Protein is an important dietary component that’s responsible for keeping healthy bones and repairing body tissue. However, if you’re vegan, you might find it more difficult to get enough of this key nutrient in your diet. Tracking how much protein you eat may also be challenging, especially if you don't know the amounts of protein in different food sources.

This guide will outline different strategies to pack more protein into your vegan diet. You’ll also discover effective ways of tracking your protein intake, giving you a clearer picture of your overall diet so that you can enjoy a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

1. Discover High-Protein Plant-Based Recipes

On a plant-based diet, you have access to a large range of beneficial foods for many nutritious recipes. But it can be a challenge knowing which recipes contain the most protein.

Your Beet is an app that offers a range of personalized plant-based recipes and is an ideal pick for increasing your protein intake. Upon signing up, you can set up your nutrition preferences before accessing a personalized feed of recipes.

On the feed, you’ll find various healthy plant-based recipes with a Match rating to meet your preferences. A standout feature is the wide range of filtering options, including the key one: Protein Rich. This saves you time looking through recipes and researching which ones contain the most protein. You can also favorite recipes and view them in the Library tab. That's where you’ll find a history of all the recipes you’ve cooked.

Download: Your Beet for Android | iOS (Free)

2. Calculate Your Daily Protein Intake

The amount of protein you need varies depending on your age, weight, and gender. My Protein Tracker lets you calculate your ideal protein intake and track the amount you consume.

You can calculate your recommended intake by tapping the hamburger menu in the top-left corner of the homepage and pressing the Calculate button. You can then input your weight, gender, and the rate of physical activity you do to get a personalized daily protein goal. This saves you from searching through confusing information online.

Every day, you can add sources of protein by tapping the plus (+) button on the homepage. There’s also the option to save food sources to a list for quicker access. You’re then given a display of how much protein you’ve consumed currently and how much is left to meet your daily target.

The Statistics tab gives you further insights into your protein eating habits. Here you’ll see the average daily amount of protein you’ve consumed as well as the total calories you’ve consumed from protein.

Download: My Protein Tracker for Android (Free)

3. Find the Best Vegan Alternatives to Meat

There’s one obvious source of protein that you’re restricted from if you’re vegan—meat. The good news is there’s an abundance of meat-free alternatives that can be found with the help of this next app.

Gonutss is a “vegan-translator” app that provides a list of alternatives for common sources of protein. You can search for products in the search bar or use tags to navigate around the app’s wiki-like structure. The meat tab is best for finding meat-like products and core ingredients for savory dishes.

Each food source comes with a description with suggestions on how you can use it in your vegan cooking. As well as being a meat-free dictionary, the app also provides links to products you can buy online. Further, it gives a range of hearty vegan recipes you can try at home.

The expansive list of meat alternatives this app provides makes your vegan cooking effortless. You won’t have to think twice about how you can replace one of the top sources of protein in non-vegan diets.

Download: Gonutss for Android | iOS (Free)

4. Break Down and Track the Components of Food

It’s not always clear how much protein is in the food you’re eating. MyPlate Calorie Tracker is an app that lets you analyze and track the amounts of protein seen in common recipes and store-bought products.

Searching for food in the app is simple. You can type in the name of a food item and choose from a verified list of options. In addition, the app lets you scan food products for tracking store-bought items. Each food item displays a pie chart showing the total distribution of protein, fat, and carbs—the three essential macronutrients.

The homepage also displays daily amounts of your macronutrients, which is helpful for seeing how much protein you’ve consumed in proportion to the other dietary components. Each meal is also listed on the homepage, as well as a View Summary option. Here you can view what percentage of your daily protein goal you’ve completed.

Download: MyPlate Calorie Tracker for Android | iOS (Free, subscription available)

5. Drink Vegan Protein Shakes for an Added Protein Boost

Protein Works featured vegan protein shakes and snacks

If you are worried about getting enough protein in your diet, protein shakes and protein bars are sensible choices that save you from managing the food you eat.

Protein Works offer a range of high-protein vegan shakes and snack bars that can act as perfect supplements for your diet. A big bonus with this site is that some shakes offer multiple blends of protein, including pea protein, hemp protein, and brown rice protein, so you aren’t restricted to one protein source.

In the shakes category, you’ll find a range of delicious flavors including apple cinnamon swirl and banana, all of which are low in sugar. This way you enjoy a sweet treat without sacrificing your health. The site also offers a selection of protein bars and vegan snacks, with some options containing 15 grams of protein. And as you increase your protein intake with snacks like these, you don't need to worry about your caloric intake, as the bars are under 200 calories.

6. Learn From Others and Share Your Knowledge

Vegan Amino online platform

Sometimes, finding the right answers to questions about your vegan diet is difficult on your own. Vegan Amino is an online platform where you can have discussions and interact with other vegans. You can comment on peoples’ posts or create your own. This provides a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have about protein in your diet.

The platform also features a Wiki section including a Vegan Health Resources category to help you learn further. And you can download the mobile app to ask questions when you’re out on the go.

Download: Amino for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

Easily Boost Your Protein Intake Using These Tips

Getting enough vegan protein may seem like a challenge at first. But with these tips, you’ll learn creative and easy ways to pack more protein into your eating routine. You’ll no longer have to rely on guesswork to calculate how much protein you’re having. Try out these tips for a well-rounded, healthy vegan diet.