Protein 101 - vegetarian/vegan?

Hi

i have been following the Thrive program, and enjoy the no-nonsense approach to otpimizing body composition. 

The Protein 101 only contains animal sources. 

I am vegetarian, leaning towards vegan. 

I would like to follow the program, but I need to get my proteins from plant based sources  

I understand that this is not optimal, but given this constraint, what is the best protein sources to eat on the thrive program?

What kind of plant based protein sources can you recommend?

Anything else vegans/vegetarians should consider when following the thrive program?

best

agata

Hi Agata I think that soy it is the most complete.

Hey Agata,

Plant-based protein powders are something to consider. In general, you're going to need to keep in mind that your sources of protein are going to be much lower quality and are most often going to come from what are actually primarily carbohydrate source (rice+beans, quinoa, etc.).

As Everett mentioned, plant-based protein powders may be an option for you. There are a number of them, not just soy but also pea protein (also complete), rice, hemp, etc. as well as combinations. You will have to do some research to make sure you get a complete protein (and not much extra stuff in the form of carbs, sweeteners, ...). Of course dairy and eggs and derivatives (e.g. whey protein) are vegetarian, but not vegan options. For what it's worth, Truenutrition.com has many different protein powders with no or minimal (your choice) additives and the option to create your own blends. 

I'm not a vegan but I've heard great things about PaleoEthics vegan protein powder. I can attest that their beef protein tastes good and they use quality ingredients, so if they put as much effort into the vegan version, it's worth checking out.