How much protein do you get on a plant-based day? Build your day and see
Do you get enough protein on a plant-based diet? Most adults need around 0.83 g per kg of body weight a day, and plant foods can cover it.
Tap through tofu, tempeh, lentils, soya milk, oats and more to build your day, put in your weight and see how close you get to the EFSA reference intake. No pairing rules, no supplements, just portions.
Most people who move towards plant-based eating hear the same worry: "where will you get your protein?" The short answer is beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, soya milk, oats, nuts and seeds, and most adults need less protein than the internet suggests. The tool below lets you see it on your own day.
How much do you need?
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) sets the reference intake for adults at 0.83 g of protein per kg of body weight per day. So someone who weighs 70 kg needs about 58 g. That is the same for plant-eaters and meat-eaters in EFSA's advice. Some dietitians suggest aiming a little higher on a fully plant-based diet because plant proteins are digested slightly less well, but the evidence is mixed, so treat the target as a starting point.
Most adults reach the reference intake with beans or tofu once or twice a day plus ordinary grains, nuts and soya milk.
What gives the most per portion?
Soya foods (tofu, tempeh, edamame, soya milk) and pulses (lentils, chickpeas, beans) are the strongest everyday sources. Grains, nuts and seeds add up in smaller amounts, and vegetables contribute a few grams each. Tempeh is usually the densest of the lot, while rice and broccoli help but will not carry a meal alone.
Do you need to combine proteins?
You may have heard that plant proteins must be paired at the same meal. Current advice from dietetic bodies is that this is not needed: eating a variety of plant proteins over the day gives your body the amino acids it needs. Pulses are higher in lysine and grains in methionine, so beans on toast or lentils with rice work nicely, but you do not have to plan it meal by meal.
A few practical tips
- Build each main meal around one protein food: tofu, tempeh, beans, lentils or chickpeas.
- Choose unsweetened soya milk fortified with calcium if you use plant milk.
- Add a handful of nuts or seeds and a wholegrain to snacks and breakfasts.
- Check labels on meat alternatives: protein, salt and saturated fat vary a lot.
Who should check first?
This is general information, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition (especially kidney disease), are pregnant or breastfeeding, have or have had an eating disorder, take medication, or are feeding a child on a plant-based diet, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before changing how you eat. Protein is only one nutrient to plan on a plant-based diet; vitamin B12 in particular needs a reliable source.
Sources
- EFSA: population reference intakes for protein
- NHS: the vegan diet
- NHS: the vegetarian diet
- USDA FoodData Central (protein per portion, rounded)