Getting Enough Protein on a Vegan Diet

"Where do you get your protein?" is the question every vegan hears. Here's the definitive answer — with numbers, sources, and a calculator to show you exactly how easy it is to hit your targets.

How much protein do you actually need?

The UK NHS recommends 0.75g of protein per kg of body weight per dayfor adults. The WHO recommends 0.83g/kg. For most people, this is 50–70g per day. Even for athletes and those building muscle, most sports nutritionists recommend no more than 1.6–2.2g/kg.

Protein needs calculator

A simple rule: multiply your body weight in kg by 0.75–0.83g for general health, or 1.6–2.2g if you are building muscle or training regularly.

Example: 70kg person needs approximately 52–58g/day (sedentary) or 112–154g/day (athlete).

Complete vs incomplete proteins — does it matter?

You may have heard that plant proteins are "incomplete" — lacking one or more essential amino acids. This is partially true, but the concern is largely outdated:

Soy, quinoa, buckwheat, hemp, and amaranth are complete proteins — they contain all nine essential amino acids.
Other plant proteins are not "incomplete" — they simply have lower levels of certain amino acids. Eat a varied diet and you will automatically get all amino acids you need.
The old myth about "protein combining" at every meal (eating complementary proteins together, like rice and beans) was debunked — your body pools amino acids throughout the day.

Plant sources of protein alone can provide adequate amounts of the essential amino acids if a variety of plant foods are consumed and energy needs are met.
, American Dietetic Association

Best plant protein sources

Protein content per 100g (cooked unless noted)

Metric	Plant source	Animal equivalent
Seitan (wheat gluten)	25g	Chicken breast: 31g
Tempeh	19g	Beef mince: 18g
Edamame	11g	Egg: 13g
Firm tofu	10g	Cheddar cheese: 25g
Lentils (cooked)	9g	—
Chickpeas (cooked)	8.9g	—
Pumpkin seeds (30g)	9g	—
Hemp seeds (30g)	10g	—
Oats (dry)	13g	—

The leucine question

Leucine is the amino acid most critical for stimulating muscle protein synthesis. Animal proteins tend to be higher in leucine than most plant proteins. This doesn't mean vegans can't build muscle — but it may mean that vegans aiming for muscle growth benefit from eating slightly more total protein (the upper end of the 1.6–2.2g/kg range) and/or emphasising leucine-rich plant sources like soy and lentils.

💡 For athletes and muscle builders

Aim for 1.6g+ of protein per kg body weight. Include a variety of high-protein plant foods at most meals. Consider a pea or soy protein supplement post-workout. Tempeh, edamame, and tofu are your best friends.

A day of high-protein vegan eating

Here's an example of how to easily hit 120g+ of protein on a vegan diet:

Breakfast: Oat porridge with hemp seeds + soy milk (28g)
Lunch: Lentil dal with chickpea flatbread (35g)
Snack: Edamame + pumpkin seeds (15g)
Dinner: Tempeh stir-fry with edamame and tofu (42g)

Total: approximately 120g protein — with zero animal products.

📊 The bottom line

Getting enough protein on a vegan diet is not difficult. Eat a variety of legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and soy products at each meal and you will consistently hit your protein targets without tracking every gram.