Reviewed by Dietitian Maria Laura Haddad-Garcia

Protein is everywhere. From chips and popcorn to chocolate and ice cream—even soda! In fact, 97 new food products with “protein” in the brand name launched in 2024—more than double the number from the year prior, according to data from Mintel’s Global New Product Database. And it’s clear we’re putting our money where our macros are. Retail experts estimate that the global market value of high-protein foods will jump from an estimated $27.5 billion in 2022 to $47.4 billion by 2030. What gives?

In recent years, fad diets like low-carb, paleo and carnivore have helped put protein on a pedestal. And in diet culture, protein has typically been viewed as “virtuous,” particularly when compared to carbs and fat. Protein’s reputation is not without merit. It has an impressive ability to keep us full, energized, strong and vital. So it’s no wonder that, according to a 2024 International Food Information Council Food & Health Survey, 71% of respondents reported actively trying to consume more protein—up from 59% just two years ago.

But things have gotten a little out of hand. Most Americans are already eating more than enough protein each day and remain fixated on the idea that it’s essential to eat meat, dairy products and eggs to get enough of the muscle-building macro, despite their growing cost and environmental concerns.

Turns out, we’re missing out on the real champs: plant-based protein-rich foods. Chickpeas, lentils, tofu, quinoa, bulgur, nuts and seeds; even fruits like guava and blackberries deliver surprising amounts of protein.

It is possible to build a better high-protein diet; one that’s lighter on our wallets and the planet—and potentially even better at supporting overall health and longevity. Read on to explore the full benefits of protein, learn exactly how much you need, and discover why plant-based sources deserve a leading role in a high-protein diet.

The Power of Protein

Alongside fat and carbohydrates, protein is one of the three macronutrients our body relies on for energy. It’s made up of amino acids—the tiny building blocks for every cell in our body. That’s why protein plays such a crucial role in supporting muscle maintenance, growth and recovery, especially after workouts or injury. It also helps us form an “armor” of sorts against illness. Amino acids form important immune proteins that act as our body’s natural defense system against invaders, including bacteria and viruses.

Protein contributes to our metabolism, too. It helps stabilize blood sugar levels and regulate hunger hormones like GLP-1 and ghrelin. “These factors are key for managing appetite and staying satisfied between meals,” says Caroline Thomason, RD, CDCES, a certified diabetes educator. 

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day, or 0.36 grams per pound. But Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, CSSD, a sports registered dietitian, notes, “This is the minimum to prevent deficiency, not the amount to promote optimal health.” To put this into perspective, an adult who weighs 150 pounds should aim for at least 54 grams of protein daily. This suggestion assumes the person’s lifestyle is sedentary, though, cautions William W. Li, M.D., an internal medicine physician and scientist. “Many experts believe these recommendations are too low,” he says, and scientists are debating what is “adequate.”

“Fixating on protein can crowd out other essential nutrients or create unnecessary stress around food. Meeting your protein needs is a great nutrition goal, but balance is just as important.”

The following populations may have higher protein needs; more to the tune of 1.2 to 2 grams per kilogram (or 0.54 to 0.91 grams per pound or between 81 and 136 grams for that adult weighing 150 pounds):

• Active individuals, for performance and muscle recovery

• Adults 65 and older, to combat muscle loss (sarcopenia)

• Folks on a weight-loss eating plan, to help with satiety and maintain muscle mass

• People on weight-loss medications (like GLP-1s), to reduce the loss of muscle mass

• Pregnant and breastfeeding individuals

• People recovering from illness, surgery or injury

It’s best to work with a dietitian for personalized guidance. And it’s crucial to keep in mind that despite the many health benefits of protein, more isn’t always better. True, not eating enough protein can result in everything from fatigue, brain fog and muscle loss to thin hair, brittle nails and dry skin. But eating too much can have side effects, too. Over time, consuming well above the RDA can result in kidney stones or kidney disorders, altered liver function and a higher risk for heart disease and certain kinds of cancer.

Plus, “fixating on protein can crowd out other essential nutrients or create unnecessary stress around food,” Thomason says. “Meeting your protein needs is a great nutrition goal, but balance is just as important.”

While animal-based foods often come to mind when talking about protein, everything from grains to nuts and seeds—and even many fruits—deliver protein, too.

