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Vegan Amino Acids: Know Your Protein Sources

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Best vegan foods for amino acids

On a vegan diet, paying attention to amino acids is vital for your health. 

Plants take on a different profile, unlike many animal proteins that are naturally ‘complete’ with all essential amino acids. 

Only a few plant foods are considered complete on their own. And because some plants contain higher amounts of certain amino acids, consuming a variety is key.

It’s simple. Once you get familiar with certain foods and their amino acid profile, it’ll be easy to ensure you’re getting what you need.

What are amino acids?

What are vegan amino acids

Amino acids are organic compounds that combine to form proteins. They’re most well-known in the fitness community for supporting muscle repair and development. 

But amino acids are critical for many bodily functions, such as aiding in cell growth and repair, neurotransmitter production, and immune system function. They’re the building blocks of a healthy system.

Amino acids are quite phenomenal. Over 500 of them exist in nature, but only 22 α-amino acids appear in the genetic code of all life.

All amino acids have a similar structure, consisting of an amino group (NH2) a  carboxyl group (-COOH), a hydrogen atom (H), and a unique side chain. This unique side chain determines the properties and functions of different amino acids.

Your body can produce some types of amino acids (non-essential amino acids). However, others known as essential amino acids must be consumed through food or supplementation. 

Essential vs. non-essential amino acids

vegan amino acid protein sources

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and each takes on different methods of production and roles throughout the body. Broadly, they’re characterized as essential and non-essential labels, based on whether or not we need to get them from food.

Essential amino acids

Essential amino acids (EAAs), which cannot be synthesized by the body in sufficient quantities must be obtained from our diet. These are:

  • Histidine
  • Isoleucine
  • Leucine
  • Lysine
  • Methionine
  • Phenylalanine 
  • Threonine
  • Tryptophan
  • Valine

These amino acids are critical for various bodily functions, including protein synthesis, tissue growth, and overall health. Ensuring adequate consumption of EAAs is crucial to sustaining whole-body vitality.[1]

Non-essential amino acids

Non-essential amino acids are those that the body can produce on its own and do not need to be obtained from the diet. They are equally important as essential amino acids, the only difference is how they’re acquired.  

Based on the 22 α-amino acids we need to thrive, the non-essentials are the remaining 13 types from the 9 essentials above. These include:

  • Alanine
  • Arginine
  • Asparagine
  • Aspartic acid
  • Cysteine
  • Glutamic acid
  • Glutamine
  • Glycine
  • Proline
  • Serine
  • Tyrosine

It’s important to note that despite the naming “non-essential,” these amino acids are critical. For example, glycin is one of the most abundant yet undervalued aminos because it helps maintain healthy nervous system functioning and immune response.[2]

Likewise, glutamine is a powerful amino acid that aids in muscle recovery and supports the gut microbiome by maintaining the integrity of the gut mucosal wall.[3]

Branched-chain amino acids

BCAAs, or branch-chained amino acids, consist of three essential amino acids:

  • Leucine
  • Isoleucine
  • Valine

They’re named for their particular branched molecular structure that sets them apart from other types of amino acids as mission-critical building blocks, particularly for athletes.

BCAAs are critical to muscle growth and repair because they stimulate protein synthesis more than any other group of amino acids. For instance, leucine activates pathways that stimulate muscle protein synthesis for the energy that fuels our day.[4] 

The right amount of vegan BCAAs based on your exercise load can also help mitigate muscle soreness and exercise fatigue, among other benefits. So you must be getting enough plants and nutrition that supply these key aminos.

Vegan foods high in amino acids

vegan foods high in amino acids

Plant-based diets can be rich sources of amino acids if you know where to look. Here are some common vegan food sources that are high in amino acids.

  • Soy: Tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy milk, and other soybean-based products are considered complete protein sources, providing all the essential amino acids.
  • Legumes and beans: Peas, lentils, chickpeas, and black beans (pretty much any bean) are rich in essential amino acids, particularly the BCAAs leucine and isoleucine.
  • Rice and grains: whole grains like oats, rice, and wheat are also notable sources of amino acids, particularly valine. When combined with legumes, you get a complete protein with all essential amino acids.
  • Nuts and seeds: Pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and almonds are good sources of essential amino acids. For instance, lysine is found in good amounts in certain nuts and seeds
  • Hemp: Despite being a seed, this food deserves its own bullet point because it’s a complete protein source with one of the highest concentrations of essential amino acids.
  • Quinoa: This grain stands out as being a “nearly complete” protein, as it contains all nine essential amino acids, although quinoa protein may be limited in certain amino acids depending on the variety and growing conditions.[5]
  • Peanuts: A tree nut that’s deserving of a dedicated mention is the peanut, which is high in arginine – an important precursor for nitric oxide known to improve blood flow during exercise. (Hello, peanut butter protein)

When on a mostly vegan diet, it’s important to balance these foods and consume different combinations mindfully throughout your meals.

Here’s a classic example: a nut (peanut butter) and grain (wheat bread) combination makes for a complete protein. So, knowing a classic PB&J sandwich is a sufficient meal is just one of many examples of nutritional reassurance. 

