14 Plants Aren’t a Real Source of Protein

“Humans love categorical thinking,” says Andrews. “It’s not uncommon to hear people say that meat is a protein, wholegrains are a carbohydrate and nuts are a fat.” In reality, most foods contain a variety of macro- and micronutrients. Though it’s true that many plant-protein sources are “incomplete” – they don’t contain all nine essential amino acids – this is only a problem if there’s no variety in your diet. Vegans should eat one portion of cooked legumes per day, such chickpeas, to get lysine.