Related: 6 Ways to Add 10 or More Grams of Protein to Your Meals Without Using Protein Powder

The Case for Plant-Based Proteins

According to the current dietary guidelines, “intakes of protein foods are close to the target amounts, but many Americans do not meet recommendations for specific protein subgroups. About three-quarters of Americans meet or exceed the recommendation for meats, poultry and eggs.” Where we fall drastically short: Seafood, nuts, seeds and soy products. Our diets are also shockingly low in fiber, a type of carbohydrate that is never present in animal proteins.

When coaching clients, Thomason likes to describe plant-based proteins as master multitaskers. They provide protein, while also boosting your intake of fiber, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats.

Fiber

Research finds that just 7% of American adults meet the daily recommendation for fiber intake (28 to 34 grams, depending on age and sex). Opting for plant-based proteins can help us step closer to this goal. “The fiber in plants like beans, lentils, nuts and seeds and whole grains supports gut health, heart health and stabilizes blood sugar,” Jackson Blatner says. Fiber also feeds your gut microbiome and helps promote healthy bacteria that release metabolites called short-chain fatty acids that help reduce chronic inflammation, support metabolism and promote brain health, says Li.

Phytonutrients and Micronutrients

Plant-based proteins also bring disease-fighting compounds like vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that help lower inflammation and, over time, decrease risk for chronic diseases. “Plant-based proteins, including legumes, nuts and whole grains, also contain bioactives that have antioxidant activity to protect DNA and offer anti-inflammatory benefits,” notes Li.

Healthy Fats

Most plant-based proteins are naturally either saturated fat-free or are much lower in saturated fat than animal proteins. “This can support heart health and make it easier to manage cholesterol levels,” Jackson Blatner says. Plus, some foods, including nuts, seeds and some legumes, also contain healthy fats like omega-3s that enhance heart health, brain function and overall wellness, adds Thomason.

Plus, plant-based proteins don’t have the potential health harms of red meat and processed meats, which have been linked to increased risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.

All of this adds up to a recipe for a potentially longer life: A meta-analysis that analyzed 60 years of data found that adults who consumed a higher ratio of plant-based to animal-based proteins appeared to live longer than those who prioritized animal-based foods. 

Why Animal Proteins Have a Superiority Complex

For decades, animal-based proteins have been seen as superior because they are “complete,” while plant-based proteins are “incomplete.” The truth: There are 20 amino acids that our body needs, and we make 11 of them on our own. We must obtain the other nine, known as “essential amino acids,” from the foods we eat. When a food contains all of these essential nine amino acids, it’s considered a “complete protein.”

“All proteins are made of various combinations of amino acids, and some proteins may contain more amino acids than others,” explains Monica Amburn, M.S., RDN, LDN, senior director for food and nutrition at IFIC. “Fish, poultry, eggs, beef, pork and dairy are complete proteins, but so is soy. And it’s definitely possible to obtain all your essential amino acids through a combination of plant-based foods.” And while you may have heard that soy-based products are bad for you and cause cancer, that’s far from the truth. In fact, the American Institute for Cancer Research encourages one to two servings of soy per day for potential protective effects.

Related: 8 Plant-Based Foods with More Protein Than an Egg

That said, research does show that animal proteins are generally more bioavailable, meaning the body can absorb and use their amino acids more efficiently. This means that you may need to consume more plant-based protein to get the same amount of amino acids for your body to utilize. But the extent of this difference likely depends on the specific amino acid profiles of the foods in question, and more research is needed before we have a definitive answer about how this shakes out.

There’s no set ideal ratio of plant proteins to animal proteins for every individual, but “as a general rule, research suggests that it’s better to make the plant-based food the ‘entree’ and the animal protein the ‘side’ when it comes to thinking about a meal,” explains Li. “This is a flip on traditional convention in America, but ensures that you are regularly prioritizing plant-based foods.”

You can meet your daily protein goal by mixing and matching your desired protein sources. To put things into perspective, here are the serving sizes of common foods that provide 15 grams of protein.

What Your Protein Picks Mean for the Planet—and Your Grocery Bill

Besides their influence on our bodies, the protein sources we choose can also have a sizable impact on the planet at large. And that impact grows with our increasing appetite for more and more protein.

