If you’re worried about getting enough protein without eating meat or animal products, take a look at the top vegan protein sources below and make sure you integrate them into your diet. Variety is important so don’t be afraid to mix things up and try new food combiantions.
Before we take a look at the top protein sources, it is helpful to know how much protein you need to eat each day. The Reference Nutrient Intake for daily protein is 0.75g of protein per kg of bodyweight. If you weigh 60kg, you need to consume 45g of protein each day. You can calculate this yourself by simply taking your weight in kg and multiplying it by 0.75

Top Protein Sources
Food | Protein per 100g |
Lentils | 8-9g |
Chickpeas | 7g |
Garden peas | 7g |
Beans (e.g. kidney beans, black-eyed beans, butter beans, edanane beans) | 7-10g |
Baked beans | 5g |
Quinoa | 4g |
Tofu | 8g |
Buckwheat | 5g |
Oats | 10g |
Brown rice | 4g |
Hemp seeds | 5g per heaped tablespoon |
Ground linseed | 3g per heaped tablespoon |
Pumpkin seeds | 4g per tablespoon |
Cashew nuts | 3g per 10 cashews |
Almonds | 3g per 6 almonds |
Peanut butter | 3g per tablespoon |
Chia seeds | 2g per tablespopn |

Protein in Vegetables
Vegetable | Protein per 80g |
Broccoli | 3g |
Cauliflower | 1.5g |
Brussels Sprouts | 3g |
Kale | 2g |
Spinach | 2g |
Avocado | 1g per half an avocado |
Now you know what foods are high in protein you can ensure they are part of your diet. Protein adds up quickly and most adults in the UK hit the recommended daily protein levels each day. Vegans need to make sure they eat a large variety of protein sources. Most vegan sources of protein aren’t complete so it is important to combine foods to get all the amino acids needed. Eating a variety of food is the best way to give your body everything it needs.

Tips for Vegans Wanting to Increasing Protein Levels
- Know which foods are high in protein
- Plan meals around high protein foods such as chickpeas
- Keep high-protein snacks on hand such as seed and nut mixes
- Sprinkle seeds and nuts on meals for an extra boost
- Consider vegan protein powder
- Explore vegan meat alternatives (but don’t rely on them)
- Experiment with new dishes and food combos
Looking for meal inspiration? Check out the best vegan cookbooks.