When searching for a list of proteins I found this simple list that provides protein content of selected vegan foods. This is a great resource for those who eat a vegetarian or completely plant based diet.
Often when people hear that I eat a plant based diet they will ask me “where do you get your protein from?” I will tell them that I don’t worry about getting enough protein when I eat a proper diet because protein is found in most plant foods. We get our protein from plants out of the ground, just like the animals do.
The most important element in a plant-based diet is to make sure to eat enough calories. However, if you eat a lot of sugary or processed foods, you may miss getting the quality proteins in your diet.
| FOOD | AMOUNT | PROTEIN(gm) | PROTEIN(gm/100 cal) |
| Tempeh | 1 cup | 41 | 9.3 |
| Seitan | 3 ounces | 31 | 22.1 |
| Soybeans, cooked | 1 cup | 29 | 9.6 |
| Lentils, cooked | 1 cup | 18 | 7.8 |
| Black beans, cooked | 1 cup | 15 | 6.7 |
| Kidney beans, cooked | 1 cup | 13 | 6.4 |
| Veggie burger | 1 patty | 13 | 13.0 |
| Chickpeas, cooked | 1 cup | 12 | 4.2 |
| Veggie baked beans | 1 cup | 12 | 5.0 |
| Pinto beans, cooked | 1 cup | 12 | 5.7 |
| Black-eyed peas, cooked | 1 cup | 11 | 6.2 |
| Tofu, firm | 4 ounces | 11 | 11.7 |
| Lima beans, cooked | 1 cup | 10 | 5.7 |
| Quinoa, cooked | 1 cup | 9 | 3.5 |
| Tofu, regular | 4 ounces | 9 | 10.6 |
| Bagel | 1 med. (3 oz) |
9 | 3.9 |
| Peas, cooked | 1 cup | 9 | 6.4 |
| Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), cooked | 1/2 cup | 8 | 8.4 |
| Peanut butter | 2 Tbsp | 8 | 4.3 |
| Veggie dog | 1 link | 8 | 13.3 |
| Spaghetti, cooked | 1 cup | 8 | 3.7 |
| Almonds | 1/4 cup | 8 | 3.7 |
| Soy milk, commercial, plain | 1 cup | 7 | 7.0 |
| Soy yogurt, plain | 6 ounces | 6 | 4.0 |
| Bulgur, cooked | 1 cup | 6 | 3.7 |
| Sunflower seeds | 1/4 cup | 6 | 3.3 |
| Whole wheat bread | 2 slices | 5 | 3.9 |
| Cashews | 1/4 cup | 5 | 2.7 |
| Almond butter | 2 Tbsp | 5 | 2.4 |
| Brown rice, cooked | 1 cup | 5 | 2.1 |
| Spinach, cooked | 1 cup | 5 | 13.0 |
| Broccoli, cooked | 1 cup | 4 | 6.8 |
| Potato | 1 med. (6 oz) |
4 | 2.7 |
| Sources: USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18, 2005 and manufacturers’ information. Chart provided by the Vegetarian Resource Group. | |||
As you can see, you can get plenty of protein when you eat a variety of plant foods and sufficient calories. Proteins are found in most foods, so it is not difficult to get an adequate amount of protein in a vegan or vegetarian diet.
Check out this article by Dr. Holly Wilson on getting protein in a vegan diet
It is advisable to see your healthcare professional when making changes to your diet. You may want to check your levels periodically for Vitamin D, B12, B-complex and protein to make sure that you are getting enough of these in your diet.