If you compare plant- and animal-based proteins, plant-based varieties are notably “lighter” in terms of their ecological impact. For example, if you take into account land requirements, greenhouse gas emissions and water use, “producing 100 grams of protein from beef emits nearly 13 times more greenhouse gases, uses more than 18 times more land and requires about 6 times more water than tofu,” says Supriya Rao, M.D., a board-certified gastroenterologist and lifestyle medicine physician. “Tofu is a dramatically more sustainable protein choice across the board.”

“Compared to other protein sources, especially animal-based proteins, [most] plant-based proteins like beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and whole grains require much less water to produce and [producing them emits] a smaller amount of harmful gases into the environment,” says Marisa Landetta, RD, a plant-based registered dietitian.

Landetta points to regenerative agriculture (which focuses on supporting the well-being of the land, the people who tend to it, and our water systems) as a potentially more sustainable solution to a future that includes both animal- and plant-based proteins.

High-Protein Vegetarian Recipes You’ll Love

Eating plant-based protein benefits your heart health, helps lower cancer risk and supports longevity for all the reasons cited above, notes Li. But unless you’re avoiding certain foods for religious reasons or due to food allergies or intolerances, you need not go cold turkey on animal-based proteins. Jackson Blatner has long been a proponent of a flexitarian lifestyle.

“You don’t have to pick one or the other, so try having both animal and plant proteins at meals,” notes Jackson Blatner. Try scrambling your eggs with some tofu, for instance, or add chickpeas to your Caesar salad along with chicken. If your current eating pattern doesn’t include a lot of beans and legumes, try scrambling your eggs with some tofu, for instance, or add chickpeas to your Caesar salad along with chicken. Over time, you might feel more inspired to increase your plant-based intake.

Get the Recipe: Homemade Protein Powder

If you’re among the 43% of U.S. consumers who think most vegetarian meals are boring, we think our mouthwatering recipes will change your mind. When we first started working on this feature, we went back and forth on whether the recipes should be entirely vegetarian or vegan, or if we wanted to include animal-based proteins like chicken and fish. Ultimately, we decided to make them all vegetarian. Since most of our meat-based recipes are high in protein and 81% of consumers say they struggle with prepping plant-based proteins, we decided to showcase how easy and delicious it can be to get more protein from plants. Then we got to work on the recipes below. Each one was developed and tested by food experts and analyzed by registered dietitians to ensure they meet our high-protein nutrition parameters (at least 7 grams of protein for smaller dishes and 15 grams for main meals), so you can trust that they’ll help you meet your protein needs and taste delicious too. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do! Save any that catch your eye using the MyRecipes tool, and don’t forget to rate and review the ones you try—we read every comment.

Our Expert Take

Protein is a critical nutrient for our overall health. Getting plenty of protein is crucial for muscle maintenance and growth, immune system function and many other bodily processes. And eating sufficient protein can boost our energy levels and increase feelings of fullness after meals. Due to all of these benefits, many Americans are hopping aboard the high-protein train. Animal-based foods like beef, poultry, pork, dairy, eggs, fish and seafood are typically the major protein sources for Americans. But the hard numbers prove that plant-based proteins are generally more budget-friendly, better for the environment and offer more protection against disease. No matter what part of the plant and animal spectrum your eating pattern falls on, the experts we spoke to agree that aiming for more diversity in fruits, vegetables, grains and protein sources will ensure you’re consuming a wide variety of nutrients that do your body good.

Credits

Editor: Maria Laura Haddad-Garcia

Recipes & Photography: Alex Loh; Hilary Meyer; Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD; Amanda Stanfield; Amanda Holstein; Julia Levy; Liz Mervosh; Jasmine Smith; Giovanna Vazquez; Craig Ruff; Nicole Hopper; Melissa Gray-Streett; Jen Causey; Morgan Hunt Glaze; Chelsea Zimmer; Claire Spollen; Abbey Littlejohn

Visuals & Design: Michela Buttignol; Cassie Basford; Gabrielle Dobereiner; Maria Emmighausen

Special Thanks: Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD; Penelope Wall; Carolyn Malcoun; Jessica Ball, M.S., RD; Megan Ginsberg; Sophie Johnson; Alysia Bebel; Allison Little; Taylor Boeser; Anne Treadwell; Beth Stewart; Camryn Wimberly; Linda Frahm; Kelli McGrane, M.S., RD; and the entire staff of EatingWell.

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