Protein...

“Becoming Vegan” is like the Vegan Textbook on nutrition. It’s full of information and facts on amino acids, fats, cholesterol and protein. I wouldn’t suggest this book to “convince” someone to become vegan. But, once the choice is made, this is a great reference book. I know a lot of you wonder if a vegan diet is sufficient. One of the biggest questions…Do you get enough protein? Here are some quick facts.How much protein do you need a day? Well, I find it differs in every book, but it seems to be more related to your body weight and activity level. For me, I would need roughly 55 grams of protein a day. It’s actually pretty easy to get enough protein (very rarely do people have a protein deficiency). Here are some examples of food servings and the amount of protein they contain. Let's say protein one more time...protein!

1 cup of chickpeas: 14.5g
1 cup of kidney beans: 15.4g
1/2 cup tofu: 17.4g
4 Yves Deli Slices: 14.6g
¼ cup almonds: 7.4g
¼ cup pumpkin seeds: 8.5g
¼ cup sunflower seeds: 8g
½ cup brown rice: 4.5g
1 slice w/w bread: 2.7g
1 Potato: 2.8g

There are also other bean products such as tempeh and seitan which are great “meat” substitutes. After adding all your vegetables and grains (which also have protein), you can see how your daily intake would increase quickly.

I love this table. It compares steak to beans. I can see one clear winner!

"Think of meat as a funky fuel-it’s heavy, contains toxins, and leaves gunk in your engine. Beans, on the other hand, burn cleanly in the body. Because they contain complex carbohydrates and fiber, beans not only supply protein to build and repair the body, they provide smooth, long lasting energy while cleaning the engine”!

-The Kind Diet

There are also many vegan athletes including Brendan Brazier (2 time winner of the Canadian Ultramarathon Championships), Kenneth Williams (Vegan Bodybuilder), and Carl Lewis (Olympic track gold medal champion) who need lots of protein to stay in shape. Carl Lewis says he has had his best performances while being vegan. Watch a short interview with him below...