November 1st is World Vegan Day , an official holiday established by the Vegan Society. Veganism has become increasingly popular in recent years. A common concern is that it's challenging to get enough protein, especially if you exercise a lot. But as is almost always the case with any diet, it's all about how you implement it. In this blog post, I'll show you why protein needs change when you adopt a more plant-based diet, how much is sufficient, even if you exercise a lot, and how to ensure you don't miss out on anything compared to an omnivorous diet.
What is a vegan diet (and what isn't)?
There's sometimes confusion about this; "I don't eat meat" doesn't necessarily mean you're vegan or vegetarian. What you do or don't eat influences what you need to consider.
- Omnivore: eats everything: meat, fish, dairy, eggs and plant foods
- Pescetarian: no meat, but fish, dairy, eggs and plant-based foods
- Vegetarian: no meat or fish, but dairy, eggs and plant-based foods
- Vegan: no meat, fish, dairy or eggs, only plant-based food.
Of all these diets, the vegan diet is the most restrictive. Each food provides its own mix of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Plant-based foods are often rich in carbohydrates, while animal-based foods are rich in protein. Both can also provide fats, although most plant foods tend to be lean.
How much protein do you need on a vegan diet?
Because animal products are particularly rich in protein, eliminating them will impact your protein intake. We regularly see clients who adopt a vegan diet and simply make a meatless AVG.
You don't have to eat meat to get enough protein. You do need to explore plant-based alternatives that offer roughly the same nutritional value. You might know you can eat more beans and legumes, and yes, these foods provide some protein. But they also contain a lot of carbohydrates. There are relatively few lean plant-based protein sources. This doesn't have to be a problem, but it depends on the context.
Based on the guideline of 0.83 g of protein per kg of body weight, an 80 kg man who doesn't exercise needs about 67 g of protein per day. If he eats three meals, the goal is about 22 g per meal. For this, he would need to eat over 300 g of chickpeas. But these 300 grams also provide 345 kcal, mainly because chickpeas are also rich in carbohydrates. In other words, he "spends" 345 kcal to meet his protein needs. He can no longer use the calories to obtain other nutrients.
Compare this to just 114 kcal to get the same amount of protein from chicken breast. Vegan products often provide more calories to get protein. This isn't a problem if you burn enough calories in a day or if you don't need much protein.
It's more problematic if you're a woman taller than 1.60m and want to lose weight, with a calorie budget of 1500. The challenge then is to keep your calories low enough to lose fat while still getting your protein and other nutrients. In these cases, using a supplement can help.
How much protein do you need?
Muscle mass is important for staying healthy. For this reason, we advise almost all our clients to exercise. Loss of muscle mass is one of the reasons why aging brings ailments and a reduced quality of life.
The recommended daily amount of protein is 0.83 g per kg of body weight per day. This guideline is sufficient to prevent a deficiency, but higher amounts are recommended if the following factors apply: you exercise, are pregnant, recovering from illness, or want to lose weight. So that's quite fast. This also applies if you don't eat animal products.
To understand why, we first need to understand the difference between animal and plant protein.
Your protein needs are higher with a vegan diet
Not all proteins are created equal. If the man in the previous example is a vegan, he needs more than 67 g because the guidelines assume he eats both animal and plant foods.
Vegans have a higher protein requirement because plant-based protein has an incomplete amino acid profile and is less well absorbed. Proteins are broken down into amino acids; there are 20 different amino acids, some of which are essential.
Animal protein often contains all of these amino acids in large quantities; we then call such a food a complete protein source.
Combine proteins for a complete amino acid profile
This is usually not the case with plant foods. They contain only a few essential amino acids, or in low amounts. Each plant has its own amino acid profile; grains, for example, contain a lot of methionine but little lysine. Most beans, on the other hand, contain little methionine and a lot of lysine.
That's why it's important on a vegan diet to get your protein from a variety of sources, so grains as well as beans, so you still get all the essential amino acids. Aim for the following distribution:
- 50% beans and legumes
- 25% from seeds and nuts
- 25% from grains.
Supplements for a vegan diet
The second point is the availability of protein. Plant-based foods contain substances that can reduce protein absorption. Of the 20 grams you eat, your body may only absorb 16 grams. With animal protein, this loss is much smaller. To account for the reduced availability and the suboptimal amino acid profile, it is therefore recommended to eat more protein.
There's still some disagreement about how much is sufficient. The Nutrition Centre recommends 30% more than omnivores, so that would be 1.08 grams per kg of body weight. But especially if you exercise regularly, you'll likely benefit from more.
Several studies show that a higher intake of 1.6 g per kg of body weight per day no longer affects an omnivorous diet and athletic performance, but there are guidelines of up to 2.7 g per kg of body weight for bodybuilders in an energy deficit. For an 80 kg man, this means 86 grams if he does not exercise and 128 grams if he does exercise, up to 216 grams if he is a bodybuilder on a diet.
If you're going vegan, it's important to eat more protein and get it from a variety of sources. If you find this difficult or are on a low-calorie diet, taking a supplement can help.
Then make sure the protein powder has a complete amino acid profile. This is always the case with whey (whey protein, made from milk and therefore vegetarian, not vegan). For vegan powders, this is the case if it's made from soy, or a combination of rice and peas, for example. Always read the label; it will almost certainly be stated.
Practical tips to maintain your vegan diet
Just like any other diet, a vegan diet can be a healthy choice, and it's certainly possible to eat enough protein. However, due to the limited options, it does require a bit more planning. Hopefully, this blog will help you do that properly.
Also, realize that eating more plant-based foods can make a difference. Going from an omnivorous to a vegan diet can be a big step. Finding good alternatives and recipes simply takes time.
We also believe that eating less meat can also help. For example, start with one vegan day a week or start replacing a few meals throughout the week. You'll find that over time, it becomes easier and easier to eat plant-based.
Want to learn more about how to maintain a vegan diet effectively, or how to combine it with your fitness or health goals? Click here and fill out the contact form. We'll explore together how you can maintain your vegan diet in a healthy and achievable way.
Guest blog authors: Robin Swinkels and Rick Kriegenbergh from Hello Health Coaching .
