Macro partitioning
Plant-based diets require higher total protein intake than the standard RDA to achieve equivalent amino acid utilization compared to mixed diets.
If you eat a plant-based diet, the standard protein recommendation might not be enough because plant proteins are harder for your body to use. You likely need to eat more total protein than the standard guideline suggests to maintain muscle and health. Focus on variety and ensure you are getting enough calories to meet these higher protein needs.
individuals consuming exclusively plant-based diets would need to consume protein in an amount greater than the RDA compared with individuals consuming mixed diets (animal and plants). For example, an individual consuming a plant-based diet may theoretically need to consume a higher quantity of protein to meet the RDA of 0.8 g/kg per day with high quality, utilizable protein (1.31 g plant-based protein × 0.61 protein quality score = 0.8 g).
Why this rating
The paper cites specific studies on protein quality scores (DIAAS/PDCAAS) and metabolic calculations.
Source
Translating “protein foods” from the new Canada’s Food Guide to consumers: knowledge gaps and recommendations
Melissa Anne Fernandez et al. · Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism · 2020
DOI 10.1139/apnm-2020-0192
More from this paper
- Consumers lack sufficient food literacy to transition to plant-based protein diets without compromising nutritional adequacy or relying on ultra-processed foods.Moderate
- Mandatory institutional nutrition policies based on dietary guidelines improve dietary intakes, but voluntary policies often fail to ensure adequate access to healthy protein foods.Moderate
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