A Cup Of Edamame Has More Protein Than An Egg

With plant-based food options becoming more and more common, making the switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet has never been easier. Nutritionists, environmentalists, and even your fav law student Elle Woods (shoutout to all you fellow Gemini vegetarians) have been championing the many benefits of eating more veggies for years. But one area where being plant-positive can still be a challenge is when it comes to making sure you're getting enough protein.

Proteins—and their amino acid building blocks–are an essential part of your diet, and not just when you're trying to add some muscle at the gym. "We need adequate protein in our diets to support our body’s needs for building cells and tissues, supporting healthy bones, and maintaining a healthy immune system," explains Sharon Palmer, RD, and author of California Vegan.

Generally, you should try to get one gram of protein per every kilogram of body weight (one kilogram converts to about two pounds), or roughly half your body weight in grams per day, and that's whether you're vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian or a good old-fashioned omnivore, says Gena Hamshaw, RD, and author of The Full Helping blog.

While she does believe that it's a misconception that being plant-based means you struggle to get enough protein, Hamshaw says that it can be difficult to meet nutritional goals when you first make the switch to being a vegan or vegetarian. "What I sometimes see is people become vegan and they remove all the animal protein and they're left with a diet that's a lot of vegetables and maybe some grains and beans, but not necessarily enough to equal the amount of protein they were getting before, or what they really need to feel their best," Hamshaw explains.

To hit your protein goals, your diet should include a variety of foods like grains, nuts, and vegetables, Palmer says, and every plate of food you eat should include at least one source of protein, Hamshaw suggests.

Luckily, there are plenty of tasty options out there. Here are the best plant-based foods with protein, whether you're making a dietary switch or just looking to change up your typical meals.