"I'd go vegan but I'd never hit my protein." It's one of the most common worries in the gym, and it's easier to fix than people think. You don't need a cupboard of powders. You need a few protein-dense staples and a habit of putting one in every meal.
The UK supermarket staples
Approximate protein per typical portion:
- Firm tofu, 200 g: about 24–30 g
- Tempeh, 150 g: about 28 g
- Seitan, 100 g: about 20–25 g
- Soya mince, 100 g (rehydrated weight varies): about 15–20 g
- Lentils, 1 cooked cup (about 200 g): about 18 g
- Chickpeas or beans, 1 tin drained: about 15–18 g
- Soya yoghurt or high-protein soya milk: 7–10 g per serving
- Edamame, 150 g: about 17 g
- Pumpkin seeds, 30 g: about 9 g
Check the labels. Brands vary quite a bit.
Build every meal around one
The trick is to start each meal with the protein and add the rest around it. Four meals of 30–35 g gets you to 120–140 g a day, which is enough for most lifters. For example:
- Breakfast: tofu scramble on toast, plus a glass of soya milk
- Lunch: lentil and chickpea curry with rice
- Snack: soya yoghurt with pumpkin seeds
- Dinner: tempeh stir-fry with noodles and edamame
Protein quality: mix your sources
Most single plant foods are lower in one or two essential amino acids, and they're slightly less digestible than meat or dairy. The fix is simple: eat a mix of soya, grains, beans and lentils across the day, and aim towards the upper end of your target, around 1.8–2.2 g per kg. Soya on its own is a complete protein.
Don't forget the vegan basics
Vitamin B12 has to come from a supplement or fortified foods on a vegan diet, so this isn't optional. Iodine, vitamin D (which everyone in the UK is advised to consider in winter) and omega-3 from algae oil are also worth a look. If you have a medical condition, speak to your GP or a dietitian before changing your diet.
Want every meal planned?
Our Vegan 4-Week Meal Plan is built around high protein for people who train, with weekly UK shopping lists and a prep guide.