Hi everyone ♡
One of the most common questions people have asked me since I've started eating plant-based is 'Where do you get your protein?'. First of all, let me explain what proteins are. Proteins are a crucial part of your diet and help repair, build and maintain the structures of your body. Proteins consist of amino acids. In total there are 22 different kinds of amino acids; 9 of those are called essential amino acids and since the body can't produce these 9 on its own, you need to get them from your diet. A complete protein is a protein that contains all 9 essential amino acids.
It's a common misconception that you can only get protein from meat, fish and/or dairy. There are plenty of plant-based protein sources. Getting your protein intake from plants is even healthier for you than getting it from animal derived products. Plant-based proteins are low in saturated fat and don't contain cholesterol. However, most plant-based proteins are incomplete proteins, which means they don't contain all 9 essential amino acids. That just means that it's important to mix different kinds of protein sources to make sure your body gets all the amino acids it needs. Plant-based protein sources also contain other important nutrients, such as phytonutrients, fibre and antioxidants, which are all beneficial to your health.
Here's a list of 15 of the best plant-based protein sources:
Do people ask you where you get your protein from too? What is your favourite plant-based protein source?
With love,
Lysanne