7 Vegan Protein Sources

Packing enough protein can be tricky when you eliminate meat and dairy from your diet. It’s an essential food group to fuel athletic performance and recovery, though, that can’t be ignored. The good news is, there are plenty of options for the growing vegan population.

Built for Athletes takes a look.

Lentils
Lentils are filling and versatile. They can be used as the basis for curries, soups, salads and much more. One portion contains about 9g of protein, as well as well as acting as a good source of iron and fiber.

Edamame Beans
Great in salads, high in a number of vitamins and easily accessible in supermarkets.
Edamame provides 11g of protein per serving.

Chickpeas
Although chickpeas are most known for offering a source of carbohydrates, they also contain 9.2g of protein and a small amount of fat. Chickpeas are also known to regulate blood sugar and digestion.

Nuts
Snack on nuts between meals, or sprinkle them over breakfast, lunch and dinner for added protein. With 11 varieties of nuts to choose from, there’s something for everyone's taste buds.

Tofu
One of the most well-known meat alternatives for plant eaters, tofu supplies 7g of protein in each portion.

Quinoa
Regularly found in salads, one serving of quinoa offers 8g of protein in only around 220 calories. It’s also a source of magnesium and iron, which are essential vitamins for athletes to prevent injury.

Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are native to Central and South America and are known as one of the healthiest foods on the planet. They can be added to cereal, juice, smoothies or whatever you want to give a protein boost. There’s 17g of protein per 100g of chia.