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Vegans of Tildes, what are your favourite sources of protein?
Meat and other related animal products are well-known for being efficient at providing the body with all nine essential amino acids. But as someone who is relatively new to eating a completely plant-based diet, I am struggling to find a variety of foods to incorporate into my meals to get an adequate amount of complete protein. I'd love to hear anything and everything from more experienced vegans about getting protein!
The complete protein thing has been debunked. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/incomplete-protein#food-sources
That being said, I've been vegan for over 15 yrs, most of that whole food, plant based. My labs are always fantastic. For protein I consume tofu, beans and legumes, nuts on a daily as well as seitan. We also eat whole grains and tons of fruit and veggies.
Most important for anyone, vegan or not, is to supplement vitamin D, B12, and a reasonably decent multivitamin. There are vegan versions available for all of these.
Feel free to ask any questions.
Not quite sure what you mean by '...has been debunked.'
The article you linked even recognizes the differences in 'complete' vs. 'incomplete' proteins. When I was taking nutrition classes, we referred to the balancing of 'incomplete' proteins as taking 'complimentary' proteins. The fact that plant based sources, with a few exceptions, are largely absent in one amino acid or another is well established. Of course, a vegan diet can be rich in all amino acids - one just has to know how to vary their diet to get the compliments - which is the core of the question being asked by OP.
If you eat a variety of foods, you do not need to worry about eating food A with food B to get ypur complete protein in each meal. I was a certofied nutritionist and personal fitness trainer before my retirement. The torturous ways people would eat to "get their perfect protein" was frustrating. If you eat a healthy diet, protein will take care of itself.
The real issue is fiber intake. Most Americans for sure do not get enough fiber. Gut microbiota has come into the forefront recently as having a significant affect on overall health. It's linked to many lifestyle diseases. It's a very hot topic in research circles right now and lots of studies are pointing out the importance of fiber in the diet.
Am just curious: how much more expensive do you think your diet might be compared to not going the route you’re on?
Whilst I’m not vegan, I’m trying to be more planet friendly (and also help my body) by going plant based and organic wherever I can. But these things cost more.
So, with supplements added in, this has to cost significantly more than a “normal” person’s grocery bill.
Is the extra cost worth it from an energy/awareness/health/self worth perspective?
As with an omnivorous diet, the cost factor comes more down to the specific component choices and preparation. My vegan diet is super cheap: lots of dry beans, lentils, peppers, onions, zucchini, tofu, and peanut butter. If I decided to go with more pre-processed foods like vegan cheeses and fancy veggie burgers, it could certainly be expensive. The same logic applies to an omnivorous diet.
Supplements are another issue since the three big ones (B12, D, and Omega 3) tend to be a bit more expensive in the vegan form. I take high-quality, third-party verified supplements of these three and the cost is about $0.75 per day. Overall, I still think my diet is significantly cheaper than the average person’s.
It’s also important to note that meat eaters don’t automatically have a diet that doesn’t necessitate supplementation. It’s just easy to identify certain particular needs for vegans.
Can you point me to where you get such inexpensive Omega-3? I'm looking for one with high enough EPA and DHA content, and can't find a single one.
I apologize for the late response. Here is the Omega 3 I buy. It’s currently at $0.54 per serving: Nutru O-Mega-Zen3 +EPA Vegan Omega 3 Supplement - Fish Oil Alternative - Premium Marine Algal Based Omega-3 DHA and EPA Fatty Acids - Carrageenan Free - 120 Softgels https://a.co/d/5cyroKn
I've got the same basic experience as you, with minimal processed foods as well. My husband doesn't eat like me, so my mostly-just-me weekly groceries generally cost me between $30-60 per week, largely depending on how lazy I am feeling (basically if I use more pre-prepped foods). There are some things I buy expensive versions of that most people wouldn't, like Food For Life's sprouted flourless breads that cost 2-3 times more than the regular supermarket fare.
I generally buy cheap vitamins, but I've actually been worrying about my omega-3s lately so if you've got a recommendation I'd be glad to hear it.
(paging @asstronaut )
I've been "vegan curious" for a while now, but decided to forego all animal products about a week ago. Protein really doesn't seem to be an issue from what I can see. I've been using nutritional yeast which seems to tick off the B12 box, fortified plant milk for calcium, plus a very light (designed for children) chewable bone health supplement with vit D, calcium and a few other minerals. I'll watch my iron carefully but it seems like I should be getting enough from food, especially combined with foods high in vit C to aid absorption.
