Plant Based Swaps

 

Easy plant-based swaps to get enough protein for a balanced diet

 

Bring a little more plant power into your daily diet with these easy plant-based protein recipes using simple ingredients and the best vegan protein powder

 

Bye-bye Veganuary, hello the rest of the year. How are you planning to carry on with your newfound love of plant-based eating? As you discovered, adding more plant foods to your diet isn’t just good for your body, it can be a great way to find new healthy recipes. Here are some of the best plant-based foods and ingredients to add to your routine.

 

How much plant-based protein do I need?

 

Are people really still asking vegans where they get their protein from? Yep – and it’s not a terrible question. After all, we know that animal protein sources are complete, so it’s much easier to hit your protein numbers when you eat meat, fish and eggs.

 

But vegans and plant-based eaters can easily get plenty of protein with smart combinations of protein-rich plant foods like whole grains, beans, lentils and tofu. A really good plant-based protein powder makes life easier, too!

 

Sporty people need anywhere from 1.8g-2.2g protein per 1kg body weight. If you’re 70kgs, this means aiming for 126g-154g protein every day.

The best plant-based foods for protein

 

Still not sure how to hit those protein numbers when you’re eating a plant-based diet? Take a look at this list to see how easy it could be.

 

Grams of protein per 100g

 

Oats 10g

Sorghum 8g

Lentils 8g

Tofu 8g

Chickpeas 7g

Green peas 7g

Beans including kidney beans, butter beans, black beans 7g-10g

Buckwheat 5g

Spelt 5g

Quinoa 4g

Brown rice 4g

Nuts and seeds are a good source of protein, but you’re unlikely to eat 100g of them so we’ve listed the protein content of these per 1 tablespoon.

 

Hemp seeds (hemp hearts) 5g

Linseed 3g

Chia seeds 2g

 

The best way to get a full serving of protein in one go is to use a quality protein powder. PhD Smart Protein Plant was designed for vegans and plant based eaters and it gives a whopping 20g protein per serving from a smooth blend of pea protein and soya protein.

Are any plant based proteins “complete”?

Some protein foods are more useful than others when you’re trying to hit your macros. First up, a mini-lesson on protein. The protein in food is made up of amino acids. Some are considered “essential” (because our bodies can’t make them from other sources) – and they’re really important for building muscle. Now here’s the challenge – not all protein foods offer a complete array of all the 9 essential amino acids.

 

When you eat animal protein, it’s much easier to get those complete proteins. But now you’re eating a plant-based diet, you need to get smart about it.

 

You can get all those lovely amino acids into your diet by eating a varied array of wholegrains, beans, lentils, and vegetables. The combination of amino acids in these foods will work together to give you everything you need over a day.

 

Which vegan foods are complete proteins?

 

The best way is to include plant foods high in protein with the complete essential amino acids.

 

1. Quinoa is high protein vegan, gluten free, and has all the essential amino acids.
2. Amaranth is a type of grain that is a good source of fibre and minerals as well as a complete protein.
3. Buckwheat is also a complete protein and a good alternative to rice in hot and cold recipes.
4. Tofu, tempeh, and edamame beans are all derived from soybeans and all offer complete protein.
5. Chia seeds are a plant based saviour, offering complete protein and making a great substitute for puddings, jellies, and even eggs for baking recipes!
6. Hemp seeds are a complete protein, and their nutty texture makes them great for adding to oats, salads, stir-fries and desserts.
7. Nutritional yeast is sold as flakes which add a slightly cheesy flavour – ideal for sprinkling on pasta, mashed potatoes or veggies.

Easy protein vegan recipes

 

High protein plant based stir fry

 

This easy plant based meal is protein-packed from a mix of vegetables, tofu and grains. Cook brown rice, and whilst it is cooking chop broccoli, bell pepper, garlic ginger. Slice firm tofu into chunks. Heat a large pan with a bit of oil and fry the tofu until golden. Add the garlic and ginger, then your vegetables. Season with soy sauce and serve with the rice.

 

Vegan sweet potato pie

 

Combine one type of beans with one type of lentil and add tomato passata to make the pie filling. Add to an oven proof dish and top with mashed sweet potato, sprinkled with nutritional yeast. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until the topping is browned.

 

Peanut butter protein balls

 

Combine equal weights of oats and peanut butter in a bowl. Add ¼ of the weight in hemp seeds. Mix in a splash of plant milk until the mixture holds together. Form into bite-sized balls and keep them in the fridge.

 

Will plant based protein build muscle?

 

If your goal is building muscle or getting lean, plant based protein won’t hold you back. Your body doesn’t know the difference between 20g protein from chicken breast and 20g protein from a tasty mix of beans, veggies and wholegrains.

 

Plant based protein will build muscle if you remember the golden rules of muscle gain:

 

• Eat enough calories to match or slightly exceed your energy output
• Eat at least 1.8g protein per 1kg bodyweight
• Make sure you are getting all 9 essential amino acids from your diet
• Train consistently and lift moderate to heavy weights

 

Will plant based protein make you gain weight?

 

Worried that the shift from meat eater to plant based hero will affect your waistline? There’s absolutely no evidence to suggest that plant based protein will cause weight gain. In fact, eating a plant based diet could help you lose body fat and slim down. But only if you do it right. Don’t rely on processed vegan snacks and weird ingredients. Base your plant diet around nutritious, healthy ingredients like the ones we’ve listed in this article. Eat plenty of vegetables. And find the best vegan protein powder and protein bars to help you build muscle.

 

Check out the Plant based range here to see our best plant-based protein powders, plant protein bars and healthy vegan snacks.

Don’t forget to fuel yourself Pre, Intra and Post-workout – You can grab yourself all your workout must-haves here.  Make sure to let us know how you get on with your training program and tag us in your workouts on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter – @phdnutrition.

We love seeing your workouts, recipes, and having you as part of our community. If you want to make sure to check out more of our amazing blogs here or grab yourself some of our other Smart Whey Protein plant to fuel your workouts even further.