Usually asked by those still clinging to the myth that only animal products offer enough protein, the glib response is to also question where gorillas, elephants and rhinos get theirs.

With foods like pulses and nuts, populations around the world have thrived on plant proteins for generations, and in Western societies, deficiency is rare unless caused by illness or ageing.

More recently, vegan protein products derived from fungus, 3D-printed faux meats, and cultured meats, grown in laboratories, have emerged.

The popularity of these sustainable alternatives is likely to blossom because of concerns about the negative effects meat and dairy have on health, animal welfare and the environment.

But can these novel proteins meet our dietary needs, and should we look to animal proteins or natural plant foods for a healthier alternative to processed vegan meat alternatives? Dr Justine Butler has the answers.

Seitan makes a delicious, high-protein alternative to many kinds of meat, and it's not a new invention. Photo © Adelina/Adobe Stock

All whole plant foods, excluding processed extracts like sugar or oil, contain protein. So really, any food that hasn’t come from an animal can be considered ‘vegan protein’.

Recently, however, ‘vegan protein’ has become close to synonymous with ‘vegan meats’ and other alternatives.

But vegans didn’t invent alternative proteins; people have been eating them for centuries.

Tofu is an ancient protein from China, made by curdling soya milk with a coagulant like calcium sulphate.

In Indonesia, a fermented soya bean cake called tempeh has been a staple for hundreds of years.

Seitan, a chewy, meat-like vegan protein, has been used in China for generations and is made by washing the starch from wheat flour, leaving the protein-rich gluten behind.

Protein is essential for muscle growth and recovery, but eating animals is not. Photo © Vadim/Adobe Stock

Protein plays a key role in the body. It forms the basis of muscle, hair, nails and connective tissues like collagen. It also makes vital metabolic products: neurotransmitters, hormones, haem (found in red blood cells) and DNA.¹

When you eat protein, your body breaks it down into amino acids. These amino acids are the building blocks for each of these specific functions.

But, contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to eat animals’ muscles (meat) to build your own. Muscle grows through use, and the best diet to fuel your workout is varied and based on plant-based, whole foods.

The advantage of a healthy vegan diet is that it provides the good stuff (plant protein, complex carbohydrates, antioxidants and fibre) while avoiding the bad stuff (animal protein, saturated animal fats and cholesterol).

These ‘bad’ foods have been linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity and some cancers.²

Meanwhile, plenty of vegan athletes and bodybuilders prove that you don’t need meat to build muscle.

A meal of quinoa, tofu, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds provides more than enough protein for a day. Photo © Romana/Adobe Stock

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that protein should contribute just 10-15% of your total calorie intake.

A UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey found that in every age group – from young to old – the average intake met or exceeded this figure.

On average, people in the UK eat around 50% more protein than they need.

Generally, we only need around 45-55 grams of protein daily. That’s about two palm-sized portions of tofu, nuts or pulses.

Most people find it very easy to eat that much.

There is no advantage to eating more than is needed. In fact, too much animal protein may even be harmful.

Modern vegan meat alternatives look and taste convincing, but do they provide the best kind of protein? Photo © grinchh/Adobe Stock

The idea that animal protein is superior is deeply flawed, based on the outdated notion that we need to combine proteins at every meal to get ‘complete’ protein.

Proteins are made of building blocks called amino acids, some of which are called ‘essential’, because your body can’t synthesise them, so it’s essential to include them in your diet.

Some foods, like soya and quinoa, contain all the amino acids that make up ‘complete’ protein.

Meanwhile, pulses, such as peas, beans and lentils, nuts, seeds and whole grains are excellent plant-based sources of protein, and between them provide the full complement of amino acids.

Simply include plenty of peas, beans, lentils, tofu and wholegrains in your diet, along with a moderate amount of nuts and seeds, and you’ll get everything you need.

Fibre is important for gut health, and lacking in animal-based proteins. But even processed vegan proteins offer some fibre content. Photo © Yulia Furman/Adobe Stock

A study published in Food found that, despite being processed, plant-based mince, burgers, sausages, and meatballs from one UK producer led to positive changes in gut bacteria when eaten four times a week for four weeks. This may be due to fibre and plant compounds absent from meat.

Unlike meat, plant-based proteins don’t tend to contain pro-inflammatory compounds, carcinogens or added hormones.

It’s also important to remember that WHO classifies red meat as a probable carcinogen and processed meat (sausages, bacon, ham, etc.) as a confirmed carcinogen.

Red meat is classified as a 'probable carcinogen'. A protein- and fibre-rich quinoa and bean burger is a healthier choice. Photo © Brent Hofacker/Adobe Stock

Plant protein differs from animal protein in a number of ways. One is that meat from animals has higher levels of sulphur, which puts more strain on the kidneys and metabolism.

High intakes of animal protein are also linked to disease and early death. This may be because it raises levels of the hormone Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1), which increases cancer risk.³

Years of advertising and aggressive marketing of high-protein foods have fed into the myth that vegans are missing out somehow.

However, research consistently shows intake among vegans is more than sufficient, while in meat-eaters it frequently exceeds recommended intake levels by a considerable amount, potentially increasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis.

Swapping animal protein for plant protein reduces the risk of all these diseases.

From meat alternatives to wholesome whole foods, there are plenty of fresh and flavourful ways to get protein from plants. Photo © Jenifoto/Adobe Stock

Packing protein into a plant-based diet is not difficult. Pulses, for example, are high in protein and have been around for centuries.

