you need each day. Approximately 15-25% of your total calories should be from protein sources. Although protein is certainly an essential nutrient, which plays many key roles in the way our bodies function.

Why is protein so important?
As you may or may not know, proteins are made up of amino acids, and they are the “building blocks” of life. Our skin, muscles, tendons, cartilage, even hair and nails, are all thanks to protein. Protein helps form enzymes, hormones, antibodies and new tissues. It replaces old cells with shiny new ones, and it transports important nutrients in and out of those cells. The human body can manufacture all but nine of the 22 amino acids that make up proteins. These nine amino acids are known as “essential” amino acids, and therefore must be derived from what we eat. There’s a lot of overlap from the sources of these “essentials,” which further proves that variety is best for covering bases. You don’t have to sweat every detail, or spend a ton of time planning meals—eat an assortment of whole foods and you will get what you need.

* Arginine
Classified as a semi-essential or “conditionally” essential amino acid, depending on the developmental stage and health status of the individual.
Find it in: almonds, beets, Brazil nuts, buckwheat, carrots, cashews, celery, chickpeas, coconut, cucumbers, flax seed, garlic, green vegetables, hazelnuts, kidney beans, leeks, lentil, lettuce, nutritional yeast, onion, parsnips, pecans, pine nuts, potatoes, pumpkin seeds, radishes, sesame seeds, sprouts, sunflower seeds and walnuts.
. . .
Histidine
Especially needed during infancy for proper growth and development—once was believed to be only essential for newborns, but is now known to be essential for adults, as well.
Find it in: apples, bananas, beans, beets, buckwheat, carrots, cantaloupe, cauliflower, celery, citrus fruits, cucumber, dandelion, endive, garlic, greens, legumes, mushrooms, pomegranates, radish, rice, seaweed, sesame, spinach, spirulina and turnip greens.
. . .
Isoleucine
Necessary for muscle production, maintenance and recovery—especially post-workout. Involved in hemoglobin formation, regulating blood sugar levels, blood clot formation and energy.
Find it in: almonds, avocados, cashews, chickpeas, coconut, lentils, olives, papaya, seaweed and most seeds like sunflower.
. . .
Leucine
Essential for growth hormone production, tissue production and repair. Prevents muscle wasting and is used in treating conditions such as Parkinson’s disease.
Find it in: almonds, asparagus, avocados, chickpeas, coconut, lentils, oats, olives, papayas, rice, sunflower seeds and walnuts.
. . .
Lysine
Great for calcium absorption, bone development, nitrogen maintenance, tissue repair, hormone production, antibody production.
Find it in: amaranth, apples, apricots, beans, beets, carrots, celery, cucumber, dandelion greens, grapes, papayas, parsley, pears, peas, spinach and turnip greens.
. . .
Methionine
The “cleaner”—important for fat emulsification, digestion, antioxidant (cancer prevention), arterial plaque prevention (heart health) and heavy metal removal.
Find it in: black beans, Brazil nuts, cashews, kidney beans, oats, sesame seeds, spirulina, spinach, sunflower seeds and watercress.
. . .
Phenylalanine
A precursor for tyrosine and the signaling molecules: dopamine, norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and epinephrine (adrenaline), as well as the skin pigment: melanin. Supports learning and memory, brain processes and mood elevation.
Find it in: apples, beets, carrots, cashews, flax seed, hazelnuts, nutritional yeast, parsley, pineapples, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, spinach and tomatoes.
. . .
Threonine
Monitors bodily proteins for maintaining or recycling processes.
Find it in: almonds, beans, carrots, celery, chickpeas, collards, flax seed, greens, green leafy vegetables, kale, lentils, lima beans, nori, nuts, papayas, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and walnuts.
. . .
Tryptophan
Needed for niacin production, serotonin production, pain management, sleep and mood regulation.
Find it in: Brussels sprouts, carrots, celery, chives, dandelion greens, endive, fennel, nutritional yeast, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, snap beans, spinach, sunflower seeds, turnips and walnuts.
. . .
Valine
Helps muscle production, recovery, energy, endurance—balances nitrogen levels and is used in treatment of alcohol-related brain damage.
Find it in: apples, almonds, bananas, beets, broccoli, carrots, celery, dandelion greens, lettuce, nutritional yeast, okra, parsley, parsnips, pomegranates, potatoes, squash, tomatoes and turnips.

You may need more protein if you are…
• Mentally/physically tired (especially if you need daytime naps)
• Suffering from injuries/cramping/muscle soreness
• Unable to concentrate or focus
• Losing muscle, or unable to build it
• Losing hair
• Suffering from brittle/breaking nails
• Unusually susceptible to sunburn
• Suffering from headaches, fainting, nausea
• Cranky, anxious or moody or depressed

Remember, our bodies are designed, and biologically programmed, to survive. Symptoms are the way your body tries to communicate with you. If it doesn’t have enough of what it needs to thrive, it will do its best to get what it needs with what it has. If you are unable to build/retain muscle, that’s probably because you aren’t getting enough protein and your body is taking it from where it can—your muscle tissue. If you suffer from recurring/multiple injuries, your body probably doesn’t have the protein it needs for strength, rebuilding and recovery. Are your nails flimsy and breaking? Are you losing excessive hair? Your body may be holding onto what protein it has stored in the “bank,” versus using what little it has to create new nails or full hair.

This is also why nutrient-rich, whole foods are ideal, and why true health comes from these kinds of foods versus labels like “vegan.” Just because someone is vegan, vegetarian, or an omnivore for that matter, doesn’t make them healthy. Many folks make the mistake of “going vegan” and consuming a lot of processed, nutrient-void junk foods, pastas, etc. True health comes from the consumption of a variety of whole foods—the ones Mother Nature designed. It’s that simple.

And here’s a helpful chart.
This chart is for reference only, since it’s recommended that you think of food in its “wholeness”—its natural, plant-based complexity. Excellent nutrition is truly about balance and variety. For example, everything that makes up a carrot is important for good health, not just the beta carotene, or the vitamin C, but the whole carrot. It’s packaged how Mother Nature designed—a symphony of nutrients, fiber and a large assortment of protective compounds, most of which still remain unnamed (and undiscovered). Imagine that.