Health⏱ 5 min read
How to Calculate Protein on a Vegan Diet
Plant proteins are complete in combination but incomplete individually, and less bioavailable than animal protein. Here's how to hit adequate protein targets on a fully plant-based diet.
Getting enough protein on a vegan diet is entirely achievable — but requires more planning than an omnivorous diet because plant proteins have lower digestibility and most individual plant sources are incomplete (lacking one or more essential amino acids).
Why Vegan Protein Targets Are Higher
Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS)
measures both completeness and digestibility:
Animal proteins (PDCAAS):
Whey protein: 1.0 (maximum)
Eggs: 1.0
Milk: 1.0
Beef: 0.92
Plant proteins (PDCAAS):
Soy: 1.0 (complete plant protein — exception)
Pea protein isolate: 0.89
Chickpeas: 0.78
Wheat: 0.42
Rice: 0.59
Practical implication: to get the same usable protein,
vegans need ~10-20% more total protein intake.
Standard recommendation 0.75g/kg → vegan target 0.9g/kg minimum
For muscle building: 1.6g/kg standard → 1.8-2.0g/kg for vegans
High-Protein Vegan Foods
FoodProtein per 100gNotes
Seitan (wheat gluten)75gHighest protein density; avoid if gluten-free
Nutritional yeast50gAlso B12 source if fortified
Pumpkin seeds30gAlso zinc and magnesium
Tempeh20gFermented soy — better digestibility than tofu
Edamame11gYoung soybeans — complete protein
Lentils (cooked)9gAlso high in fibre and iron
Chickpeas (cooked)8.9gVersatile base food
Tofu (firm)8gExtra-firm has up to 12g
Quinoa (cooked)4.4gComplete protein grain
Complementary Protein Combinations
Combining plant proteins with different limiting amino acids provides complete amino acid coverage. You don't need to combine them in the same meal — across the day is sufficient.
Legumes (low in methionine) + Grains (low in lysine):
- Rice and beans ✓
- Lentil soup with bread ✓
- Hummus (chickpeas) with pitta ✓
Soy is the major exception — a complete protein alone.
Quinoa is also a complete grain protein.
High-leucine vegan sources (for muscle protein synthesis):
Soy protein: ~7.7% leucine content
Pea protein: ~8.0% leucine
Lentils: ~6.4% leucine
(vs whey: ~10.9% leucine)
Sample 70g Protein Vegan Day
Breakfast: oats 50g (5g) + hemp seeds 30g (10g) + soy milk 200ml (6g) = 21g
Lunch: tempeh 150g (30g) + mixed salad + nutritional yeast 10g (5g) = 35g
Snack: edamame 100g (11g) = 11g
Dinner: lentil dal 200g (18g) + brown rice 150g (4g) = 22g
Total: 89g protein — well above 70g target for 80kg active adult