The biggest problem I have now is omega-3 fatty acids. From what I can tell, plant sources that are rich in omega-3s seem to really only contain ALA, which the body isn't great at converting to EPA and DHA (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-plant-sources-of-omega-3s). The obvious answer is to take an algal oil supplement, but I doubt my children will be agreeable. I'm still reading and researching, but at this point in time I do suspect we'll start including some fish back into our diet.
Edit: it was watching The Game Changers that convinced me to take the plunge with a plant based diet https://gamechangersmovie.com/
You don’t have to have your Omega-3s in the form of oil. If you want something agreeable to your kids then you might consider buying them in the form of gummies.
I’m not a huge fan of fortified foods personally but I do think it’s best if you get everything you need from your foods. You probably don’t need the fortified milk if you are eating enough veg rich in it, but if you’ve got growing kids it’s probably not a bad idea. Just keep in mind that different brands of any given fortified food might have different levels of vitamins added to them, so keep buying the same ones and make sure you’re using them regularly in your staple dishes. That’s the recipe for success.
Just in case, be sure to use fortified nutritional yeast which has specifically B12 added. The unfortified one doesn't contain it at all, and it can take years to a decade for malnutrition symptoms to become apparent, like a user on this site seems to have found out recently.
I can only wish that my weekly, just me, grocery bill would be $60 a week.
My local farmers market has a French guy providing bread. It’s hands down the best bread ever. But it’s half you weekly budget. But I live in the highest income county in the US, so I guess that comes with the territory.
Those (good) basics being so expensive has me reevaluating, without the additional cost of vitamins, if going a different route would not just be good for the planet and me, but also for my budget.
Thank you for your perspective.
I will keep stretching my mind on this thought.
Actually, it's cheaper. We don't buy many meat subs or dairy subs (very expensive). Instead we stick to beans, rice, tofu, whole grains, pasta sauce and fill up on veg (local when available), and fruit. We do splurge on chocolate. A very complete spice cabinet is my secret weapon to making lots if varied, tasty food.
To add to the fantastic comments the others have made, it also comes down to where you live. I live in Switzerland, and meat is very expensive here. Your run of the mill "no brand" chicken breast on sale is around 13.50 CHF / kg, which is around 7$ / lbs. If you're not buying on sale, it's even more than that. Many meat replacements are cheaper than this, so even if you're running a fancy vegan diet, it's often cheaper just because you're not buying meat.
On the other hand, veggies, beans, tofu etc are very affordable, so spending some extra money on vitamin supplements (or vegan protein powder) doesn't stretch the budget at all
Are there any brands of supplements you'd recommend? I tend to get overwhelmed trying to suss out what are actual recommendations from people who use the supplement vs seo marketing bullcrap.
Megafood is a really good brand that has great products. I have been using their supplements for many years. Fairly small company but also a B Corp, highly recommend.
I don't have any I would endorse. Do some research and go with a known brand. Deva has been around a long time. @Markpelly mentioned Megafood. This article may help you understand ingredients to avoid. https://www.worldofvegan.com/best-vegan-vitamins-and-multivitamins/ Some "regular" brands are accidentally vegan and perfectly fine.
Legumes, soy, and quinoa are my main protein sources (specifically tofu, lentils, and black/pinto beans).
All of these items are really versatile and can be a main component in a wide variety of dishes. Some of my favorites include dal, sofritas tacos, and chili.
Peanut butter. I like ones that are made from just peanuts, or peanuts and salt. You gotta stir them initially, but they taste so much better than Jif or Skippy, and you can put them in the fridge to keep homogenized.
Yes! I had almost forgotten about peanut butter and I really ought to reintroduce it into my diet. I can't stand how a majority of the name brands are full of added sugar though. I really struggle to understand why anyone would think peanut butter doesn't taste fine on its own.
The amount of added sugars in foods has filled people’s perception of sweetness. Same goes with salt. The weird thing with peanut butter in particular is that the big brands also add palm oil, so they’re really not great for you.
If you have a market that sells “health food” or has a bulk section they might have a grinder filled up with plain roasted peanuts. That’s what I buy. But even without that there are some brands that sell natural style peanut butter with little to no added sugar.
Brands without sugar:
Trader Joe's has good, real peanut butter: no sugar, no added palm oil or other crap, just peanuts (and salt, or no-salt if you prefer)
The best (and cheapest) peanut butter I have found is Whole Foods 365. Just over 2 pounds of peanut butter for $4. Nothing but peanuts and salt with plenty of room to stir it up without making a mess.
