The biggest struggle that most vegetarians and vegans have is getting enough of their daily protein in. Generally, women need an average of 46g of protein, while men need an average of 56g per day. There are plenty of options for meatless protein that you can use to substitute meat.

Tofu – Tofu contains 10-19g of protein

Lentils – 1 Cup of lentils contains 18g of protein

Beans – Chickpeas, kidney, black and most other types of beans contain about 15g of protein per cooked cup.

Nutritional yeast – Nutritional yeast contains 14g of protein

Hemp seeds – 2-3 Tablespoons of hemp seeds contains about 10g of protein

Green peas – 1 Cup of green peas contains 9g of protein

Quinoa – 1 Cup of protein contains 9g of protein

Sprouted grain bread – Two slices of bread contains 8g of protein

Soy milk – Soy milk contains 7g of protein per cup

Oats/oatmeal – ½ Cup of dry oats contains about 6g of protein

Wild rice – 1 Cup of cooked rice contains 7g of protein

Chia Seeds – 2.5 Tablespoons of chia seeds contains 6g of protein

Nuts/Nut butters – 2 Tablespoons of nuts/nut butters contain between 5-7g of protein

Fruits and vegetables – Spinach, asparagus, broccoli, potatoes, artichokes, Brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes contain about 4-5g of protein per cooked cup. Blackberries, mulberries, guava, nectarines, and bananas contain between 2-4g per cup.

Protein deficiencies among vegetarians and vegans are very common. However, some people may be interested in increasing their plant protein intake for a variety of reasons. This list can be used as a guide for anyone who is looking into incorporating more plant-based proteins into their diet.