Where Do You Get Your Protein? Here’s the Answer After 15 Years on a Plant-Based Diet

At 38, I’m a mother of three, managing a busy household and running a business, all while making time for(at least) five workouts a week. My days are filled with preparing meals, organizing schedules, and handling everything from conference calls to landscaping. Yet, I still have the energy to play with my kids and even join in their sports. If my body were lacking protein—the essential building block so many worry about—how could I possibly keep up with all these demands? This question has made me dig deep over the years and this is what I have uncovered.

The word "protein" gets thrown around as if it’s a singular magic ingredient that keeps us alive. When in reality, proteins are complex molecules that do most of the work in our cells that are made up of even smaller building blocks called amino acids. It takes 20 different amino acids to allow a single protein to synthesize in our bodies. Of these, 11 of them (labeled non-essential) are naturally occurring, while the remaining 9 (labeled essential) must come from our diet—whether that’s plant-based or animal-based.

If you want to get into the nitty gritty- the aminos that make up our proteins are: (non-essential) arginine, glutamine, tyrosine, cysteine, glycine, proline, serine, ornithine, alanine, asparagine, and aspartate and (essential) histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.

So, why do so many people question where plant-based eaters get their protein?

This is because protein-rich foods are commonly associated with animal sources like meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs. However, with the right choices, plant-based diets can fully meet protein needs. While we often focus on protein intake, it's actually the amino acids that our bodies require—and these are readily available in a well-planned plant-based diet.

Foods that contain all nine essential amino acids are often referred to as "complete proteins." While many people think of complete proteins as coming only from animal products, there are actually several plant-based foods that also provide all nine essential amino acids. If you're here, you've probably tried (or are eager to try) Panacheeza. Well, I have great news!

Four out of the five ingredients in Panacheeza contain all the essential amino acids your body needs to build protein.

Cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and apple cider vinegar are all complete sources of these vital nutrients.

So, the next time someone asks, "Where do you get your protein?" you can smile, knowing that your body is getting exactly what it needs, all without the need for animal products.