Protein for plant-based eaters:

How to choose the best sources

Brought to you by: Precision Nutrition tm

According to a
recent intake
data, plant-
based eaters
were much
more likely than
non-plant-based
eaters to have a
lower protein
intake.
 Common issues:
 losing muscle mass (which can cause a drop in your metabolism)
Why is protein  having skin, hair, and nail problems

so important?  healing more slowly if you get cuts or bruises

 experiencing mood swings
 being more likely to break bones
Common benefits:

 Appetite control
 Weight and body composition management: Higher protein intakes
may help people eat less when they’re trying to lose fat, increase the
number of calories burned through digestion (the thermic effect of
food), and retain muscle during fat loss.
 Muscle growth or maintenance
 Improved cardiometabolic health: help lower blood pressure, improve
glucose regulation and blood cholesterol, and more
 Better strength
 Improved immune function: Proteins are the building blocks of
antibodies, and serve several functions in the immune system. People
who are protein-deficient are more susceptible to viral and bacterial
infections
 Faster recovery: Higher protein intakes help to repair tissue damaged
during exercise, as well as after injury.
Folks, who need bigger protein consumption:

 active athletes
 pregnant or breastfeeding
 children
 have a health issue that causes problems with protein absorption
 are eating a 100 percent plant-based diet..
..more of that in a while
  Sedentary people - bare minimum of 0.8 g. of protein per kilogram
of bodyweight per day
 Adults over 65 - 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of
bodyweight per day; most older people need more protein than
the bare minimum recommendation to slow down muscle loss
How much  Athletes and active people - 1.2 to 2.2 grams of protein per
protein do you kilogram of bodyweight per day; people who are overweight and
obese may want to stick to the lower end of this range, since
need? protein needs are not as high relative to their bodyweight
 Healthy people who want to change their weight or body
composition - 1.6 to 3.3 grams per kilogram of bodyweight
 going above the threshold for active people (2.2 grams of protein
per kilogram) - not necessary, little evidence it’s harmful.
  Protein structure  made of 20 different amino acids
Is plant protein  7 - non-essential amino acids
as good as  4 - conditionally essential amino acids
animal  9 - essential amino acids (EAAs)  key roles in building and
repairing tissue—like muscle—but also in building hormones,
protein? enzymes, and neurotransmitters
 Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) - subcategory of EAAs;
especially important for their role in muscle protein synthesis

 Muscle protein synthesis - the process your body uses to repair

and build muscle after exercise. While muscle protein synthesis is
much more complicated than just one amino acid, leucine plays an
integral role in triggering the process, which makes it probably the
most well-known BCAA

BCAAs are great, but you still need all of the EAAs to
! maximize the protein synthesis from your protein source
COMPLETE / INCOMPLETE
PROTEINS
 If you’re 100-percent plant based, recommended eating of, at
least, one cup of cooked legumes, such as chickpeas, edamame, or
tempeh a day. Legumes are high in lysine, an amino acid that’s in
short supply when only eating plants
  because of the way the human digestive system is structured and
the varying amino acid profiles of plant foods, we might not
absorb protein from some plants as well as animal proteins
Do plant-
lower digestibility*  more plant protein  match body needs
based eaters
need more
protein?
* https://www.precisionnutrition.com/will-a-high-protein-diet-harm-your-health

 protein digestibility and how it’s calculated

  Health and nutrition data on a given food, including long-term
health outcomes in people who have been eating it for a long time
(if that information is available).
Which plant-  Recommended daily intakes of various nutrients and how a given
food helps fulfill those.
based foods  Reward and palatability: how much these foods may or may not
are high- overstimulate your senses and override normal fullness cues.

protein?  Nutrient density: meaning what macronutrients, micronutrients,

phytonutrients, myconutrients, and zoonutrients a food contains.
 Level of processing, because more highly-processed foods are
often (but not always!) less health-promoting
Fully plant-based
 Soy has been the subject of much controversy, but the body of
research shows that in reasonable amounts, it’s overall safe.

 Soy foods and isoflavone (bioactive compounds found in soy)

supplements have no effect on testosterone in men.
 Soy doesn’t increase risk of breast cancer in women.
Soy products*  Soy most likely doesn’t have a harmful effect on thyroid health,
either, though more research is needed in this area

https://www.precisionnutrition.com/soy-latest-research
 more information about soy
  type of legume that have a rich and nutty flavor
 the most common varieties in North America are brown, green,
Lentils and red, but there are many others that can be found worldwide
 lentils are highly nutritious: They contain generous amounts of
protein, slow-digesting carbohydrates, and fiber.
 Beans: There are many types of beans to choose from. For
example: black, pinto, navy, lupini, cannellini, and more.
Generally, beans are high in fiber and carbohydrates, and provide
a moderate amount of protein.

