Q: What about protein?

A: The idea that it is difficult to get enough protein from plant foods is a myth assiduously fostered by the meat and dairy industries.

The RDI for Australian adults is based on the value of 0.75 g/kg body weight per day. Very active individuals may benefit from more than .75 grams of protein per kg of body weight but also have a relatively high calorie intake. The old belief that grains needed to be combined with beans to create "complete" protein is now recognised as entirely unnecessary if overall protein intake is adequate.

Wheat, oats and many nuts and seeds contains about 15% protein by calories, while most beans and many vegetables contain over 25% of calories as protein. Some plant foods such as rice, potatoes and most fruits contain slightly less than 10% of calories as protein. Oils, fats and sugar provide essentially no protein and should not dominate your diet. If your calorie intake is low due to low activity, slimming or old age, focussing on the moderate to high protein foods noted above is advisable. In general, however, protein needs no special attention within a vegan diet.

Very high protein intakes increase calcium losses and put extra strain on the kidneys and are therefore not recommended.

Plant sources of protein alone can provide adequate amounts of the essential and non-essential amino acids, assuming that dietary protein sources from plants are reasonably varied and that total calorie intake is sufficient to meet energy needs. Whole grains, legumes, vegetables, seeds, and nuts all contain essential and non-essential amino acids.

Some plant foods are low in one kind of amino acid (e.g. grains are low in lysine), however, other plant foods are higher in that amino acid (e.g. legumes are quite high in lysine). So by eating a well balanced diet that contains a variety of foods you can get all the amino acids you require. Note that recent research has shown that soy protein contains all essential amino acids, and is therefore a complete protein source.

Most adults in the Western world eat about 100 grams of protein per day, or about twice what their bodies need and at least as much as any athlete requires.