You don’t have to be a vegan to enter the chat. Maybe you’re an omnivore, a vegetarian, or straight carnivore looking to add in more clean sources of protein for gains! Here are our favorite organic, no to low processed (and zero nasty ingredients) options of high-protein foods to add to your meals:

non-meat “meats”

We’re starting with the most dicey of all of them. And I say this because many of the “meat alternatives” are absolutely loaded with fillers and nasty synthetic ingredients that destroy your gut (and your wellness goals). Before you keep reading, please trust me on this one and download this app. It reads all of the ingredients for you, and discerns which foods have harmful dyes, artificial flavors, unnecessary “colors” etc. (think Beyond, Impossible, Morning Star). Here are our current go-to’s that we keep stocked in our pantry. You can find them at Thrive Market, Whole Foods, and online. Before buying any vegan protein we check Yuka, and look for it to be organic, no unpronounceable ingredients, gluten-free, and clean. Oh, and it has to taste delicious, too 😅.

protein powder

Another section to be wary of, and one we need to do plenty of research on before adding to cart. Thankfully, we’ve done it for you by dissecting ingredient lists, tracking down the sources, fact-checking, and taste-testing. Here are the vegan proteins we have in our smoothie cupboard as we speak:

Truvani Vegan Protein | Orgain Organic Simple Vegan Protein | KOS Vegan Protein |

I know Truvani is on the pricey side, but considering how fantastic the ingredients are (and completely organic!), it’s the one I feel most safe feeding my family. Also, there aren’t any of the digestive issues you get with other alternatives.

whole foods

Now we’re to the good stuff. I absolutely love finding creative ways to weave protein-rich, whole foods into our daily diet. I’m talking lentils, chickpeas, nuts, seeds, microgreens, beans, avocado, nutritional yeast, tofu, and so many vegetables that we never realized were loaded with protein (along with a wealth of nutrients our bodies crave!).

extras

If you’re looking to sprinkle even more on top, here are some of my favorite add-ons. These Lil’ Bucks buckwheat superfood seeds are outstanding on yogurt, smoothies, and cereal. I add nutritional yeast any time you’d add cheese – in soups, pasta, rice, popcorn, any dinner, really! It is so savory and just loaded with vitamins. Also, pumpkin seeds are a MUST. Not only are they fantastic for protein, they help rid your body of toxins and support liver health (amongst a laundry list of other healthy pros!).

By no means is this an exhaustive list, but I hope it gives you one or two new sources to try. Do you have suggestions to add? We’d love to try them! Please drop your favorites in the comments below 👇. Be well + joyful, friend!