Protein supplements for vegetarians and vegans in the UK
Protein sources for vegetarians and protein for vegans
A common misconception in society is that we need to eat plenty of meat to ensure we get plenty of protein. However this is not strictly true because protein can also be obtained from a variety of food sources such as tempeh, tofu, sea vegetables (i.e. dulce, kelp, spirulina and arame), miso, nuts, seeds, quinoa and legumes.
It is important to get plenty of protein into your diet because it is needed to repair and maintain body tissue and promote the renewal of blood cells and hormones in the body. A lack of protein can lead us to feeling tired, weak and increase the likelihood of getting colds and flu. You can read more about our protein needs in our articles 'How Much Protein Do Athletes Need & Why Take Vitamin D?' and 'Protein shakes for women and the importance of a high protein diet' (both open in a new window).
What is a vegetarian and what is a vegan?
As I'm sure most of you will know, being vegetarian means you don't eat meat either because you believe it isn't morally right and/or for health reasons. Religion can also play a huge part in your dietary beliefs. According to the Vegetarian Society, a vegetarian is:
'Someone who lives on a diet of grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits with, or without, the use of dairy products and eggs. A vegetarian does not eat any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish* or by-products of slaughter.'1
There are three types of vegetarians;
- Those who eat both dairy products and eggs
- Those who eat dairy products but avoid eggs
- Those who do not eat dairy products, eggs or any other food source from an animals (vegans)
This all means that, when it comes to exercise, fitness and working out, vegetarians and vegans have a different dietary requirement to non vegetarians and non vegans. If you visit a sports nutrition website that sells supplements such as whey protein, you will often find them mention whether it is suitable for vegetarians and suitable for vegans (seek colour coded v buttons). This is because whey protein is a by product of cheese so contains dairy. However there are protein supplements for vegetarians and protein supplements for vegans available to buy. We will outline some of the best whey protein supplements for vegetarians and vegans towards the end of the article.
Soy protein vs. whey protein for vegetarians and vegans
If you're a vegetarian, you might have been taking, or thought about taking, soy protein supplements. Soy protein isolate is often seen as the ideal protein supplement to take for vegetarians and those who are lactose intolerant because it is a vegetable protein that is completely free of lactose whilst boasting an excellent amino acid profile. If you're vegan, you need to be consuming high amounts of lycine from your foods and soybeans are great for providing this . You can read more about what is needed for a vegan diet on the Vegan Health website.2
What we really want to stress is that soy protein is not the be all and end all. You may be vegetarian but have an allergy to soy. So then what do you do? Being vegetarian or vegan means you can drink whey protein shakes and supplements as long as they are suitable for your dietary needs. There are certain whey protein supplements which have been designed to be suitable for vegetarians and vegans and we will now outline the best of these for you to think about buying as part of a high protein diet.
Note that Myprotein sell, as well as the Vegan Blend outlined below, Soy Protein Isolate, Pea Protein Isolate, Brown Rice Protein and Hemp Protein. If you want to take a Soy Protein Isolate, we can also recommend checking out Pro-10 Soy Protein Isolate.
Pea Protein Isolate for vegans
Pea Protein Isolate is a natural vegetable based protein with an excellent nutritional and amino acid profile. It is gluten free, lactose free, cholesterol free and therefore a great source of protein for those with intolerance to certain foods. It is ideal for vegans as it is sourced from yellow pea and absorbed slowly into the system unlike whey protein.
Brown Rice Protein for vegans
**Get 15% off Myprotein Brown Rice Protein until January 22nd 2019**
Brown rice protein is perfect if you're looking to avoid dairy and soy. The process uses non GMO sprouted brown rice and is completely dairy free which makes it the perfect protein for vegans and anyone looking to avoid wheat, eggs and gluten. With Brown Rice Protein you get a large amount of protein plus plenty of fibre and an excellent amino acid profile. Brown rice goes through a wet milling natural manufacturing process.
Hemp Protein for vegans
Hemp protein contains all the essential amino acids more so than protein sources such as meat and eggs. It is also full of enzymes, vitamins and minerals to aid absorption into the body. No chemicals or heat are used in the manufacturing and a natural milling process ensures a high protein powder is created. Hemp seed contains all the essential amino acids which are the building blocks of protein and is comprised of the most potent protein of any plant source. Hemp seed is also high in omega 6 and omega 3 making it a fantastic all round protein source.
Protein supplements for vegetarians that eat dairy products but not eggs
For vegetarians that consume dairy products but avoid eggs (those numbered two in the description at the start), the majority of Myprotein protein supplements are suitable such as Impact Whey Deluxe, Impact Diet Whey, Total Protein and True Whey (although some aren't such as Hurricane Extreme). Some of these contain bovine serum albumin but they are suitable for vegetarians because bovine serum albumin is a naturally occurring protein/peptide found in cow's milk and so is a milk protein.
Other protein supplements suitable for vegetarians include Maximuscle Promax and Garnell Nutrition Performance Whey.
Muscle Finesse actually have a page on their website which also shows some other protein supplements suitable for vegetarians.