But Where Do I Get My Protein?

It doesn't matter who I tell I'm switching to a mostly plant-based diet, they always ask the same question: "but how will you get protein?"  Um...plants...  I'm not sure why everyone seems to think that protein only comes from animal products.  Plus, people don't need as much protein as they think.  Just read some of the facts below:

• "Forks Over Knives" shows a study done on mice and the ones that received 20%+ animal protein were actually more likely to get cancer.  The ones who got 5% or less turned off tumor growth.
• According to the World Health Organization's Food and Agricultural Organization, we only need about 5% of protein from our daily calories.
• If you're still not convinced, think about this: humans grow at the fastest rate when they're infants and infants hardly get any protein. Breast milk contains only about 5% of protein.  

I know what you're thinking now: "but only animal protein is complete because of the essential amino acids it contains." Wrong! Protein combining is actually a myth that started in the 70s but has been proven wrong since.  Your body can make proteins out of pooled amino acids as long as you eat a variety of plant foods, so you don't need animal protein to have complete protein.

This chart shows what plant-based foods have protein. (Source: http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.php)

FOOD	AMOUNT	PROTEIN	PROTEIN
		(gm)	(gm/100 cal)
Tempeh	1 cup	31	9.6
Soybeans, cooked	1 cup	29	9.6
Seitan	3 ounces	21	17.5
Lentils, cooked	1 cup	18	7.8
Black beans, cooked	1 cup	15	6.7
Kidney beans, cooked	1 cup	15	6.8
Chickpeas, cooked	1 cup	15	5.4
Pinto beans, cooked	1 cup	15	6.3
Lima beans, cooked	1 cup	15	6.8
Black-eyed peas, cooked	1 cup	13	6.7
Veggie burger	1 patty	13	18.6
Veggie baked beans	1 cup	12	5.0
Tofu, firm	4 ounces	11	10.6
Tofu, regular	4 ounces	10	10.7
Bagel	1 med. (3.5 oz)	10	3.9
Quinoa, cooked	1 cup	8	3.7
Peas, cooked	1 cup	8	6.6
Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), cooked	1/2 cup	8	15.0
Peanut butter	2 Tbsp	8	4.1
Veggie dog	1 link	8	13.3
Spaghetti, cooked	1 cup	8	3.7
Almonds	1/4 cup	8	3.7
Soy milk, commercial, plain	1 cup	7	7.0
Whole wheat bread	2 slices	7	5.2
Almond butter	2 Tbsp	7	3.4
Soy yogurt, plain	8 ounces	6	4.0
Bulgur, cooked	1 cup	6	3.7
Sunflower seeds	1/4 cup	6	3.3
Cashews	1/4 cup	5	2.7
Spinach, cooked	1 cup	5	13.0
Broccoli, cooked	1 cup	4	6.7
Sources: USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24, 2011 and manufacturers’ information. The recommendation for protein for adult male vegans is around 63 grams per day; for adult female vegans it is around 52 grams per day.

This is great too! (Source: http://myjuicecleanse.com/juicing-for-health/calculating-vegetable-proteins/)