19 years vegan.
Black beans, tempeh, tofu and seitan.
Tempeh is wonderful when prepared correctly. I have been to so many restaurants that have no idea how. One of my favorite ways to serve tempeh is to slow barbecue it in a homemade bbq sauce and make a sandwich.
I'll do the same bbq with tofu. I'll bake it until it gets a little chewy and it's perfect.
I make my own seitan as well. Once you realize how easy and cheap it is to make your won you'll never buy the overpriced preprepared stuff again.
I also use cashews in many things I cook including sauces and ice cream.
Tempeh is seriously underrated. Crumbling it up into pasta sauce or as taco filling is amazing, and it's unbelievably healthy. Like soy beans are already healthy but then you add in the complex vitamins and minerals of the fermentation and it's so satisfying.
Ever try bread maker seitan? Tastes good, easy to substitute and add new ingredients, cheap, and basically makes itself once you add everything to the bread pan. I started with this one and now just use whatever spices/sauces I have on hand:
https://vegannosh.me/2009/03/15/lazy-daves-5-bread-machine-turkey-flavored-seitan/
I use an 8 quart Kitchenaid stand mixer. I can sub ingredients for different flavors as easily and make a much, much larger batch.
The bread maker method dries the seitan out considerably at least far more than I can tolerate and leaves you with a seitan that isn't as versatile. Boiling it is the way to go then bake/fry/whatever when using in a recipe.
I use a lot of those soy things, apparently they are called "textured vegan protein" or something, done right they are almost like slices of chicken. Apart from those, theres a local company that makes "nyhtökaura" which is a mix of fava bean, pea and oat protein. Theres also "vegejauhis" (minced vege, kind of like minced meat) which is made of a mix of mushroom, wheat and other stuffs.
Beans, lentils, soy products (yoghurt, tofu, tvp, etc), lots of vegetables and the occasional setien.
I am personally not Vegan, but I know a few people who are. They recommend Seitan as a good source of protein.
It's basically wheat gluten, and bakes into bread well.
Soybeans. A pressure cooker makes preparing them a breeze, and they taste better than any downstream processed food.
My ex-MIL had learned veggie cooking while living on a commune in the 1970s. Seitan was a beloved holiday meal in this family of vegetarians because making it took all day. You started with a 10-lb bag of flour and then had to knead, rest, and rinse out starch and bran for hours before you could even start on your recipe.
I got really into vegan cooking and eventually reverse-engineered the family recipe using plain gluten flour, which brought the prep work down to maybe 20 minutes of effort. My MIL still mentions the relief of not spending Thanksgiving mornings at the kitchen sink anymore.
What I actually meant to express here: Seitan is fun and versatile, and it's very much worth learning to make your own if you enjoy cooking at all. The storebought kind is usually expensive and not always all that good. When I was veg, I used to buy bags of wheat gluten in bulk and just make seitan once a month or so.
What is your go to recipe for seitan? I'm planning on making it regularly once the reno of our new to us place is finished.
Isa Moskowitz’s books taught me to cook, and I default to her recipes for most things. Here’s a nice chicken-style seitan, but her site should have several others as well.
Someone brought up using a bread machine to make seitan using gluten flour. I am kind of wondering at this point if you could also use one to assist with the kneeding steps to make seitan from regular flour. I tried doing it by hand once and it ended up making a terrible mess and took all of my energy for the day.
I suppose you could probably do the same thing with a stand mixer and the dough hook attachment, but that's not something I can buy from a thrift store for $20.
The largest time sink isn’t the kneading but the rinsing, so I don’t know how much it would help. It’s good for the gluten to be fully developed when you start rinsing, but you still have to remove something like 80% of the solid matter from the dough, and that takes so. Much. Time. (And water.)
This might not be so helpful for lifelong vegetarians/vegans. However, if you've got a good Chinese grocery around, the canned and frozen sections will have an astonishing range of textured and flavored meat-substitute protein-rich tofu and seitan products at very low cost. You can pull them out and use them in most recipes that call for meat ingredients, without much modification. Buddha's Delight remains my absolute favorite vegan dish of all time, and it's got enough of everything to be a complete protein and vegetable meal.
There are also other Chinese grocery ingredients that have meat-like textures or add umami (e.g. dried lily buds, mushrooms), but they don't necessarily supply substantial amino acid content. New vegans need to beware of some processed products like jackfruit as meat substitutes, because they contain little protein.