More recently, protein-rich foods made from fungi and lab-grown cultured meat are being developed in response to concerns about health, animal welfare and environmental impact.

Mock meats made from vegetable protein are popular with vegetarians and vegans and often contain similar amounts of protein to their meat counterparts.

For example, the protein in beef mince, sausage rolls, bacon rashers and frankfurters is the same as in vegan alternatives to within a gram or two.

However, vegan mock meats contain fibre, which meat doesn’t, and are not linked to cancer in the same way that processed and red meat are.

That said, just as it’s unhealthy to eat lots of meat and dairy, it’s not a good idea to eat lots of ultra-processed foods. These products can be high in salt and fat, which may increase the risk of obesity and heart disease.

All plant foods contain protein, but some more than others. The table (below) shows how easy it is to get 45-55 grams per day from a vegan diet.

A portion or two of vegan protein at each meal is usually more than enough to meet your daily requirement. Image © Vegan Food & Living

With foods like these, it’s easy to hit your daily protein target with simple meals:

These examples don’t include drinks or snacks, which can further boost protein intake.

It’s simple – consume enough calories in a varied vegan diet and you’ll get the protein you need.

A hummus and falafel wrap is an easy, protein-rich vegan lunch. Photo © KPad/Adobe Stock

The first references to alternative proteins in the UK date back to Victorian England, when a sizeable vegetarian movement emerged.

Their idea was to eat a wholesome, simple diet and encourage people to try meat alternatives, hence the arrival of veggie sausages, steaks and the nut cutlet.

Meat-free protein alternatives made from nuts and grains existed long before the term 'vegan' was coined. Photo © Magdalena Bujak/Adobe Stock

With a similar purist approach, in the early 1900s, American Seventh-Day Adventist John Harvey Kellogg set up a company selling ‘a vegetable substitute for meat’ made from ground nuts, grains and wheat gluten.

Around that time in the UK, the health reform movement promoted similar foods, paving the way for alternative proteins to be more widely recognised as healthy, sustainable alternatives to meat, fish, eggs and dairy.

In the 1960s, food producers began developing soya products, such as textured vegetable protein (TVP), made from defatted soya flour.

Dried TVP mince and chunks could be rehydrated and cooked in all manner of meals, and so this low-fat, high-protein, inexpensive food became a mainstay for vegetarians and vegans.

Textured vegetable protein is an old-school vegan staple, and provides healthy, complete protein. Photo © RHJ/Adobe Stock

In 1981, Cauldron Foods became one of the first tofu manufacturers in the UK.

Now regarded as a ‘ heritage producer’, it is still a well-known producer of this low-fat, high-protein food.

Most supermarkets now sell a range of tofu from different producers, including firm, organic, silken, smoked and marinated.

Taifun Tofu, founded in Germany in 1987, makes delicious smoked tofu with almonds and sesame seeds and tofu Basilico, with Mediterranean herbs – you can eat these straight out of the packet!

In the 1980s, after decades of researching a sustainable alternative protein that could help combat both the climate crisis and food insecurity, British scientists developed a micro fungus that could grow into long, thread-like cells, forming a fibrous protein-rich meat alternative.

Quorn launched in the 1980s after decades of research into fungus-based mycoprotein. Photo © grinchh/Adobe Stock

In 1985, vegetarian mycoprotein was launched under the brand name Quorn, which quickly grew in popularity, leading to a wide range which now offers many vegan-friendly options.

In 1991, animal rights activist and photographer Linda McCartney formed Linda McCartney Foods, which soon became a meat-free market leader.

The brand remains prominent, alongside newer companies like VBites, founded by Heather Mills.

Since then, the market has been flooded with meat-free sausages, burgers, steaks, hot dogs, schnitzels, goujons, ‘fish’ fingers and just about anything else you could think of.

Moreover, most of these have a similar protein content to their meaty equivalents.

Vegan food has boomed in the UK since the 90s, and most supermarkets offer a range of hearty sausages, burgers, and more. Photo © grinchh/Adobe Stock

Plant-based milks and vegan cheeses have experienced a similar boom in sales. However, while most plant milks contain some protein, only soya contains a comparable amount to cow’s milk.

Vegan cheeses are more variable, with those made from coconut oil and starch containing little protein, while those made from nuts often contain more protein than dairy cheese.

Other recent arrivals include jackfruit, which is great for vegan pulled ‘pork’, and banana blossom, which makes a good vegan fish alternative.

Although both have a much lower environmental impact than meat and fish, neither is a particularly good source of protein.

The next step in this rapidly evolving market is 3D-printed meat and cultured meat. These futuristic products are already here, just not yet widely available.

Lab grown meats may be the future of alternative proteins, but they're not likely to be strictly vegan. Photo © Firn/Adobe Stock

Vegans are not the target for these products, as cell samples are taken from animals for their production.

However, they may be more likely to appeal to stubborn meat eaters, while offering a drastically reduced environmental impact and without the need for animal slaughter.

There has been some pushback questioning the health benefits of highly processed alternative proteins, mostly driven by the meat industry, with some journalists suggesting that animal protein is a healthier option.

Some scientists have called for manufacturers to improve the nutritional profile of protein alternatives, but they all acknowledge the health benefits of a wholefood vegan diet – packed with fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, pulses, nuts and seeds.

Alternative protein products are here to stay. And if they’re made with quality ingredients, they can, without a doubt, play a part in a healthy, balanced diet.

Boost your intake with these high-protein vegan tempeh recipes

Featured photo © bit24/Adobe Stock