Second only to “I would die without cheese!”, folks ask all the time about where vegans get their protein. For someone accustomed to centering their dinner plate around a piece of animal protein, I can see how this might seem like a problem. You take that steak off of your plate, and you’re basically living on salad and potatoes.

Not that I’m knocking salads or potatoes. In fact, baked potatoes do contain a little bit of protein!

But really, where do you get protein when it’s not coming from animal products? The short answer is: lots of places! Here are some common vegan staples and their protein contents:

• beans - 7-10 grams per half cup (cooked)
• tofu - 2.3 grams per half ounce
• peanut butter - 8 grams per 2 Tablespoons
• almonds - 8 grams per 1/4 cup
• peanuts - 9 grams per 1/4 cup
• cashews - 5 grams per 1/4 cup
• flax seeds – 8 grams per 1/4 cup
• brown rice - 3 grams per 4 ounces
• quinoa - 4.5 grams per 1/2 cup
• baked potato - 2.5 grams
• cooked broccoli - 7 grams per half cup
• peas - 8 grams per half cup
• corn - 5 grams per 1 cup

Really, the question is, where don’t vegans get protein? The recommended daily value for protein is about 50 grams for a 2000 calorie diet, which you could easily hit by combining a couple of protein sources per meal: beans and rice, whole grain cereal in soy or nut milk, or broccoli and whole wheat pasta.

So, spill the beans, my vegan friends! What’s your favorite protein source?

Source: Eat.Drink.Better.

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