Can You Get Protein As A Vegan?
While it is becoming easier to get protein as a vegan, there is still a lot of misinformation that can cause confusion and will result in poor nutrition. Nuts, grains, and legumes are touted as protein sources but often times you must eat a really large amount of each to get sufficient protein in your diet. These oversized portion sizes bring with them a lot of calories and lead to overeating and subsequently you become overweight or even obese, all while trying to eat “healthy”. Take cashews for example. Just ¼ cup of cashews has nearly 200 calories. Your body doesn’t differentiate between over-consuming “healthy” calories from “bad-for-you” calories. Gaining weight is a function of calories taken in compared with calories exerted.
One way to easily supplement your diet is to use vegan protein powder. You can make a protein shake or mix it with yogurt or oatmeal for a quick and easy meal.
Is peanut butter a good source of protein?
Contrary to popular belief, peanut butter is not a good source of protein. While it does contain some protein, the majority of its calories comes from fat. Peanut butter is a good source of fat. Learn why I only recommend natural peanut butter.
What is a complete protein?
One of the shortcomings of plant-based proteins is that, unlike whey protein, nearly all are incomplete proteins. What does this mean? Your body needs nine essential amino acids (EAAs) for immune function, nutrient absorption, energy production, and tissue growth. Your body can not produce them so they must come from food. A complete protein provides these EAAs. Vegans usually have to work hard to choose a wide variety of foods and quantities of each to get these EAAs on a daily basis. An easy alternative is the peanut butter brownie Catalyst Bar. Its unique blend of plant-based proteins combine to become a complete protein.
Are vegan protein bars healthy?
Like all foods, the answer to this depends on the ingredients. For example, organic foods are not necessarily better for you than their non-organic counterparts. The food may have been grown without the use of pesticides but its nutritional value is likely the same. However, a vegan bar like the peanut butter brownie Catalyst Bar is a healthy alternative to a sit-down meal. It is nutrient-dense, meaning that for a low number of calories, it is packed with high protein and fiber, low sugar, and zero sugar alcohols. It also tastes good!
Being vegan is a lifestyle choice, and with proper planning of your meals you can feed your body what it requires and still stay true to your beliefs.