Best vegan protein powders high in amino acids

Best vegan protein powders high in amino acids

Vegan protein powder or collagen powder is one of the easiest ways to ensure you’re getting an adequate balance of amino acids on a plant-based diet. Fortunately, many vegan protein powders are appropriately labeled with their amino acid profile, including BCAA content. 

To ensure you’re getting sufficient aminos from your vegan protein powder, look for these types in the ingredients:

Pea and brown rice protein

Brown rice protein, while incomplete on its own, when combined with pea protein creates a powerful duo. The mix results in an all-essential amino-acid-packed punch for your body. This blend is great if you’re looking to build muscle after strenuous training or simply to ensure you checking your nutritional boxes on a vegan diet.

Hemp protein powder

Hemp protein powder is another solid choice for vegans needing to optimize their amino acids. Hemp contains all nine essential amino acids and also provides beneficial omega-3 fatty acids which further support muscle recovery and inflammation reduction.[6]

Chia seed protein

Chia seed protein is a complete source that supplies calcium and fiber, making it a reliable energy source that can contribute to muscle recovery, improve sports performance, and strengthen muscle mass.

Soy protein

If allergies aren’t an issue, soy-based proteins are among the few plant proteins that offer all essential amino acids making it a complete source of this nutrient group crucial for our bodies’ functions like tissue repair and immune system support.

Pumpkin seed protein powder

An underdog but no less potent source is pumpkin seed protein powder. It’s surprisingly rich in magnesium which aids energy production besides being loaded with other necessary minerals along with all 9 essentials plus additional non-essential amino acids.

Consume a variety of vegan amino acids

Consume a variety of vegan amino acids

Not only is it important to pick the right vegan protein powder that fits your dietary preferences and intolerance, but it’s also important to mix it up.

If you can tolerate a wide range of plant foods, then it doesn’t hurt to have multiple tubs of protein powder, mixing up your day-to-day intake with a wide variety of ingredients and amino acid sources.

Protein powder products rich in amino acids

vegan amino acid protein sources

If you’d like product recommendations, here are a few protein powders that I regularly keep in my pantry:

  • Orgain Simple Protein: This complete protein powder is clean and free from stevia and artificial sweeteners. It combines the power of pea, oat, almond, and chia for the ultimate amino acid profile.
  • Garden of Life Sport: Most sport-centric protein powders emphasize aminos, particularly BCAAs, but Garden of Life takes the cake. In addition to offering a wide range of raw, organic protein sources, it also contains a powerful antioxidant blend as well as probiotics.
  • MRM Veggie Elite: Also a sports performance blend, this protein powder is dense in amino acids, providing a simple pea and brown rice protein combination in a digestive-friendly, delicious-tasting product.

These are just a few of my favorite go-to protein powders. For more, see the links below for additional amino-rich resources:

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About the Author

tyler tafelsky vegan protein powder review editor

This article was written by Tyler Tafelsky, the lead editor here at VeganProteinPowder.reviews. Tyler is an experienced writer in the health and athletic space who has tried hundreds of different plant-based nutritional products and writes about his favorites here on this blog. Learn more about Tyler by viewing his full author bio or by following him on social platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram.

Scientific References

  1. Lopez MJ, Mohiuddin SS. Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids. [Updated 2023 Mar 13]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557845/
  2. Meléndez-Hevia E, De Paz-Lugo P, Cornish-Bowden A, Cárdenas ML. A weak link in metabolism: the metabolic capacity for glycine biosynthesis does not satisfy the need for collagen synthesis. J Biosci. 2009 Dec;34(6):853-72. doi: 10.1007/s12038-009-0100-9. PMID: 20093739.
  3. Cruzat V, Macedo Rogero M, Noel Keane K, Curi R, Newsholme P. Glutamine: Metabolism and Immune Function, Supplementation and Clinical Translation. Nutrients. 2018 Oct 23;10(11):1564. doi: 10.3390/nu10111564. PMID: 30360490; PMCID: PMC6266414.
  4. Duan Y, Li F, Li Y, Tang Y, Kong X, Feng Z, Anthony TG, Watford M, Hou Y, Wu G, Yin Y. The role of leucine and its metabolites in protein and energy metabolism. Amino Acids. 2016 Jan;48(1):41-51. doi: 10.1007/s00726-015-2067-1. Epub 2015 Aug 9. PMID: 26255285.
  5. Craine EB, Murphy KM. Seed Composition and Amino Acid Profiles for Quinoa Grown in Washington State. Front Nutr. 2020 Aug 12;7:126. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2020.00126. Erratum in: Front Nutr. 2020 Nov 09;7:605674. PMID: 32903386; PMCID: PMC7434868.
  6. Rodriguez-Martin NM, Montserrat-de la Paz S, Toscano R, Grao-Cruces E, Villanueva A, Pedroche J, Millan F, Millan-Linares MC. Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Protein Hydrolysates Promote Anti-Inflammatory Response in Primary Human Monocytes. Biomolecules. 2020 May 22;10(5):803. doi: 10.3390/biom10050803. PMID: 32456009; PMCID: PMC7277103.