Where do you get your protein? Do you just munch on grass? Do you get enough nutrients? How are you not starving all the time?
We all get it. Thanks to a booming meat industry, corporate advertising, and misleading information, much of the American population thinks you have to eat a steak every day to fill your protein quota.
They view plant-based eaters as malnourished hippies whose weak bodies manage to live off of grass and love. They don't realize that some of the most powerful animals on the planet (elephants, rhinos, hippos and bulls!) are herbivores. These gigantic, powerful creatures sustain their bodies with pure plant power. If these larger-than-life beauties can thrive off of plants, we’re confident that we can as well.
Plus, we have years of plant-powered radiance to prove it.
Let’s start by looking at how much protein we actually need. The public is constantly fed a message that we require an exorbitant amount of protein in order to stay lean, mean, energized, and healthy — an amount of protein that can only be met by adding a chunk of meat to each meal.
The truth is, however, that you only need to eat about 0.36g/lb of your body weight* in protein, which a balanced plant-based diet more than covers.
The key to a protein-abundant plant-based diet is variety, and recognizing that not all protein is created equal.
Protein is composed of 20 amino acids, 11 of which your body produces naturally and 9 of which you can only obtain through food sources. The commonly-tossed-around term "complete protein" refers to a food source that has all 20 of these amazing amino acids. There are many delicious combinations that provide this complete source of nutrition. Just think of rice and beans, hummus and pita, or nut butter on high-quality, organic bread.
Additionally, a plant-based diet teaches you that you can find protein in some surprising places, beyond the usual suspects like quinoa, hemp seeds, beans and nuts. For instance, leafy green kale and cauliflower, two ultra-detoxifying, nutrient-rich vegetables, each have around three grams of protein per cup. When you're eating a colorful, varied diet of plant foods (and enough of them), it adds up.
What’s more is that the human body is amazingly proficient at using its resources, combining all the food you’ve consumed over the course of several days to essentially keep a ‘store’ of amino acids it can pull from when it needs to form a complete combination of amino acids.* Your body really is made up of beauty and brains.
What are our daily go-to ingredients for powerful plant-based protein? We have several.
Protein Boosts
Protein is an important kind of fuel, keeping us satiated and sane for hours at a time. When we're looking for a quick jolt that keeps us energized for hours, we turn to one of our favorite protein boosts and add it to salads or smoothies. We keep these bad boys with us at all times, turning lackluster meals into nutrient-dense powerhouses that keep you energized, satisfied and inspired for hours on end. If you're truly on the go, supplementing with functional nutrition bars or our Protein + Greens Super Powder (with coconut water and a shaker bottle at the ready) can also be heavenly in a pinch.
Salad Sprinkles:
- Hemp seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Slivered raw almonds
- Goji berries
- Nutritional yeast
Smoothie Sprinkles:
- Chia seeds
- Hemp seeds
- Spirulina powder
Mix these together in a re-purposed jar for an easy, reliable addition to any cold drink.
*Your individual protein intake will depend greatly on your activity level, height, weight, genetics, and health history. Just remember, there's no need to become protein crazed. Eat a balanced diet, listen to your body and trust its innate wisdom.
