Proteins are not only very important for building muscles in athletes, but also fulfill many vital functions in the body. They are an important component of hormones, organs, enzymes, cells and provide us with energy. In order to provide the body with enough protein, it is particularly important to pay attention to a balanced, protein-rich diet. Since meat and dairy products in particular are rich in protein, the vegan diet has been associated with protein deficiency for years. However, this is nothing more than just onewidespread mythand fortunately there are more than enough excellent and healthy vegan protein sources with which you can easily cover your protein needs. You can find out what these are in our article!
Since the early 1970s, there has been debate about whether the risk of protein deficiency is higher for vegans than for meat eaters. One of the main reasons for this is the book “Diet for a small planet”, published in 1971, in which you can find numerous useful recommendations about protein intake in a vegan diet. Unfortunately, there are many people who eat a plant-based diet and don't pay enough attention to their protein intake. The disease Kwashiorkor is also known as a protein deficiency disease. It occurs mainly in famine areasvegan childrenor in people with severe eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. But vegans who neglect the importance of protein for the body can also develop the serious illness.
Vegan protein sources: What are the protein deficiency symptoms?
According to health experts, vegans and vegetarians need to have their blood protein levels checked at least every 3 months. Below are some of the most common symptoms that indicate a mild to moderate protein deficiency. However, we must warn you that these symptoms are rather non-specific and can have other causes. These include, for example, vitamin deficiency, hormonal imbalance, iron deficiency, etc.
- Chronic fatigue
- Hair loss
- Sleep disorders
- Loss of performance and muscle weakness
- Lack of concentration
- Depression and anxiety
- Dry skin
- susceptibility to infection
- Food cravings
While excessive consumption of meat and dairy products can lead to a variety of diseases, there is no denying that these foods are very high in protein. However, plant proteins contain other important nutrients such as potassium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, as well as important fiber. And that's exactly what it doesvegan diet much healthier. However, if you have only recently adopted a vegetarian or vegan diet and do not replace animal proteins with suitable plant-based alternatives, the likelihood of suffering from a protein deficiency is very high.
How much protein does our body need per day?
The World Health Organization recommends a daily intake of approximately 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight. Or to put it another way – if you weigh 50 kilos, you need around 40-50 grams of protein daily. However, the values are not the same for everyone - for people who exercise daily, the recommended amount is around 1.5 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. In addition, a large portion of the protein consumed should be rich in the amino acid lysine. Of the plant foods, beans contain a lot of lysine, while it is found in very small amounts in rice, nuts and grain products.
Vegan protein sources – Which plant-based foods are particularly high in protein?
The best way to avoid a protein deficiency is, above all, to eat onebalanced and protein-rich plant-based dietto pay attention. Try adding the following foods to your diet.
- Soy milk
- Beans and legumes
- Tofu
- Nuts and seeds
- Vegan Protein Powders
- Vegane Proteinriegel
- Buckwheat and quinoa
Avoid protein deficiency and tips for increasing protein consumption on a vegan diet
To ensure that your body receives all 9 essential amino acids, it is very important to combine the different vegan protein sources. However, this doesn't have to happen during just one meal. Recent scientific studies have shown that the body can produce all essential amino acids within 24 hours. There are now many websites, blogs and articles on the Internet that offer delicious, healthy and...protein-rich vegan recipescan find. Beans and tofu are undoubtedly perfect vegan protein sources. Unfortunately, there are many people who find these difficult to digest. If this applies to you, try quinoa, chickpeas, nuts and tempeh. Additionally, some vegan protein powders provide around 20 grams of protein per serving, making them another very good option.