 Split peas: Those who have digestive issues with beans and
legumes may find that split peas are less irritating.

 Black-eyed peas: These offer a similar nutrition profile to beans

and lentils.
 Eggs and egg whites: Chicken eggs are considered one of the world’s most versatile
foods, and one of the best vegetarian protein sources. A single egg contains about 6.5
grams of protein, plus minerals like iron and folate, and a healthy dose of vitamins A, E,
D, and B12.

*There’s some debate over whether egg yolks are healthy or not. They won’t increase
blood cholesterol or the risk of heart or artery disease—for most people. However, egg
yolks should likely be minimized for people with diabetes, heart disease, and or familial
hypercholesterolemia. For everyone else, they are a rich source of protein, vitamins,
minerals and other health-promoting nutrients.
Vegetarian
Plain Greek yogurt: Bacterially produced dairy products—or ones that are made with
fermentation—seem to be the healthiest options. Most varieties of yogurt fall into this
category, but Greek yogurt is particularly high in protein. (And in case you’re
wondering, flavored Greek yogurt and other types of yogurt are considered sources of
carbohydrates and/or fats, which happen to contain a little extra protein.)

Cultured cottage cheese: Similar to Greek yogurt, cottage cheese is a high-protein

dairy option that can be particularly beneficial when made with live cultures. (The
product label will note if it’s made with live and active cultures.)
  Fish: There are lots of choices within this category. Examples: cod,
salmon, tilapia, herring, halibut, trout, snapper, and more. Fish is
an ideal source of lean protein and is often rich in other nutrients,
such as vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids.
Pescatarian
 Shellfish: Scallops, shrimp, clams, oysters, crab, lobster, and
mussels are high in protein and other nutrients, like omega-3 fatty
acids, vitamin B12, and zinc. Some are rich in iodine, which is key
for thyroid health.
Plant-based protein powders
Plant-based carbohydrates
and fats that are high in
protein
3 common plant-based
protein problems -
solutions
Problem #1:  Eat slowly: when we rush at a meal, we may activate our
sympathetic nervous system, which induces the “fight or flight”
I’m supposed response and can mess with digestion. By staying calm and eating
slowly, we’re more likely to stay in the parasympathetic “rest and
to be eating all digest” state.
these beans
and legumes,  Add beans and legumes gradually: they can cause
gastrointestinal issues for some people because they contain
but my fermentable fiber. Fermentable fiber is great for your gut and
microbiome, but it does cause gas and other digestive problems in
stomach is a some people, particularly those who aren’t used to eating a lot of
fiber; experiment with different types of beans and legumes.
mess
 Consider preparation: beans and legumes prepared in certain
ways may be better tolerated; some types of raw, dry beans can
be actively toxic  dry red kidney beans contain a lectin (a type of
protein) called phytohaemagglutinin, which can poison us with as
few as four or five beans.

 Try digestive enzymes: alpha-galactosidase is an enzyme that

helps to break down the bloat-inducing starch in beans
  Eat a variety of foods: expanding your protein options can make it a
lot easier to hit your protein goals. eating a variety of protein sources
also means you’ll get an array of amino acids

Problem #2:  Try a protein powder: some people find the convenience and
I’m having portability of protein powders to be really helpful in meeting their
protein goals
trouble
meeting my  Consider including animal protein strategically: if you’re open to it
protein goals
 Zoom out: it’s okay to have days of eating lower amounts of protein.
The human body allows for some wiggle room. In other words, we can
probably meet our basic protein needs over a number of days
  Don’t be too radical: you don’t have to eat only plant-based protein
to reap the benefits of a plant-based diet (unless you want to);
focusing on what you can add to your diet rather than what you
“have to” take away can be a helpful mindset shift. If you’re not
Problem #3: ready to remove animal products from your diet completely, you
can make your favorite chicken pasta dish and add some chickpeas
I’ve got a list of to it.
plant-based
protein  “Plantify” your favourite meals: one way to find inspiration is to
take some of your favorite meals and swap some animal ingredients
sources, but I for plant-based ones

don’t know
 Map out meals ahead of time: planning and cooking your meals in
how to batches is a great way to ensure you get plant-based protein into
eat/cook them each meal.

 Look for vegan influencers on social media and Youtube: plenty of

them these days; you can always try some new recepies
References

1. Andrews, R. MS, RD & Pierre, Br. St, MS, RD, CSCS, Protein for plant-based eaters: How to choose the
best sources.
2. Andrews, R. MS, RD, All about protein: What is it and how much do you need?
3. Andrews, R. MS, RD, Soy: The latest research
4. Kollias, H. PhD, How much protein should I eat?’ Choose the right amount for fat loss, muscle, and
health.
5. Maughan, R. J., Nutrition in Sport
6. https://www.verywellfit.com/calorie-counts-and-nutrition-facts-overview-4581869