If you have recently been hearing about vegan protein supplements and diets almost everywhere, it’s only because the world we know today has changed quite a lot post 2020. After Covid-19 happened, people started prioritizing their health and well-being, and hence they started paying more attention towards what's on the plate and how it affects the body and thanks to that, because of it organic and vegan protein rich products saw a major surge in demand, after all, “we are what we eat”.
This notion about Vegan diets being much healthier than the rest of the diets is actually true till some extent. If you follow any vegan protein rich diet, it can offer you many health benefits, such as better cardiovascular health, aids in weight loss, and a reduced risk of chronic diseases.
Vegan protein powder is just a plant based protein that is derived from seeds, grains and legumes. It goes through the same process of protein making in which most of the carbs and fats get removed while we isolate the protein compound from it. You may also find other natural ingredients like stevia, fruit veggie powder or even monk fruit in it for some added nutritional value. Some common examples of vegan proteins are soy, pea, brown rice, and hemp.
Can you get enough protein if you’re a vegan athlete?
Anyone following a vegan diet avoids consuming anything that contains dairy, eggs or meat. So, many of us believe that this often restricts our daily protein intake heavily and a vegan needs to consume extra amount of protein to not be on a deficit, but that's really not the case.The recommended intake of protein is 0.8-1g per 1kg of your body’s weight and we can get the required number that our body needs through our daily diet. The same goes for vegans. There’s like a plethora of vegan protein such food sources that we can depend on to fulfill our diet goals and be on a surplus.
The following are some examples of healthy vegan protein or plant based protein rich foods :
1). Almonds
2). Chickpeas
3). Spirulina
4). Pea nuts
5). Chia Seeds
6). Hemp Seeds
7). Beans with rice
8). Potatoes
9). Tofu
10). Edamame
Vegan protein sources are significant for those who don't consume dairy or meat at all and follow only a strict plant based protein rich diet. Protein, like we’ve all been taught are the building blocks of life, is also essential as a nutrient because it is used in our daily bodily functions such as developing tissues, regulating hormones, digestion, and in creation of muscles, bones etc.
It sometime can get a bit challenging for vegans to get enough protein and other micro and macro nutrients from just one type of plant based protein sources, that is why its recommended to include a variety of vegan protein rich foods or a vegan protein supplement in your diet to get all the required nutrients that our body needs for development and never be on a deficit.
